How Can One Know He Is a Christian? (Part 1)

Wouldn’t it be good if we could know for certain, based on what the Bible says, that we are a Christian? Some are just not sure and therefore agonize about it. Others insist they are saved based solely on their feelings. But are feelings reliable?

If a woman gets a report from the local law enforcement officials that her husband has been killed, she is immediately devastated. She may, however, learn that it was a mistake. Her feelings were unreliable because they were not based on the truth. Because our feelings can be deceptive, God surely had a better plan for our security than for each one to merely look to his feelings.

Generally, as in the case of the woman above, feelings of grief or joy are based upon evidence that we accept as credible and therefore believe. Nevertheless, to the question “How do you know you are saved?” many people would respond by saying, "Because I feel it in my heart." Therefore, what they believe is not based upon any evidence at all. A prophet of God said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jer. 17:9). And the wise man said, “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool…” (Prov. 28:26a). Therefore, surely God reveals to us how we can know we are saved.

It is commonly preached that there is nothing man can do to be saved. It is argued that at the proper time, God opens the hearts of those whom He has predestined to be saved. He changes their wills and causes them to believe the gospel. In other words, God controls the process of salvation from the beginning to the end. We are told our will has nothing to do with it. But I don’t find that taught in the Bible. Both God and the church (bride) urge the unsaved to come to Jesus: “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17). (See also Matt. 11:18-19; Jos. 24:15). John stated that it was the things he was writing (the inspired written word) that enabled Christians to know they had eternal life (1 John 5:13). This must mean that the Bible does in fact tell us we can know the very point that we become a Christian and can thereafter know if we are still in the faith.

Some say they are a “born again Christian.” When this was said to Johnny Carson he said, “I didn’t know there was any other kind.” Indeed. At any rate, in answering Nicodemus’ question Jesus explained how and when one is born again (John 3:1-5). He was speaking of baptism as was Paul when he likened it to a burial from which one rises to walk in newness of life, being then freed from sin (Rom. 6:3, 4, 17, 18; Col. 2:12, 13). Paul also taught that one gets into Christ (Col. 1:24; Eph 1:3) by being baptized (1 Cor. 12:13). See also Mark 16:15-16, Acts 22:16, and 1 Peter 3:21.

One can know he is a Christian after he believes in Jesus, repents and is baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:37, 38). Thus, those who obey the gospel need have no doubts at all (Rom. 6:17, 18; 10:16). Continued confidence is based upon their “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7).

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