Assurance of Salvation

How to Know That You Know You’re a Christian

Ken

You’ve prayed the sinner’s prayer, been baptized, attend or joined in membership to a church, volunteered your service with the church, and even contributed financially to support the church, which is all fitting and right. But, Scripture is actually very specific about how to know that you know you’re a Christian. The Apostle John was inspired to write a letter or epistle dedicated to his little children about this very subject. “These things have I written unto you that believe [Greek, pisteuō] on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe [Greek, pisteuō]  on the name of the Son of God” (1John 5:13 KJV). 

Pisteuō can properly be translated commit, as in commitment, giving us a more forceful grasp of the meaning of this foundational, consequential, evangelical word. Commit gives us the sense we are making a long term investment in Christ, since we have counted the cost. In the KJV, in all but a handful of the 250 verses it appears in the New Testament, pisteuō is translated as some form of the word believe; in eight verses, it appears as some form of the word commit, and in three verses, it appears as trust. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth [Greek, pisteuō, commits] in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). 

Back to our topic of how to know that you know you’re a Christian.

Let us examine 1John 2:3-5. 

2:3 

 “And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1John 2:3). 

Here is how we know that we know Jesus, if we presently, actively keep His commands. John plainly exhorts us to walk in present obedience, in order to know that we know Jesus.

2:4  

“He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1John 2:4). 

Just as plainly, declaring a present knowledge of Jesus, while walking in disobedience, makes one a liar. The truth cannot exist in a liar, for John further declares, “All liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). This is very blunt language. 

2:5 

“But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him” (1John 2:5). 

Truth and obedience perfect God’s love. Actively keeping God’s Word is the perfection of God’s love. This is the only means to know that we know Him and are in Him. All other methods do not represent exactly what God says about how to know that you know you’re a Christian. 

Analyzing 1John 2:3-5 

First, spiritual knowing and intellectual knowing are different. What your mind intellectually remembers is not necessarily the same as what you spiritually know. When God says you spiritually know something, then you know it. Otherwise, your intellectual recall of praying the sinner’s prayer, being baptized, attending  or joining in membership to a church, volunteering your service with the church, and even contributing financially to support the church, all are what you intellectually know. But, walking in present tense, heart obedience to Jesus Christ is the only way to spiritually know that you know Him. “He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked” (1John 2:6). 

Second, everything then can be reduced to walking “in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25 NIV). If we walk in step with the Spirit, then our intellectual knowledge will coincide with our spiritual knowledge. When disciples backslide into carnality, they insist their intellectual knowledge of past events is correct. This is called self deception. “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself” (Galatians 6:3). 

Third, the great mistake made still by those insisting on this understanding of how to know that you know Him, is not understanding the significance of God’s Spirit working in us “to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Unless properly understanding the Spirit’s role, you can easily develop a pharisaical, arminianism, i.e., my obedience makes me righteous. 

A- God’s presence through His creation of the physical world (Romans 1:20) puts us on notice He is the One with whom we have to do, and He alone can save. “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22). 

B- God’s Word enables our salvation. “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). 

C- In this New Covenant age, God has given His Spirit to inspire us to obedience. “And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). This was the great achievement of the outpouring of His Spirit at Pentecost— not the miracle of tongues (Acts 2:4), but the giving of the Holy Spirit to those who gladly received God’s Word. “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). 

D- The Gift of the Holy Spirit is evidenced not by speaking in tongues but by obedience. “And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him” (Acts 5:32). We obey Him “because He first loved us” (1John 4:19). He granted us “repentance to the acknowledging of the truth” (2Timothy 2:25). Understanding our ability and responsibility to obey, we know we never will obey without God’s help. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). 

All of this brings us back to how you know that you know you’re a Christian. 

“Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit” (1John 4:13). 

If you can live without obedience, you can live without His Spirit, and you can live without the assurance of how you know that you know you’re a Christian. But, may God grant you the joy of knowing Him! 

Shine or Stumble

Ken

“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble” (Proverbs 4:18-19 KJV). Either we are shining or stumbling, but not both, at least at the same time. You cannot be going opposite directions simultaneously. Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [riches]” (Matthew 6:24). Even the world says, You can’t have it both ways. It seems that the Church of Laodicea went back and forth between hot and cold for Christ, so much so, they were characterized as lukewarm — fit only to be vomited out of the mouth of Christ. “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16). 

