"...Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8b)
Who hath believed our report?
This plaintive cry opens the tender and gut-wrenching chapter of Isaiah 53, a passage that tells of God who became the suffering servant, despised and rejected by men, who died for the sins of the world. Echoed again by the apostle Paul in Romans 10, we understand that this report is the gospel message itself. Believing the report is the same thing as obeying it, and this leads to our eternal salvation. All who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Rom. 10:13-17, Heb. 5:9)
It is that simple. Christ died for our sins. He was buried and rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:1-4) By grace we are saved, not of works. (Rom. 4, Eph. 2:8-10, Titus 3:3-8) The just shall live by faith (Rom. 1:16-17). And it is faith alone, not faith plus our continued faithfulness, our holy living, our water baptism, or our service. All of these things are good and profitable for the already-saved believer, but they are not what saves us or keeps us saved. We are saved and kept saved by Jesus Christ alone. (1 Pet. 1:3-12) And He offers only one kind of salvation: the eternal kind. (Heb. 5:9)
This means it is not temporary. It is not given until you screw up again. He is not taking it back, and you can't give it away either. As evangelist Justin Powell writes, "Salvation is not a process. It's a one-time event. You can't lose an event; it's like saying I lost my birthday." Likewise, becoming saved is having a spiritual birthday. "You must be born again," Jesus told Nicodemus.
You cannot lose it and you cannot give your birthday away.
The Bible clearly says you can know you have eternal life, but what if you're not sure? What if you doubt your salvation? Here's how to know if you are really saved.
Scripture says you can KNOW that you have eternal life. Like, actually KNOW. Not wonder if you do, not hope that you do, not think you probably do but you're not sure because you told a lie the other day or had too much to drink or had premarital sex or yelled at your kids.
All you have to do is believe the testimony God gives of His Son.
Read this passage carefully:
"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness [the Spirit who is given to all who believe] in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:4-13)
"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36)
Do you have the Son? Do you believe the record God gave of His Son? This is the record: that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
Do you believe God? Or do you make Him a liar?
Do you believe God gives you eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son, or do you believe He gives it only if you persevere in the faith?
Do you believe God gives you eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son, or do you believe He gives it only if you get water baptized?
Do you believe God gives you eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son, or do you believe He gives it only if you go to church and give tithes and try not to sin?
Do you believe God gives you eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son, or do you believe He gives it only if you commit to serving Him all your life?
Do you believe God? Or do you make Him a liar?
If you could walk away from eternal life, it wouldn't be eternal.
Isaiah asks, "who hath believed our report?" Do you believe the report God gave of His Son?
Jesus asks, "...when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" Do you have faith? Faith. Not faith AND. Not faith PLUS. Faith alone.
This is not a message coming from me. On the authority of Scripture, you can KNOW that you have eternal life based on whether or not you believe the testimony—record—God gives of His Son. If you do not believe the testimony, or if you have twisted the testimony by adding caveats and conditions, you make Him a liar and the truth is not in you.
If you doubt your salvation, it's possible that you are not saved. Maybe you heard a twisted message and believed a false gospel taught by someone who didn't believe in the simplicity of it. (2 Cor. 11:3-4) But it's simple to find out by examining what you believe. What is your testimony? God tells us that eternal life is in His Son. It's not partly in His Son and then whatever you can bring to the table in service and commitment and faithfulness.
"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God... For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, (1 Cor. 1:17-18, 21-23a)
In the beginning, the evil one came to Eve and asked, "Hath God said?" (Gen. 3:1) Today, many professing Christians do the same.
Did God really say you would receive eternal life when you believe on His Son? Or do you have to believe plus get water baptized to be born again?
Did God really say no one could snatch you out of His hand, or did He forget to add the part where you can take yourself out by walking away from the faith?
Did God really say that those who believe are perfected forever (Heb. 10:14, Acts 26:18), or did He mean, "As long as you turn from your sins and keep persevering?"
Do you believe God? Or do you make Him a liar?
False teachers, or folks who are well-meaning but simply deceived, will say you can know you are saved based on the evidence of a changed life, or what they say is your "fruit." But this is wrong. A saved person who is actually growing in the faith will certainly have a life marked by godliness, the fruit of the Spirit and an increasing hatred and grief for sin, but this is evidence of spiritual maturity—signs of the unquenched Spirit working within them. But remember that the ministers of Satan can appear as workers of righteousness. (2 Cor. 11:14-15) "Evidence" is not how to know you are saved. (Matt. 7:21-23)
On the authority of Scripture, you can know you are really saved by evaluating what you believe. If you believe the simple truth of the gospel, Scripture assures your salvation.
"In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began," (Titus 1:2)
What kind of life did God promise?
Questions for reflection and prayer:
- When God said that if you believe on His Son Jesus Christ you would have everlasting life, do you believe Him?
- When God said that this life is eternal and no one can snatch you out of His hand, do you believe Him?
- When God said that He who believes on Him shall never die, do you believe this?
- Do you believe the record God gave of His Son?
- Do you think God's faithfulness is dependent upon your faithfulness? (Spoiler alert: it isn't. 2 Tim. 2:13)