Am I Really Saved?

Imagine for a moment that you are adrift at sea. You anxiously scan the horizon, constantly hoping for some sign of a ship, plane, or anything that might offer the safety you so desperately need. Finally, you see, far off in the distance, a ship that seems to be heading straight for you! Excitedly, you shout and wave your arms as best as you can, hoping that some sharp-eyed crew member will see your desperation. As the ship draws closer, you notice members of the crew looking over the railing, and you let out a sigh of relief, thinking your rescue has come. But then, your hope fades as the ship, which had filled you with such relief, begins to sail away without offering rescue.

This might seem a bit far-fetched to many of us today, and rightfully so. What kind of captain or crew would see someone lost at sea and not even offer to help? There would be trials and public outrage over such a callous act. So why do so many people think this way when it comes to spiritual salvation? Many have a skewed view of salvation. Some believe that no matter how you act or what you believe, as long as you have said a particular prayer or observed some ritual, you are no longer liable. Others have the opposite view, seeing salvation as something that could only be attained by a perfect person who never did wrong. Both of these views misunderstand scriptural salvation. Rather than trying to come up with our own definitions, let’s consider what the Lord has to say regarding salvation.

Salvation’s necessity comes from the wickedness committed by man and our inability to save ourselves (Genesis 3:6-7). Consider this for a moment: if man could save himself by being perfect and righteous, why did Jesus come to earth? Why die on the cross in such a horrific way instead of just letting us figure it out for ourselves? The Lord understands our imperfections and knew that none of us were capable of being the perfect sacrifice for ourselves. Since all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and since man was a perfect creature before sin, a perfect sacrifice was needed to pay the price.

Since salvation is needed, it makes sense that we should understand how one obtains this salvation. If God did not offer us a path to salvation, we would cry outrage, but thankfully we serve a Lord who is not quick to anger or judgment (2 Peter 3:9). So what did the Lord have in mind for salvation? Are we supposed to save ourselves? Are we not supposed to do anything? What is the answer?

The first step toward understanding any topic is to listen to it being taught. Our faith is not just some blind leap in the dark; rather, it is a lifestyle change based on the facts and evidence presented to us (Romans 10:17). This faith, which we develop by hearing the Word of God, leads us to action. Repentance is not just saying one is sorry or asking for forgiveness (2 Corinthians 7:10). It is a change of mind that brings about a change of action.

Imagine someone who always says hateful things to you, and it bothers you greatly. Like anyone, you politely ask them to stop. They apologize for their actions, and maybe, for a few minutes, nothing hateful is said. But then they begin to spout hateful things all over again. Did they repent? Their actions show that they did not truly change their heart but simply wanted to end the conflict in the conversation. This is not biblical repentance. When one repents, they turn away from their old way of thinking, not just their actions. Things they once loved that were wrong, they now hate. They don’t sit and long for the life they once lived (Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 3:7-8).

So is this sufficient? One changes their lifestyle and way of thinking, so they’re saved now, right? Well, not exactly. The change of action is a dramatic step toward salvation, but there are actually two more conditions mentioned in Scripture.

The first is baptism. When one confesses that Jesus is the Christ (Romans 10:9-10), they also make the decision to obey the Lord through baptism. This is not just some ritual that automatically saves you because the water is holy or the magic words are said. Remission of sins is found in the obedience manifested by baptism (1 Peter 3:21). One taking a bath washes off the dirt of the world but it can never reach to clean the soul. It is, rather, the commitment to the Lord that, no matter what, I will do what He says (Matthew 26:42).

The final step toward knowing that I am saved is remaining faithful to the Lord (Revelation 2:10). Faithfulness is more than just being at worship on Sunday and Wednesday. It is a commitment to keeping your relationship with the Lord sound. If you are in a relationship, in order to keep it strong, you must sacrifice some things that you want in exchange for what they need. This is especially true with a relationship with God.

God cannot have fellowship with darkness (1 John 1:5). If I continue in sin, I have no fellowship with Him, meaning my relationship with God dies where my sin begins. Now, this doesn’t mean that the first time I sin, the Lord will never accept me back. The Lord is always willing to forgive (1 John 1:9). My willingness to grow and change for Christ is the bedrock of what sustains my Christian walk.

The sins I may commit or the challenges I face merely strengthen my connection to the Lord rather than push me away from Him. But if my first response, when the world rejects me, is to reject Christ, then I am committed to the world, not Him. Paul described it as being crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20). I die to my own way of thinking and live for Him.

So now you know what God says. The question that you and I must answer for ourselves is: “Am I Really Saved?”