Are You Saved?

           There are some definite signs by which we can determine our spiritual status, saved or unsaved. We must first understand the means by which one is saved. The scriptures teach that there is only one way to be saved, and that is through faith in the atoning power of the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son. A few of the scriptures that we base this belief on are:

  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us. (Ephesians 1:7-8)

 Of course, the scriptures are full of verses that teach us these same principles. This is just a sampling of them.

          Secondly, the scriptures teach us that the proof of our faith is that we are walking by faith. Paul says in II Corinthians 5:7, “we walk by faith, not by sight.” It is by faith that we are saved, and it is by faith alone that we keep our salvation, by continuing to believe. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous man shall live by faith.’” (Romans 1:16-17). In I Corinthians 16:13 Paul admonishes us to, “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

          In Romans 11:19-22 Paul gives a warning to the Gentile Christians when he speaks of his fellow countrymen, the Jews, who were “broken off” because of their unbelief. He tells them, “You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.’ Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you. Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.”

          Paul also gives us a warning in Colossians 1:21-23, “And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach, if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard…” We must continue in the faith!

            So far, the scriptures tell us that we must believe in Jesus as the only way of salvation and also be walking by faith. In my next post I will talk about the third test of our salvation, and that is whether or not we are striving to keep the Lord's commands, not that we are saved by our works, but that our works are a sign of our salvation.