How Do I Know If I Am Saved?

Key Takeaways

➤ Salvation is a serious commitment: It's not about saying the "right" prayer or doing a checklist of tasks. It's about fully understanding the gospel, counting the cost, and committing your life to Jesus, no matter what that may entail—whether it’s risking everything or being all-in for Him.

➤ Repentance is essential: Repentance isn’t just saying sorry—it's making a 180-degree turn away from sin and toward God. It's a conscious decision to reset your life and choose the opposite direction of what your flesh desires.

➤ Salvation is a gift, but it comes with action: Jesus did the hard part by offering us salvation, but we must actively respond. This includes declaring Jesus as Lord, believing in His resurrection, and following up with baptism as a public declaration of your new life in Christ.

➤ Salvation isn’t about magic words: It’s about a life fully committed to Christ, marked by loyalty, repentance, and obedience.

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“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” - 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

A Caveat

Before we dive into this big question, let’s clear up a few things.

➤ We’ve all had those moments where we don’t feel God—cue the existential dread. And yeah, that feeling is the absolute worst. But here’s the comforting truth: God’s presence and love for us don’t ride the emotional roller coaster with us. They’re constant, even when our feelings are all over the place.

➤ Next, let’s normalize the questioning. Wrestling with your salvation? Good news—it’s a sign you’re growing! Augustine said it best: “Doubt is but another element of faith.” So, if your faith feels wobbly, it doesn’t mean you’re failing; it means you’re thinking and wrestling in ways you haven’t before. And that’s a good thing.

➤ Lastly, here’s the kicker: if you’re fretting and analyzing whether or not you’re truly saved, it’s a pretty solid sign that you are. That level of concern? It’s evidence that you care about your relationship with God—and that’s not something a person who’s disconnected from Him would do.

Take a deep breath. Let’s work through this.

Saved by Grace—But Let’s Talk About How That Happened

One of my favorite questions to ask is this: If someone walked up to you right now and said, “I want to be a Christian,” what would you do?

Let me guess—you’d probably choose one of these:

• Have them pray the sinner’s prayer.

• Tell them to ask Jesus into their heart.

• Take them to your church and throw them at your pastor like a spiritual hot potato.

Here’s the thing—I get it. These are popular go-tos. But we need to talk.

The Sinner’s Prayer

It sounds holy, right? The only problem is... it’s not in Scripture. Anywhere. Sure, prayer is super important in our walk with Christ, but there’s no magic combo of words that grants salvation.

“Ask Jesus into Your Heart.”

This one’s well-meaning, but let’s unpack it. What does it even mean? Are we asking Jesus to decorate the ventricles? The sentiment is nice, but it’s incomplete. By “heart,” we mean our choices, feelings, logic, and commitment—basically, the whole decision-making department. Asking Jesus to take charge of those things is good, but it’s still not exactly how Scripture outlines salvation.

"Let Me Just Grab My Pastor."

This is like saying, "I forgot my homework—let me copy yours." No shame in involving your pastor, but every believer should be equipped to lead someone to Christ. I want you to feel so confident in this that you don’t need backup.

So, How Do You Lead Someone to Jesus?

Good news: Jesus already did the hard part. There’s nothing you can do to make Him love you more (or less) than He does right now. Salvation is a gift—our role is just to receive it. Here’s how:

➤ Step 1: Know the Gospel (Romans 10:14-15)

You can’t share what you don’t know. The gospel is the good news that Jesus died for our sins, rose again, and offers eternal life to those who believe. You can read more about that here and here.

➤ Step 2: Count the Cost (Luke 14:25-35)

Becoming a Christian isn’t a whim decision. Let’s talk about commitment. Not the “I’ll try to make it to your party” kind, but the “I’ll risk everything for this” kind. I once had a friend from the Middle East who shared how he approached baptizing new believers. He’d look them in the eye and ask, “Are you willing to die for this?” Cue my wide-eyed, “Wait, what?!” face. Sensing my skepticism, he explained, “I baptized three busloads of people. Today, half of them are dead because of their faith.”

