In the span of twenty-four hours recently, this question confronted me three times in varying forms. When thinking through it, I realized that the Bible is very specific in what it says one must do in order to be saved. And while it’s ultimately between you and God to know for sure, there are definite, specific signs that the Bible mentions for those who are really saved.
What Must We Do to Be Saved?
The Bible says that we receive salvation when we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths.
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Romans 10:9-10
But deciding in your head that you believe and praying a “prayer of salvation” isn’t enough. Salvation is a gift from God. It’s a supernatural work that we can’t do for ourselves. John 1:13 says that it is God who makes us alive in Him. “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
We Must Be Born Again
Only those who are born again by the Spirit of God will see Heaven.
“Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”’”
John 3:3
And the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey Him.
“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
If we aren’t sure if we have the Holy Spirit, we can pray to receive Him.
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?”
Luke 11:13
So How Do You Know for Sure that You’re Really Saved?
The Bible says one day many will say, “Lord, Lord,” but will be turned away from God on Judgment Day.
“Not every one that saith unto me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?’ And then will I profess unto them, ‘I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.'”
Matthew 7:21-23
These are people who BELIEVED that they were saved but never had a relationship with God. It was all just outward, all just RELIGION. He could say to them, “I never knew you.”
But Jesus tells us clearly how to know those who belong to Him. They hear His voice and follow Him. He KNOWS them.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
John 10:27-28
My Testimony: A Personal Relationship with God
As for me, I know first-hand the difference between having the Holy Spirit and not having the Holy Spirit. For 41 years, I “prayed to the ceiling” but never heard the Lord speak back. Then one day He came for me. I was living in sin with my soon-to-be second husband when He found me. He told me I was lukewarm and needed to get hot, or He would spit me out.
At the time, I believed in Jesus as my Savior, went to church, listened to Christian music, and prayed, but God said it wasn’t enough. I had to surrender completely to Him. By His grace, I did, and He gave me His precious Holy Spirit. My whole life changed. My priorities changed, my thoughts changed, and my desires changed. Whereas before I was concerned with the world, I’m now concerned about pleasing God. I still fall short, but He has begun a good work in me (and will be faithful to complete it – Philippians 1:6).
The experience has shown me that the Lord doesn’t accept anything less than 100% surrender. God can’t be a side dish, an accessory, or an also-ran. Salvation is by grace through faith, and if you truly BELIEVE that God is who He says He is, then God must be your everything — or He is nothing. And for those who believe, He manifests Himself to them (John 14:21). He is living, active, and involved in the lives of His children. He leads, guides, chastens, and teaches. The Lord knows His children by name and speaks to them and tells them that He loves them. It’s a two-way relationship with a real Person (not an idea, not a religion). I have lived both ways, and I can tell you. There is a difference!
How Do I Know If I’m Really Saved?
Lots of people THINK they know God. They know about Him from what other people say and what they have read, but they have never had a true experience with Him. But just like knowing who Joe Biden is won’t get you past security into the White House, knowing who Jesus is won’t get you into Heaven. We must have a true, experiential knowledge, a relationship, with the Living God. And once we do, we can’t remain the same. He changes us from what we were before to a new creation, and He continues to teach us, mold us, and guide us so that each day we are more and more like Him.
What Does That Look Like?
When you talk to the Lord, does He talk back? Of course, I’m not saying audibly or all the time, but the Lord knows how to get His messages across.
When you’re driving and praying, do you think of things that just “happen” to come up in your YouTube feed later that apply to your life? Do you ponder something to the Lord one minute and open your Bible to find the answer the next? When you come to the end of yourself and beg Him to give you a Bible verse to calm your troubled mind, does the exact one pop in or pop up somewhere to help you see things in a way you had never considered? Does He chasten you with words in your mind and show you in the Bible where you are falling short? Does He tell you that He loves you? Have you heard Him call you by name and show you that He knows you and your innermost thoughts, dreams, and desires? Do you feel His presence when you worship?
Are you all-in and completely surrendered to God in every area of your life so that He is in charge, not you? Do you have a desire for His Word, the Bible? Does it feed you spiritually and encourage you to be conformed to His image? (When you aren’t conformed to His image, does He convict you and remind you to repent and/or make amends?) Is God your obsession, in most every thought, and your greatest focus (Psalm 10:4)? Do you bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)? Is God your God?
Are You Saved, a True Child of God?
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
Romans 8:14
A true child of God hears His voice and is led by His Spirit. There is a hunger for the Word of God and a new focus and desire for the things of God. There is evidence that you have been changed from who you were to a new creation in Christ.
If this doesn’t describe you right now, be encouraged. The Bible says that those who seek God will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13) and those who ask will receive (Matthew 7:7-8). Make a commitment to give God your whole life, not just a part of it, and watch what He will do.
If you would like more information about what it looks like to know God (and have Him know you), try Bible Verses About Those Who Know God and Those Who Don’t Also, please make sure to subscribe via email in the upper right-hand corner and ceck out my YouTube channel in which I read the blogs out loud. I also have a playlist of hymns from my church.
