Assurance of Salvation

One of the most common theological questions posed to pastors concerns assurance of salvation. Am I truly a Christian? How can I know I'm a child of God? Regarding this question, Wayne Grudem provides some incredibly helpful insights in his Systematic Theology.

Generally speaking, assurance is something we tend to have in degrees. On the one hand, I know I am a true follower of Christ. On the other hand, how certain am I? Personally, I don’t believe we can have 100% certainty on this issue. Our perseverance as Christians is the ultimate test of our faith (see Heb 3:14, noting especially the verb tenses). Thus, there are times when we may question our faith. This is absolutely appropriate. The Apostle Paul encourages those in Corinth saying, "Examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith" (2Cor 13:5).

Yet at the same time the Apostle John writes, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). And so I believe we can know with some degree of certainty whether or not we have eternal life. In this regard, Wayne Grudem describes four helpful tests which can help us to discern whether we are truly God’s children. I have summarized them here.

1. Saving faith evidences itself in Christlikeness (1 John 2:4-6). If we see within ourselves the character of Christ in an increasing manner, it will provide us with a measure of assurance that we are truly God’s children.
2. Saving faith evidences itself by the subjective testimony of the Spirit (Rom 8:16). Paul indicates that the Spirit gives us an inner sense of peace about our standing before God. And while we must be careful that our hearts don’t deceive us, we should expect an inward testimony of the Spirit in conjunction with the other evidences of saving faith we experience.
3. Saving faith is evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). Every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit and should see the fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5 produced in his or her life.
4. Saving faith is evidenced by sound doctrine (1 John 1:23-24; 4:6). If we find that we believe and affirm the central doctrines of the Christian faith, then that should also provide us with a basis for assurance that we are truly children of God.

So, if to the best of our ability to discern we believe we are showing signs of Christlikeness, we have experienced an inner sense from the Spirit that we are truly God's children, we have seen the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, and we believe the fundamental truths of the Christian faith, then we should take these things as evidence that we are truly God's children.

Lastly, I think, to the extent that we are not able to have 100% certainty, we must be content that our salvation is ultimately in God’s hands. If we have come to know God, this should encourage us all the more!