Yeah. Let that sink in.

It’s a brutal example, but it drives home the point: Jesus isn’t asking for casual followers. The commitment He calls for is life-altering, all-in, and yes, potentially life-threatening. While most of us won’t face such extremes, that level of devotion—the willingness to lose everything for Christ—is the standard. It’s sobering, it’s serious, and it’s exactly what He asks of us.

➤ Step 3: Repent (Acts 3:19)

Repentance means owning up to your sins before a holy God and making the choice to turn away from them. Think of it as hitting the "reset" button on your life—but instead of defaulting to your old ways, you’re committing to go in the complete opposite direction of what your flesh craves.

➤ Step 4: Declare Allegiance to Jesus (Romans 10:9)

This isn’t just a quiet inner moment. You openly confess that Jesus is your Lord (King) and believe in your whole being—logic, reason, and all—that He rose from the dead. This is about loyalty and trust.

➤ Step 5: Be Baptized (Acts 2:38)

Baptism is your first act of obedience. It’s a public declaration of your new life in Christ. Think of it as the spiritual version of updating your status to "committed."

Leading someone to Christ isn’t about perfect words or passing the buck. It’s about understanding the gospel, sharing it clearly, and helping them declare their lifelong allegiance. Then, walk alongside them as they take their first steps in faith. You’ve got this—and more importantly, Jesus has them.

Have You Pledged Your Lifelong Loyalty to King Jesus?

God gave us this incredible promise: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13, NIV). You don’t have to earn it, work for it, or have it all together. It’s by His grace that you are saved—no strings attached. Take comfort in that, knowing it’s not about what you do, but about what He’s already done for you.

The answer is straightforward: If you understand the gospel, have counted the cost, repented of your sins, declared with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, truly believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and have been baptized—then you are saved.

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TL/DR

The answer is straightforward: If you understand the gospel, have counted the cost, repented of your sins, declared with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, truly believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and have been baptized—then you are saved.

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Define Your Terms

(some might call this a glossary)

• TL/DR—Too Long/Didn’t Read

• Existential Dread – A feeling of anxiety or uncertainty about the meaning of life, often triggered by spiritual struggles or doubts. It's normal to experience this, but it doesn’t change God's unshakable presence and love for us.

• Salvation – The act of being saved from sin and eternal separation from God through faith in Jesus Christ. It’s a gift of grace, not earned by works but received by declaring allegiance to Jesus.

• The Sinner’s Prayer – A common phrase used to describe a prayer asking Jesus for forgiveness and salvation. While prayer is important, the actual "sinner’s prayer" isn’t explicitly found in Scripture and isn’t a required formula for salvation.

• “Ask Jesus Into Your Heart” – A phrase often used in evangelism, but its meaning can be unclear. In Christian doctrine, it refers to inviting Jesus to take control of one’s decision-making, feelings, and life commitments, but it's not how Scripture directly describes the process of salvation.

• Repentance – The act of turning away from sin and choosing to live in alignment with God’s will. It’s a conscious decision to “reset” one’s life and live contrary to former sinful desires.

• Counting the Cost – Understanding that following Jesus isn’t a casual decision; it involves a serious commitment to a new identity, lifestyle, and allegiance to Christ, even if it means facing hardship or persecution.

• Gospel – The "good news" of Jesus Christ: His death for our sins, His resurrection, and the offer of eternal life to all who believe. It’s the core message of the Christian faith.

• Declare Allegiance to Jesus – Publicly confessing that Jesus is Lord (King) and believing with one’s entire being that He died for our sins and rose again. This declaration signifies a commitment to trust and follow Jesus.

• Baptism – A public act of obedience and declaration of faith in Jesus. It symbolizes the believer’s identification with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection and is an outward sign of an inward change.

• Grace – God’s unearned favor and love. It’s through grace that we are saved, not by our works or efforts.

• Faith – Trusting in God’s promises, especially the belief in Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for our sins and His resurrection, which grants eternal life.

• Lordship of Jesus – Acknowledging and submitting to Jesus as the King of your life, committing to obey and follow His teachings.

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