ARE YOU SURE YOU’RE SAVED?

You cannot be sure unless you have faith.

The Hebrews writer penned that “…without faith it is

impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God

must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of

them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6).

You cannot be sure unless you have repented

of your sins.  Luke recorded these words, “I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke

13:3). Repentance is “more than an ice-melting affair, it is

an ice-breaking affair.” Repentance is not “your heart being

broken for sin, but it is your heart being broken from sin.”

You cannot be sure unless you have confessed

the name of Christ, with your mouth and continue to do

so with your life. Jesus said, “Whosoever therefore shall

confess me before men, him will I confess also before

my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny

me before men, him will I also deny before my Father

which is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32-33; cf, Rom. 10:10).

You cannot be sure unless you have been born

anew. Jesus told Nicodemus, “…Except one be born

anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God … Except one

be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into

the kingdom of God” (John 3:3; cf. Acts 2:38). Yes,

baptism is essential to salvation (1 Pet. 3:21).

You cannot be sure unless you are in the Lord’s

church. In order to be saved, you must be where the saved

are. Luke wrote, “praising God, and having favor with

all the people. And the Lord added to them [the church]

day by day those that were saved” (Acts 2:47; cf. Col.

1:18; Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).

You cannot be sure unless you are worshipping

God correctly. Jesus said, “God is a Spirit: and they

that worship him must worship him in spirit [right attitude]

and in truth [New Testament authority] (John 4:24).” To

add to, or to deviate from authorized worship, is to transgress

the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9).

You cannot be sure unless you are living a holy

life. Paul wrote, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by

the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living

sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your

reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1).

Are you really sure you are saved? Are you giving

the Lord your all? You see, “you do not value God at all if

you do not value Him above all.” The Judgment Day does

not have to be a day of surprise for you. Do not be like

Felix who said, “When I have a convenient season.” Do

not make light of the opportunity you have this day to obey

the Lord. We are never promised a second opportunity.

Your opportunity may very well either be now…or never.

Author Unknown

From The Southwesterner, 2008