How do I know?

Dwight Childers

Have you ever wondered, “how do I know I am saved, and have eternal assurance of salvation”? The following verses should give you understanding and peace concerning your position with God. The Holy Spirit through Paul gives us the answer.

Eph 1:13-14 (13) In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, (14) who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory

1. You heard the word of truth. The Gospel or (good news) of your salvation. We came in contact with God’s word in some manner. And it led us to understand the helpless position we were in. 

2. You believed in Him. That is we put all of our trust in what Christ did for our redemption, and not in our ability to live right enough. 

3. And at that moment we “were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

As we grow as believers, form the first moment, the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

Rom 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. 

A sister in Christ told me once that when she studied the word it was like a warm “sweet peace” form somewhere deep inside sprang up and flooded her heart. Folks that is the Holy Spirit “witnessing” with our spirit. That is when He is bringing us understanding and revelation of God’s word. That is when He is shaping and changing our character, and that changes lives. 

4. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance, until we acquire possession of it.

The word “guarantee” is translated from a Greek word that literally means “earnest” or as we have come to understand it, “a down payment”. The Lord gave the Holy Spirit to us as a down payment on our everlasting redemption. We are His. Think of it this way. When we purchase a house or property we put down “earnest money”, that is, a down payment. That is our guarantee that we, in the end will fully possess that house or property. Further, no one else can buy the property and we cannot take back our down payment. 

So when satan starts trying to fill you with doubt, remember Eph 1:13-14. This is God’s unbreakable promise to us. The apostle John wrote in first John that, “this was written that you may know that you are saved”.

A-Men