Evidence of salvation

[Migdala]

What evidence do you have that you are saved? I'm not talking about the fact that Jesus died for our sins.....I'm talking about what evidence do you have that you still have the Holy Spirit living in you? Are you closer to God than you were last year, for instance? Do you have a strong conviction of sin in your heart, when you do sin? Do you have a lot of love for other people?

I'm just curious as to what evidence a person has, to see if they are still "in Christ" so to speak. In other words-how can you TELL if the Holy Spirit is in you?

Paul said to "examine ourselves" to see if we are still in Christ, which to me implies that we CAN fall away to the point where we can lose our salvation.

I'm just asking, because when I first got saved, I knew, without a doubt that I was saved-the Holy Spirit was in me so strong.....but I don't sense Him anymore like I used to, and I don't have the love that I used to have for other people. Also, no conviction of sins anymore.

So I'm just curious as to whether anyone else has ever gone through anything like this, and what to do about it. And what is evidence of the Holy Spirit living in you, besides being able to speak in tongues, or have God use you to heal or work other miracles?

 

[ivebeenshown]

Faith is a gift of God the Holy Spirit, by which we are saved. (Ephesians 2:8, 1 Corinthians 12:9)
We are saved through the sanctification of the Spirit. (2 Thessalonians 2:13)
No man can say Jesus is the LORD but by the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3)
We know that we are in Christ and Christ is in us by that Spirit. (1 John 4:13)
Therefore whoever confesses Jesus is the Son of God is in Christ and Christ in him. (1 John 4:15)

Seeing then that we are saved through faith, and sanctification of the Spirit, it is safe to say that faith is evidence that you are sanctified by the Spirit. Our LORD Jesus has said that all manner of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven, except for blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Your faith in Christ that you are forgiven and justified to Him is the evidence of His grace having been bestowed upon you. "Saving grace."

 

[Migdala]

Yes, but anyone can say the words "Jesus is Lord"....but in a person who becomes saved, there is an evident change in them....that's the answer I'm looking for. How do you KNOW that you are still saved? Do you sense the Holy Spirit in you?

 

[CFDavid]

I know the Spirit's in me because I'm sometimes prompted to do good things that I really don't want to do. Also, from time to time I'm convicted of certain things in such a way that it shoots straight into my spirit -- not just a realization, not just something that makes me empathetic and my heart feels it, but something straight to the core of my being which immediately becomes irrefutable. God's used me in certain ways which turned out to be confirmation that I "hear" Him, which is no small comfort.

There are still some sins we're working on, but I wouldn't be trying at all if not for God.

I also don't think we fall in and out of salvation that easily, though. There's a lot of grace and patience.

 

[Migdala]

I miss that so much. I used to have that too. I long for God's Spirit in me again.

 

[ivebeenshown]

Yes, but anyone can say the words "Jesus is Lord"....but in a person who becomes saved, there is an evident change in them....that's the answer I'm looking for. How do you KNOW that you are still saved? Do you sense the Holy Spirit in you?

If you have faith that Jesus is your LORD and Savior... then you will be saved on the day of resurrection and judgment... you are sanctified by the Spirit, and saved. We do not inherit salvation by any number of works, but by the faith we have in the the LORD. Even one drop of faith in the LORD Jesus is evidence that you have the Spirit in you. I find it reasonable and worth my while to surrender. Paul says we know not what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit makes intercession. I found it reasonable to pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ to intercede for me in my actions apart from just prayer, and to make his Spirit known through me, proclaiming the LORD Jesus.

I believe what Paul and John wrote in the Spirit, saying that whosoever confesses the LORD Jesus is of God, and born from above, of the Holy Spirit.

 

[christandisrael]

In order to be saved, you have to have a relationship with Jesus. Man cannot do it alone. (Ps.118:8) If you come whole-heartedly to Jesus. Jesus will grant it to you! LOVE!

 

[Morphane]

The best evidence you are saved is you no longer care about whether you go to Hell or go to Heaven. You love God, and others, for the sake of it. If there was no Heaven - even if you were doomed to Hell forever, and ever - even then you would still decide to love God and others.

