How Do I Know if I am Right with God?
How do I know if I am right with God? The question is simple, but it requires us to put some effort into figuring out an answer. Since this takes effort, many people will ask the question and never look for the answer. This is an extremely dangerous way to live as you may be blissfully ignorant, but being blissfully ignorant of God’s word can lead to terrible eternal consequences. So, let’s answer the question in short. How do we know if we are right with God? To answer this we should ask ourselves some simple questions.
Have You Heard?
The first step in the process is hearing the word of God. I know this seems like taking a step back from answering our serious question, but we have to address the fact that we need to hear God’s word. Logically speaking it all starts here, but as we move forward we need to continue to hear God’s word.
Romans 10:17 (KJV) says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” The way that you get faith is by hearing the word of God. It is the only way. Again, this is logical as you could not know anything about God, much less have faith, if you do not hear the word. This can come by reading the Bible, listening to the Bible, or even hearing someone preach the word (keeping it in the context).
Furthermore, as we alluded above, you need to continue to hear/read it. This is how you will increase in faith. A person cannot say that they have faith if they choose not to hear God’s word. The word of God is our source for faith.
Do You Believe?
Do you believe? That is the next question logically. If you have heard and hearings how one comes by faith (Rom. 10:17), then what about belief? Do you believe? Certainly there were many who heard Jesus and saw the miracles, but refused to obey. John 12:37 says, “But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed no on him.” Also, in John 12:42 it reads, “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue”. Hearing doesn’t equal belief, but it does lead to it.
What is it that we should believe? The main point of this has to be believing in Jesus. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believers in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Believing in Jesus corresponds with other aspects of belief. If we believe in Jesus, then we will believe in the word of God (John 1:14; 17:17). If we believe in Christ we believe in the Father (John 10:30-38). If we believe in Christ we believe in the Old Testament (John 5:33-47; Rom. 15:4).
There is another aspect to belief. True belief leads to obedience. John 3:36 (ASV) says, “He that believers on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.” We need to believe, but that belief should lead us to obedience. It does us no good to believe without any sort of obedience.
Will You Repent?
Are we willing to repent? This is crucial. Every point that has been made builds upon the previous point. You have to hear to believe. You have to believe to obey, and part of that obedience is repenting. We have all heard the word “repent,” but what does it mean?
We need not overcomplicate matters. The word itself means to rethink. Someone defined repentance as, “a change of mind that results in a change of action,” which is the best definition this author has heard. We need to change our minds when it comes to sin. We can no longer live life that continuously engage in sinful practices. We are set apart to be a different type of people (1 Cor. 6:9-11; 2 Tim. 2:21).
Luke 13:3 says, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all in like manner perish.” The point we clearly need to make is that we have to change our mind on sin and turn away from it. If we do not change our mind and change our actions then we will in like manner perish.
Will You Confess?
When we think about confession, most people think about some tv show or movie where someone has entered a Catholic Church and talked to a priest in a Confessional. This is not the same thing. The act of confessing is more closely associated with proclaiming Christ rather than repentance. The example that we often go to is in Acts 8 with the Ethiopian Eunuch. He makes a good confession about Christ just before he is baptized, but I want to submit that confession goes deeper than this. It is not a one-time ordeal, but something that continues after that first confession at baptism.
Matthew 10:32-33 says, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” From this verse we see that confession happens often. How? How often are you around other people? You confess Him as often as you have opportunity and at the same time you do not deny Him. We know that confession and salvation go hand in hand (Rom. 10:9-10), and if we continue to do this we will have a home of Heaven.
One last passage on confession that we should bring out is confession is a part of being in union with God. 1 John 4:15 states, “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” If you want to live with (and for) God then you confess Christ as the son of God. Confession is a necessary aspect of the salvation of our souls.
Will You Submit to Being Baptized?
If you have done all of the aforementioned steps (Hear, Believe, Repent, Confess), then you are ready to be baptized. The question then is, “Are you willing to submit to baptism?” We could probably spend a lot of time on this one topic. It is a subject that the religious world, for whatever reason, loves to tear down. There are several passages that state the baptism is necessary for salvation (Acts 22:16; 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21; Mark 16:16; Rom. 6:1-6), but let’s take a look at just one of these verses.
Maybe you have heard someone say that baptism doesn’t save you. They will then proceed to tell you that there isn’t a verse in the Bible that says that specifically. If you’re like me that gets really exciting. I might then ask, “If there were a verse in the Bible that says baptism saves you, would you believe it?” Now look at 1 Peter 3:21, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Baptism does save. The scriptures come right out and say it. The question is not does the Bible say it, but will you humble yourself and drop all denominational dogma in order to obediently submit yourself to baptism. Interestingly enough, this is the most passive thing you will do in this entire process. Every other aspect of being saved asks for you to do something, baptism is something done to you. You just have to be willing to submit.
Will You Stay Faithful?
The last step in the process to being right with God is making sure that you remain faithful. After you have done/continue to do the aforementioned steps, you need to continue to remain faithful. How is this done? You have to continue to do the will of the Father (Matt. 7:21). First and foremost, don’t leave God (Her. 3:12-14), but also make sure that you continue to study His word (2 Tim. 2:15). Keep your heart pure (James 1:27). If you will remain faithful God will grant you the home in heaven that every faithful Christian desires (Rev. 2:10). Continue your Christian walk as a faithful child of God.
His Servant and Yours,
Matt McBrayer