Where Is the Evidence?

No one worries much if the shovel and salt are in the garage when a sprinkling of snow comes in October or March—but when the blizzard comes, you want to make sure you are ready to deal with it. The greater the importance, the greater the need for confidence. Nothing is more important than a biblical assurance of your salvation. You can get a lot wrong, but still be right if you have this right. And nothing that is right will matter if you get this wrong. How do you know that you are a Christian? What reason do you have for the hope that is in you? (1 Peter 3:15)

What do you find on apple trees? Apples. What do you find on orange trees? Oranges. So what do you find on Christians? Christians bear fruit, too. And our assurance of salvation is this—Jesus said, “By their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:16). Jesus also said, “he who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13).

The clearest biblical definition of assurance of salvation is this: Abiding faith and the fruit it produces. If your faith is enduring, it is genuine and it will produce fruit in your life. Sadly, many have no genuine basis for believing themselves saved. They are trusting in a formula, resting on a recipe—but not a biblical one. Paul exhorted “examine yourself to see if you are in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5). This is an issue that cannot be neglected. “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Even Pastors must constantly reflect upon their assurance of salvation, considering that Paul himself acknowledged the danger and the discipline his holy fear provoked. “Lest having preached to others I myself would be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

Never forget that many—including many among us in our churches, and many Elders and vocational ministry leaders who did many wonderful works—are in for a big-time shock in the end. “Many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name?’ On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, I did all of these things, these many works in Your name.’ And then I will say to them, ‘Depart from Me. I never knew you’” (Matthew 7:21-22).

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Genuine saving faith is demonstrated by abiding in Jesus’ words and the resulting freedom/fruitbearing. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” (John 8:31). “By this is my father glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples ” (John 15:8).

For more teaching on salvation assurance, watch the full message: The Secret to a Joyful Life.