Assurance of Salvation?

Macie Snowden

Central Truth

Faith in the Son of God furnishes a confidence in our salvation. Because of this salvation, we get to freely approach God through prayer. Resting in the assurance of our salvation leads to fervent devotion to the Lord.

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

Overcoming the World

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Testimony Concerning the Son of God

6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

That You May Know

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God^{1

5:16
Greek he} will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Footnotes

[1] 5:16 Greek he

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In early 2021 I experienced a significant crisis of belief. I had been walking with the Lord since I was 7 years old, had been a pastor's daughter my whole life, and had been working in full-time ministry for three years. And yet, I was crippled with anxiety as I thought, "Am I really saved?" Though my faith in Christ had already been sealed, I still couldn't shake the questions, doubts, and fear of dying. I couldn't sleep at night as I begged God to assure me of my salvation through His Word.

Cue the truth of 1 John 5:11-13. It says, "And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life." When I read this passage, I wept. I was overwhelmed with gratitude that I could be confident in my faith and have complete assurance of my salvation according to this letter.

Because of the confidence that faith furnishes, we learn about the prayer that faith enables. We get to come before the King of Heaven with our prayers because of the "confidence we have toward him." And what's even better than understanding our permission to pray is the realization that God hears our prayers. How freeing! The text of 1 John 5:14 assures us, "if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." If we pray in alignment with what pleases God as found in Scripture, then we are praying "according to his will," as referenced in Matthew 6:10.

So, if you, like me, have ever found yourself asking the question, "Am I really saved?," my prayer is that you find your answer right here in Scripture from 1 John 5:12. As you discover your assurance of salvation, I pray also that you experience the freedom of approaching the throne of your loving Father through confident prayer.

1. Have you ever had a crisis of belief? What questions did you find yourself asking? What truth from Scripture did you cling to?

2. In Matthew 6:10, we read about Jesus instructing his disciples to pray this way: "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." What do you think it means to ask for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven? What does this show us about how we ought to pray "according to his will" as 1 John 5:14 encourages us to do?

3. Challenge: Psalm 119:11 says, "I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Memorizing Scripture is something that helps me fight against doubt and anxiety by storing the Word of God in my heart. Find three Scriptures to help combat your doubts by filling you with truth and work toward memorizing them. Write them on your bathroom mirror, read them every morning before you get out of bed, or take time to write them out and meditate on the truth of those verses. Whatever works best for you, begin storing up Scripture in your heart.