A major question believers ask regarding salvation is how do they know their salvation is real and assured? This is a very important question in the Christian life. Many believers doubt their salvation because they don’t see the “signs” of genuine faith in their lives.

According to the Bible, we should examine ourselves to determine if we are believers and are truly “in the faith”:

2 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV)

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you are disqualified.

Thankfully, the apostle John has given us ample instruction for how we can know for sure that we have eternal life.

John 5:13 (NKJV)

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

Here are a series of tests in 1 John that we can use to examine ourselves and our faith.

• Do you enjoy having fellowship with Christ and His redeemed people? (1 John 1:3 / John 13:35 / 1 John 4:20-21)
• Would people say you walk in the light, or walk in the darkness? (1 John 1:6-7)
• Do you admit and confess your sin? Do you repent continuously? (1 John 1:8-10)
• Are you obedient to God’s Word & His commands? (1 John 2:3-5)
• Does your life indicate you love God rather than the world? (1 John 2:15)
• Is your life characterized by “doing what is right”? (1 John 2:29)
• Do you seek to maintain a pure life? (1 John 3:3)
• Do you see a decreasing pattern of sin in your life? (1 John 3:5-6) [Note: this refers to not continuing in sin as a way of life, not a total absence of sin.]
• Do you demonstrate love for other Christians? (1 John 3:14)
• Do you “walk the walk,” versus just “talking the talk”? (1 John 3:18-19)
• Do you maintain a clear conscience? (1 John 3:21)
• Do you experience victory in your Christian walk? (1 John 5:4)

If you are able to truthfully answer “Yes” to these questions (or a majority of them, and are working on the others), then your life is bearing the fruit of true salvation.

Another important way we can know our faith is genuine is when we persevere through trials. The testing of our faith produces endurance (James 1:2-4). When we go through life’s many trials and we persevere with endurance that experience is something that builds a strong assurance.

As great men of faith look back on their lives, they will always tell you their faith has grown stronger because it has survived every test.

When we face hard times, we may notice our faith is supernaturally elevated and we have a great sense of grace that strengthens us. The experience of a life surrendered to Christ diminishes doubt and gives the believer security.

You may say that having faith is difficult, but have you exercised your faith during difficult times? Are you relying on God? Have you examined your life once you have gained victory to see God’s hand at work? Or have you assumed that it was all in your own efforts?

Faith that has been tested assures the believer.  From the points above, we can see that it is not the perfection of your life that demonstrates your salvation, but rather the direction. The direction of love, devotion, service, transformation, humility and righteousness.