Are You Really Saved?

If you claim to be a Christian, but live your daily life in the same sinful way as the rest of the world, willfully repeating your favorite sins, I’ve got some bad news for you:  You’re not really saved.

Salvation is a gift from God, given out of His grace - but if you truly love God, you are going to follow His commands:

“If you love me, you will obey what I command.” – John 14:15

“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” – John 14:21

“Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.” – 1 John 3:24

“This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.  This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world.” – 1 John 5:2-4

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” – John 10:27-28

I want to be especially clear: salvation comes from God – not from your own works.  But your love for God needs to be REAL.  If you really love God you will WANT to pursue Him.  You will WANT to flee from sin.  You will WANT to draw closer to Him.  You will make an EFFORT to better yourself.  You will “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” – Ephesians 6:11 

Sure, we are not perfect.  We are going to sin.  But there is a big difference between someone who earnestly loves God and pursues righteousness (and sometimes fails while trying their best) – and someone who claims to be a Christian but does not really put forth any effort to follow God.

Your actions are evidence of your love (or lack thereof).  So if you continue to sin day after day, occasionally asking God for forgiveness, but returning right back to your sin after you’re done praying, then you must not actually love God.  You actions show that you love sin.  Which takes me back to my original point:  You’re not really saved.

The good news is that it’s never too late to turn from sin and cultivate a meaningful, real, solid, personal love for God:

“Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.” – Amos 5:14

“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.” – Isaiah 55:6-7

“The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” – Lamentations 3:25-26

“Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.” – Hosea 10:12

Pursue God with all of your strength.  Ask Him to forgive you of your sins – and mean it.  Be truly sorry for the wrong you’ve done, make a serious effort to change your ways, and devote yourselves, as Paul says, to doing good:

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.  But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,  he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,  whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,  so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.  This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.” – Titus 3:1-8