If you died and found yourself in Hell, even there you would decide to love others and praise God.

You see, the SELF, this thing that you think you are...it has to die. When it dies - I mean when it really, really dies, there is nothing left to be worried about.

 

[Chris_G]

Yes, but anyone can say the words "Jesus is Lord"....but in a person who becomes saved, there is an evident change in them....that's the answer I'm looking for. How do you KNOW that you are still saved? Do you sense the Holy Spirit in you?

You are either saved, or you're not saved. You can not be saved, then later on be unsaved or not saved. It seems that you're just experiencing a quenching of the Spirit. The Spirit is in you, but you need to be filled with the Spirit, get the fire going again. Sin, the cares of this world, neglecting prayer and Word can all quench the Spirit and make us feel like we're not saved, but we are. If there was a past salvation, there's a current one, and there will be a future one.

 

[Migdala]

You are either saved, or you're not saved. You can not be saved, then later on be unsaved or not saved. It seems that you're just experiencing a quenching of the Spirit. The Spirit is in you, but you need to be filled with the Spirit, get the fire going again. Sin, the cares of this world, neglecting prayer and Word can all quench the Spirit and make us feel like we're not saved, but we are. If there was a past salvation, there's a current one, and there will be a future one.

YES! That is what has happened. It has been going on for close to 3 years now. I know someone who "lost" the Spirit 9 years ago and still has not been "filled" again. This terrifies me. I just want His closeness again, that's all. I go to church 2-3 times a week, pray, and read my Bible a lot....so I'm not real sure what I did wrong, but I think it's a "wilderness" of testing my faith maybe.

 

[hlaltimus]

A love which expresses itself by implicit obedience to Christ and his teachings, a new nature which loves that which Christ loves, and loathes that which Christ loathes, and a solitary reliance or trust in him which will allow for no other hopes but him and him alone.

If you have this kind of "faith", then I wouldn't doubt of your union with Christ, but union with Christ and communion with him are two different things. If your sense of God's favor, love for others, and a conviction for sin is at an all time low, but you still desire to know and serve him more than anything else in the world, then something is amiss in your relationship with him, and that "something" cannot possibly be a fault on his end. Perhaps the Lord is manifestly silent with you because he has little reason presently to move with you as the last time he did move in your life, you disregarded his wishes. Now I haven't the foggiest idea if this is even true at all of you now, but I only mention it as it has been true of me in the past, and had me utterly baffled until I realized what was happening between the Lord and me, and more importantly why it was happening.

Sometimes we have to go back to the last time that God did move or work or convict us of something in our lives which was important to him, but we failed to obey him at that particular point. If such a thing were true, then God may not choose to bless that person as in former times when they did obey him, as he now has little encouragement to bless someone who has allowed disobedience into the relationship, which disobedience God finds so offensive to his holiness, that he has made an issue of it. In such a case, he may choose to rather place the blessings "on hold" for the present, rather than to sweep the whole thing "under the carpet" and forget it all and go onward. God doesn't work that way.

As I said, I don't know if this is even true at all with you, but several times I have found that the only way that I could "go on with the Lord", (was oddly enough,) to go back with the Lord to some kind of past defect in my walk with him, face the issue honestly and squarely, sometimes even pray that God would reveal the issue to me, repent of something evil that I had done, or commit something that was right, confess the whole matter to him while pleading the atonement of his Son Christ Jesus, then trustingly ask him to kindly reinstate his blessings on my life so that we could go on together as formerly. I have frequently found this to work when nothing else would. God does not like overlooking a sin issue in our lives, for it was he who said to Abraham in Genesis 17:1b - "I am Almighty God; walk before me and be blameless."

Whatever the problem is, it is certain to be one on your end, but I wouldn't hastily conclude in doubt that I was no longer one of the Lord's beloved sheep, if I still found deep within me a strong longing to be with this very special and precious Shepherd no matter what else befalls. Such a heart of commitment to Christ is strong evidence that the Holy Spirit of God is indeed yet within your inner temple, but he is a HOLY Spirit.

