Certainty of Salvation

How can you know you're going to Heaven?

You've read about salvation and gave your life to Christ but still have doubts? Everyone has doubts about something sometime or another. After all, what is for certain in this world? That's just it - we're not talking about this world.

You can be certain in God's Word and know for sure we're going to Heaven and have eternal life (1 John 5:13). God is holy and pure. Sin keeps us from Heaven and has no place there. Our works cannot get us into Heaven(Titus 3:5), but belief in Jesus will save us(Acts 16:31). Only the blood of Christ can wash away sins(Rev. 5: 9-10) as we have redemption through His blood(Eph. 1:7). Only by grace are we allowed into Heaven(Eph. 2:8-9). God so loved the world He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life(John 3:16).

Proof of resurrection

We can believe in Jesus, His words and resurrection. Jesus predicted His death and resurrection(Matt. 16:21; Matt. 17:22-23; Matt. 20:17-19). He conquered death(1 Cor. 15:3-4, 54-57) after His crucifixion and resurrection. Of all the miracles Jesus performed, this would be the ultimate proof of His word. There were 500 witnesses to Jesus' resurrection(1 Cor. 15:3-8).

One of Jesus' disciples, Thomas, was a doubter who had to see to believe. Even after all the miracles he witnessed from Jesus, he doubted Christ resurrected. Thomas said he would not believe unless he not only saw the wounds on Jesus but also stuck his hand in them(John 20:25). Once he saw Jesus with the scars, he believed(John 20:27-28). Jesus then said “blessed are those who believe without seeing”(John 20:29) and like the other disciples, Thomas went and preached the good news.

Scripture has other instances proving the resurrection. Jesus' tomb was sealed and guards were placed there to prevent anyone from stealing the body(Matt. 27:62-65). Three days later an angel of the Lord appeared at the tomb, rolled away the stone and scared the guards so much they fainted(Matt. 28:1-4). When the chief priests in Jerusalem heard the tomb was empty, they bribed the guards who guarded it and had them say the disciples stole the body(Matt. 28:11-15). There is no record of the Jews who had Jesus crucified ever putting the body on display to discredit the resurrection because they never had it.

Christ's resurrection had a profound change on people. The apostles of Jesus lived in fear at first but then went on to preach the good news after receiving the Holy Spirit promised to them by Jesus(Acts 2). Only something very dramatic could turn their fear into a motivation to spread the word. The apostles would not renounce their faith or their testimony of Jesus' resurrection even after being arrested and appearing before the Sanhedrin, the assembly of Israel's elders(Acts 4:1-17). The apostle Paul went from a persecutor of Christians to one of the most successful Christian missionaries of all time after his encounter with Jesus(Acts 9:4-6). What else except divine intervention could make someone change that much?

Still have doubts?

If none of this helps with doubts about your salvation, don't worry. God will change your life through the Holy Spirit. Once you see the changes, sooner or later you will be convinced and not have any more doubts.

Last updated 12/1/2010