Quite often the question is asked, “Are you saved?” A member of the church may hesitate before replying, “I hope so,” or “I don’t really know.” But does God want us to live in doubt—or in faith and hope?
In last week’s article, attention was given to the apostle John’s first epistle, where we find some guidelines that help us determine our relationship with God. Four were given:
- One who is born of God (1 John 5:4)
- One who walks in the light (1 John 1:7)
- One who keeps His commandments (1 John 2:3–4)
- One who confesses his sins (1 John 1:8–9)
In addition to these, we notice four more from this short New Testament letter:
One Who Does Not Love the World – “Do not love the world or the things in the world…. the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life…” (1 John 2:15–17). John says that those who love these things do not love the Father; therefore, they are not saved.
One Who Abides in Christ – It is one thing to enter Christ (Gal. 3:26–27), and quite another to abide in Him. Yet abiding in Christ is essential to salvation. “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28). The saved will have no reason to be ashamed when He returns.
One Who Keeps Himself Pure – “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). Purification comes through obeying the truth (1 Pet. 1:22), and obeying the truth turns one away from the practice of sin. The purified cease the practice of sin (1 John 3:6–10; 5:18).
One Who Loves the Brethren – “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death” (1 John 3:14). It could not be written in plainer language. One who does not love his brethren does not need to guess about his salvation—the apostle makes it crystal clear. Furthermore: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:7–8).
God has given us assurance of salvation so that we do not have to live in doubt. Near the end of this letter, John wrote: “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” (1 John 5:13).
In view of what has been written, the only ones who should be in doubt are those who have not complied with the conditions of salvation explicitly given in the Scriptures. The faithful in Christ should live in hope—and hope means expectation.
Can you sing with confidence: “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine”?
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