 

[Chris_G]

YES! That is what has happened. It has been going on for close to 3 years now. I know someone who "lost" the Spirit 9 years ago and still has not been "filled" again. This terrifies me. I just want His closeness again, that's all. I go to church 2-3 times a week, pray, and read my Bible a lot....so I'm not real sure what I did wrong, but I think it's a "wilderness" of testing my faith maybe.

Everyone who is saved will have their faith tested. As for the person who "lost" the Spirit 9 years ago, you have to start asking yourself whether or not he/she was saved in the first place. Salvation is eternally secure, you can not lose it. But you do want to see the evidence that you possess that salvation. Read 1 John, it should help.

 

[Migdala]

A love which expresses itself by implicit obedience to Christ and his teachings, a new nature which loves that which Christ loves, and loathes that which Christ loathes, and a solitary reliance or trust in him which will allow for no other hopes but him and him alone.

If you have this kind of "faith", then I wouldn't doubt of your union with Christ, but union with Christ and communion with him are two different things. If your sense of God's favor, love for others, and a conviction for sin is at an all time low, but you still desire to know and serve him more than anything else in the world, then something is amiss in your relationship with him, and that "something" cannot possibly be a fault on his end. Perhaps the Lord is manifestly silent with you because he has little reason presently to move with you as the last time he did move in your life, you disregarded his wishes. Now I haven't the foggiest idea if this is even true at all of you now, but I only mention it as it has been true of me in the past, and had me utterly baffled until I realized what was happening between the Lord and me, and more importantly why it was happening.

Sometimes we have to go back to the last time that God did move or work or convict us of something in our lives which was important to him, but we failed to obey him at that particular point. If such a thing were true, then God may not choose to bless that person as in former times when they did obey him, as he now has little encouragement to bless someone who has allowed disobedience into the relationship, which disobedience God finds so offensive to his holiness, that he has made an issue of it. In such a case, he may choose to rather place the blessings "on hold" for the present, rather than to sweep the whole thing "under the carpet" and forget it all and go onward. God doesn't work that way.

As I said, I don't know if this is even true at all with you, but several times I have found that the only way that I could "go on with the Lord", (was oddly enough,) to go back with the Lord to some kind of past defect in my walk with him, face the issue honestly and squarely, sometimes even pray that God would reveal the issue to me, repent of something evil that I had done, or commit something that was right, confess the whole matter to him while pleading the atonement of his Son Christ Jesus, then trustingly ask him to kindly reinstate his blessings on my life so that we could go on together as formerly. I have frequently found this to work when nothing else would. God does not like overlooking a sin issue in our lives, for it was he who said to Abraham in Genesis 17:1b - "I am Almighty God; walk before me and be blameless."

Whatever the problem is, it is certain to be one on your end, but I wouldn't hastily conclude in doubt that I was no longer one of the Lord's beloved sheep, if I still found deep within me a strong longing to be with this very special and precious Shepherd no matter what else befalls. Such a heart of commitment to Christ is strong evidence that the Holy Spirit of God is indeed yet within your inner temple, but he is a HOLY Spirit.

Well, I no longer have the love that I used to have-I do things out of a "duty" more than love. I used to have a pure love for other people, but now I do things more out of a sense of duty-of knowing that I'm supposed to, rather than out of a true love. And I no longer have conviction of sin anymore...things like gossip, lust, anger, etc. no longer convicts me...I used to be on my face crying my eyes out to God to forgive me for stuff like that, but it no longer bothers me at all, even though I do get on my knees and ask Him to forgive me, and I beg Him to give me the conviction of the Holy Spirit back, but I still have not received it yet.

Yes, I agree that it is something that I have done-I just wish the Lord would reveal it to me what it was. Whatever it is, it seems to be unforgiveable, either that or I'm going through a very very long "wilderness period"

 

[FaithPleases]

The best evidence you are saved is you no longer care about whether you go to Hell or go to Heaven. You love God, and others, for the sake of it. If there was no Heaven - even if you were doomed to Hell forever, and ever - even then you would still decide to love God and others.