If we develop the position we are saved-and-sure-to-go-to-heaven, but we’ll simply lose some rewards because of our present sinning, then Jesus disagrees. Why? Any confidence of our salvation based upon past actions and not upon a present walk of obedience with the Lord, lacks the testimony of the Holy Spirit. “He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1John 2:4). How can this be? We confuse our intellectual memory of the past with the Holy Spirit’s testimony. We are dead, if the Holy Spirit says we’re dead. And, we’re only alive, if the testimony of Scripture says we’re alive. “And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep [Greek, tēreō, are keeping, i.e., present tense] His commandments” (1John 2:3). I’ve met many Professed Christians living in open sin, who still console themselves with their hope of Heaven, because they remember getting saved. The only way to prove you are a backslider is to “be zealous therefore, and repent” (Revelation 3:19)! 

Father, deliver Your Church from comforting Professed Christians, who are abiding in sin, with any hope of Heaven. May we agree with the testimony of Your Spirit, when there is open and known sin. May Your Church separate itself from the practice of sinning. And, may we gather inspiration from Your Spirit to walk in obedience. Lord Jesus, return quickly. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Finish the Job!

Ken

“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6 KJV). God does not expect from us, what He does not expect from Himself — Finish the job! How can we expect to enter into Heaven, if we do not persevere to the end (Matthew 24:13; Romans 2:7; Revelation 3:11)? Do you say, it will happen anyway? But, if it took your cooperation and agreement for Him to begin the good work in you, why wouldn’t it take that cooperation to the end? It was never that we loved Him, but “He first loved us” (1John 4:19). Finishing the job and making it home to Heaven — sure, you must persevere — but, all the credit will be placed at the feet of our Lord, when we come into His heavenly presence. LORD, You were our help in ages past, and are our hope for years to come. Your Spirit working in us caused us to will and to do of Your good pleasure. Magnify Your name for every right hearted action of Your children. And, may every child of Yours justify the wisdom of Your decision to require us to persevere to the end, when we cross the Finish Line into Heaven. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen and amen. 

Talking About Jesus

Ken

If we were talking more about Jesus, then we wouldn’t be doing all the things we shouldn’t be doing. Would we be so brash to say we can talk more about Jesus later in Heaven, but there are more interesting things to talk about now? “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2Corinthians 10:5 KJV). Obviously, brushing aside Jesus so easily, is dancing on the edge of Hell with little thought of the eternal stakes. Danger signs should be erected to prevent the uninformed: “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts” (Psalm 10:4). Profession alone is not possession. “4 He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in Him. 5 But whoso keepeth His word, in Him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. 6 He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked” (1John 2:4-6). LORD, may we accustom ourselves to talking to You and about You now, for we covet Your conversation in Eternity. Wake up the Sleeping Professed Church and rescue us from the pit of Hell. Keep us from waving  a false document of eternal security in front of You, while we do not the things You tell us to do. Return quickly, in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. 

How You Know You Are A Christian

Ken

You are what you are in the present. Not because of what you did in the past or will do in the future. John said that we know that we know Him because we are obeying Him. “And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1John 2:3 KJV). In other words, when we are obeying Him, we know that we know Him. The opposite is true, when we are not obeying Him, we are not knowing that we know Him. Spiritual testimony and intellectual testimony are not necessarily the same. The head can lie to the heart, but the heart will never lie to the head. 

People call themselves Christians based upon an intellectual remembering of past events reinforced by their emotions. When their actions cease to be Christlike, their emotions refuse to let go of their claim to being a Christian. “He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (2:4). In other words, anyone who claims to know Jesus Christ, while not obeying Him, is a liar. Later, John reminds us, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). 

Total Recall (2012) [Colin Farrell not Arnold Schwarzenegger] is a sci-fi movie about a dystopian earth where memories can be implanted in your mind. Hauser (known also as Douglas Quaid) has an important conversation with Matthias (the Resistance leader) two-thirds of the way through the movie. Matthias gives advice to Hauser (1:58:19/38:41 left). 

Hauser: I want to remember. 

Matthias: Why? 

Hauser: So I can be myself, be who I was. 

Matthias: It is each man’s quest to find out who he truly is, but the answer to that lies in the present, not in the past, as it is for all of us. 

Hauser: But the past tells us who we’ve become. 

Matthias: The past is a construct of the mind. It blinds us. It fools us into believing it. But the heart wants to live in the present. Look there. You’ll find your answer. 