If you died and found yourself in Hell, even there you would decide to love others and praise God.

You see, the SELF, this thing that you think you are...it has to die. When it dies - I mean when it really, really dies, there is nothing left to be worried about.

I would like to believe that but I am under the impression that people can be blotted out of the book of life. This goes back to what I call scripture priority. Making it into heaven seems to have numerous conditions. Certain types of behavior simply will not allow us to enter the kingdom of heaven. Even despite being justified some christians will still go back to doing these things as I have and I am trying to repent from. So am I justified or have I already forfeited my eternal life?
1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

 

[Chris_G]

I would like to believe that but I am under the impression that people can be blotted out of the book of life. This goes back to what I call scripture priority. Making it into heaven seems to have numerous conditions. Certain types of behavior simply will not allow us to enter the kingdom of heaven. Even despite being justified some christians will still go back to doing these things as I have and I am trying to repent from. So am I justified or have I already forfeited my eternal life?
1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

Jesus will not blot your name out of the book of life. That's one verse people misinterpret, but it's actually a promise that He will not do that. It's no different than when He said, "and the one who comes to Me, I will by no means cast him out." It's a promise, not a threat. You can't forfeit eternal life, if you don't have it. And you can't forfeit eternal life after recieving it. Please, seek pastoral counseling and find out what's causing these doubts. Sin can definately cause doubts and God will not answer your prayers when you're sinning.

 

[cuvkid]

What evidence do you have that you are saved? I'm not talking about the fact that Jesus died for our sins.....I'm talking about what evidence do you have that you still have the Holy Spirit living in you? Are you closer to God than you were last year, for instance? Do you have a strong conviction of sin in your heart, when you do sin? Do you have a lot of love for other people?

I'm just curious as to what evidence a person has, to see if they are still "in Christ" so to speak. In other words-how can you TELL if the Holy Spirit is in you?

Paul said to "examine ourselves" to see if we are still in Christ, which to me implies that we CAN fall away to the point where we can lose our salvation.

I'm just asking, because when I first got saved, I knew, without a doubt that I was saved-the Holy Spirit was in me so strong.....but I don't sense Him anymore like I used to, and I don't have the love that I used to have for other people. Also, no conviction of sins anymore.

So I'm just curious as to whether anyone else has ever gone through anything like this, and what to do about it. And what is evidence of the Holy Spirit living in you, besides being able to speak in tongues, or have God use you to heal or work other miracles?

there is a really good discipleship book I would suggest to people struggling with this question, the 2.7 series, they go through assurance of salvation, assurance of forgiveness, assurance of answered prayer, and a few more, I went through this a couple times when I was being discipled back in high school and in a youth group, it's aimed at younger christians but is just as good for long time believers to refresh memories on certain christian topics. it has almost everything about the basics of being a christian and is really good for bible studies.

 

[christandisrael]

Yes.

 

[Jeffwhosoever]

Short answer: Read 1 John

Longer answer: Read a book titled "Absolutely Sure"

 

[abigale]

How does one get to be mod of the month. Is that by following all the rules always?

 

[DLC]

If you have faith that Jesus is your LORD and Savior... then you will be saved on the day of resurrection and judgment... you are sanctified by the Spirit, and saved. We do not inherit salvation by any number of works, but by the faith we have in the the LORD. Even one drop of faith in the LORD Jesus is evidence that you have the Spirit in you. I find it reasonable and worth my while to surrender. Paul says we know not what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit makes intercession. I found it reasonable to pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ to intercede for me in my actions apart from just prayer, and to make his Spirit known through me, proclaiming the LORD Jesus.

I believe what Paul and John wrote in the Spirit, saying that whosoever confesses the LORD Jesus is of God, and born from above, of the Holy Spirit.

Confessing God does not mane in Christ does. We must not be quick to judge who is or is not saved. The evidence will show itself after the saved person is in the Word of God. One thing I found in my life was a love for the Bible and a desire to know God better through His Word. My outward evidence of being saved was not always consistend with my inner walk. Don't be quick to judge time will tell. Read Rom 8:16-17
6 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
NASU