I Know Where You Live

Ken

God’s words, not mine. Depends on who you are. It is a threat against you, if you are like the Assyrian King Sennacherib, ranting against Yahweh (701 BC) in the Levant, besieging Jerusalem. “I know where you live and everything you do and how you rage against Me” (Isaiah 37:28 NET). Biblical and secular histories differ, where the siege against King Hezekiah at Jerusalem ended with an angel killing “185,000 troops in the Assyrian camp” (37:26), Sennacherib returned to Nineveh, and was slain by his own sons (37:38; 681 BC). Assyrian annals left out the part where the Lord’s angel killed 185,000 troops, instead they recorded: “Hezekiah was overwhelmed by fear of [Sennacherib’s] ‘Lordly brilliance’ and submitted to paying a large tribute of soldiers, hostages, gold and silver, weapons, and other valuables to be delivered to Nineveh.” Revisionist history or fake news, since 2Kings 19 gives an authentic account of the supernatural annihilation and humiliation received by Sennacherib. May the LORD’s words, “I know where you live,” be received as encouragement for the godly that He knows how to deal with the ungodly, and even inspire the afflicted, as later for the New Covenant Church of Pergamum. “I know where you live – where Satan’s throne is. Yet you continue to cling to My name and you have not denied your faith in Me, even in the days of Antipas, My faithful witness, who was killed in your city where Satan lives” (Revelation 2:13). LORD, come quickly and deliver Your people. Amen. 

Meet Me in Heaven

Ken

Shouldn’t we all be able to say, “Meet me in Heaven”? Scripture gives us the certainty of our heavenly destination from our daily walk. “3 And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. 6 He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked” (1John 2:3-6 KJV). But, the art of obedience should not be underrated — just ask Adam and Eve. God has gone through a lot of trouble to give us the gift of His Spirit to ensure our obedience. “And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). When was the Spirit given? Officially, when Peter gave the invitation at Pentecost. “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). Subsequently, has anyone received the Spirit before baptism? Yes, ask Cornelius (Acts 10). Then, why insist on baptism to receive the Holy Spirit? Because through baptism our loyalty is pledged, and it must be demonstrated for all to see and know, we stand with Jesus. “And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him” (Acts 5:32). Even though God knows our heart, He places a high value on everyone else knowing we stand with Him — especially making the point to His adversary the devil — He insists we become baptized before we lay claim to His Spirit. LORD, You have given us everything — physical life, Your Son, eternal life, but especially Your Spirit. May we walk in gratitude and power that we would be able to meet as many as You our God will call, one day in Heaven. Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Baptism: The Icing on the Cake

Ken

Other than the Lord’s Supper (known also as Communion or the Eucharist), Baptism is the other significant ordinance commanded by Christ, and historically much debated by the Church. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations [‘make disciples of all nations,’ NIV], baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19 KJV). To clarify, we are to make disciples of all nations and baptize them. No single explanation on baptism will satisfy all religious traditions; but, for conscience sake, can anyone gain entry into the Body of Christ, while defying the command, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38)? To be clear, no one or no thing saves except Jesus. Even if baptism is considered as a condition of salvation, baptism is more than a personal decision, but the outward approval of those who do the baptizing that the recipient has indeed fulfilled the terms for salvation, i.e., we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit by (1) turning to Jesus and BELIEVING on Him to save us from our sins (Acts 16:31), (2) turning away from our sins by REPENTING of them entirely (Acts 2:38), (3) FORSAKING or be willing to forsake everything for Jesus (Luke 18:22), and (4) CONFESSING Jesus is now the Lord or boss of our life (Romans 10:9). LORD, may Your body of believing, practicing disciples find our agreement in Christ about baptism “that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). Amen and amen. 

Only Those Who Abide in Obedience Have a Right to Claim They Know Him

Ken

Only those who abide in obedience have a right to claim they know Him. “And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1John 2:3-4). If human nature was naturally sinful, then how could anyone rightly claim to walk in obedience? A naturally sinful nature is only an excuse for sinning, not a good explanation. “Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth [Greek, hamartanei, sins or is sinning, present tense] hath not seen Him, neither known Him” (1John 3:6 KJV). Whoever is abiding in Christ is not sinning. Whoever is not abiding in Christ is sinning. Whoever is sinning is supernaturally assured in the most forceful language, that person “hath not seen Him, neither known Him” (3:6). God supernaturally chooses not to be known by us, when we are presently sinning. That withholds assurance of salvation from us, while we are in rebellion against Him. The language of the First Epistle of John requires the Holy Spirit to supernaturally teach, interpret, and understand. “But the anointing [Holy Spirit] which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him” (1John 2:27 KJV). May Christ bless all the disciples of His supernatural religion! “If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love” (John 15:10 KJV).