What are the evidence of ones salvation

[He giveth more grace]

A lot of people, I think, who have genuinely been saved doubt their salvation in times of trial and afflictions, after being saved for 36 years I still doubt that I have truly have been saved. What proof is there that I am God's own possession.

[mizzdy]

That is something that I just don't worry about. We are told when we confess His name, confess our sins and return to Him we are saved. Its the things between then and when He returns that show our fruit, our walk should reflect the changes He is making within us, we should be showing our growth and maturity in Him. True some are slower to reflect those changes not that it means they are any 'less saved' but that we all learn and grow at different rates.

shalom,

Mizz

[tintiger78]

Here's my take. James 2:14-26 is often refered to as "Salvation by Works or by Faith". In truth it is not either/or, but both are needed. We are saved by faith and faith only. The works we do are evidence of our faith in Jesus Christ and are meant to be seen by others to draw them to Christ. You will not get to Heaven without faith in Jesus Christ. Others will be drawn by seeing your faith in God in your actions.

As far as how do we know we are God's "property"? He says so! John 17 records a prayer of Jesus just hours before He is arrested to face execution. In verses 6-19, He prays for the disciples and in 20-26 He prays for us. Note verses 6, 9, 21 and 24. Notice a theme? Jesus claims us as His own! Further more, Jesus states that everything He has was given to Him by God the Father.

Dear friend, your are God's. If you have "confessed with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." What a wonderful promise. Hope this helps.

[joi]

A lot of people, I think, who have genuinely been saved doubt their salvation in times of trial and afflictions, after being saved for 36 years I still doubt that I have truly have been saved. What proof is there that I am God's own possession.

I know where you are coming from. I became God conscious at an early age and made a profession at somewhere around

the 6 to 8 years of age bracket. I said I was saved but doubt riddled me for years.

After hearing my pastor say something to the effect of 'if you think your sins are to big for God to forgive them then you are

arrogant.' Why? Because nothing is so big and so bad in us that God can not fix it, where sin is concerned. On hearing

him say that I realized I was in trouble, and that I was indeed arrogant to think that way.

Ephesians 2

8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9Not of works, lest any man should boast.

I had heard these two verses and had even quoted them to others who were seeking salvation, but I had not yet applied them to my own salvation, because like you I still questioned my state.

Finally God showed me that faith takes an act of our will. I kept hearing the gospel over and over and yet not taking that step of faith that what God's Word was saying was for me, as well as for others. He gave me the grace to just take Him at His Word, and I took that step of faith and now I know that I am His. Sometimes I get out of fellowship with Him and I begin to wonder again, and that is when I realize that I am not confessing my sins, praying and reading His Word, which is a signal to me to get with His program for me and my life in Him. He never lies, so once I have told God that I want Jesus as my Savior, confess Him with my mouth I know I am His. The good news is that Jesus rose from the dead. He Lives and because of what He has done for us, those of us who accept Him as Savior, also Live.

I pray that you can take that step of faith that you are His.

[stacey c]

A lot of people, I think, who have genuinely been saved doubt their salvation in times of trial and afflictions, after being saved for 36 years I still doubt that I have truly have been saved. What proof is there that I am God's own possession.

Lets see what the Bible says about trials and afflications.....

Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;

v.2 "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God"

v. 3 "And not only so, but we glory in tribulation also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience;"

v.4 "And patience expierience, and experience, hope,"

v. 5" And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us."

2Corinthians 13: 10 "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessaties, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong."

Trials and tribulations are to be expected during our work, the Lord calls it the trying of our faith, when you are going through them, it does not mean God has forsaken you, instead it's God testing your faith to bring from glory to glory.

Blessings stacey c

[He giveth more grace]

I really thank you for taking the time for the deep thought and caring in you alls (y'all's) posts.

Because the Father has sent the Holy Spirit in us we cry Abba Father too.

[LessThan Any]

A lot of people, I think, who have genuinely been saved doubt their salvation in times of trial and afflictions, after being saved for 36 years I still doubt that I have truly have been saved. What proof is there that I am God's own possession.

All of us are God possessions as others here have already confirmed, but not everyone here has successfully endured to the end, because the end for each us is not yet, or we would not still be here, still being tempted, and still working the works of God (hopefully) while it is still day. Soon the night cometh when no man can work, but in the meantime...

When we are drawn to Christ, we are stewards left with responsibilities put into our hands by God. We are stewards of our flesh and blood bodies as well as of our material goods and opportunities; and also the spiritual gifts that we have received. What does it require for us to be changed from a steward to a son of God? What does it take for us to be changed into a joint-heir with Christ? When can we be assured that we are a part of the Body of Christ and that we will never lose that place?

"... Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?" Job 1:8

In spite of the good report God gives about Job in that verse, Job had a long haul ahead him. He had some more growing to do as do we. Our growing must continue until we have come to end of our course, which will be probably be when the dirt is finally thrown on our faces. if we do not grow then we will stagnate and finally and completely die without God.

[He giveth more grace]

LessThan Any's post (one up, #7): Good post, a spiritual post, thank you.

[OldShep]

A lot of people, I think, who have genuinely been saved doubt their salvation in times of trial and afflictions, after being saved for 36 years I still doubt that I have truly have been saved. What proof is there that I am God's own possession.

Tag, Great question, which I feel requires, some thought and prayer before I respond in whole.{Add-on, I think for me the greatest danger is not the doubt, I may temporarily have during times of trails, for I am by nature driven to my knees, seeking God, when I do find myself in need of Him during a trail. My greatest time of doubt seems to be in the good times, for it leads to a sense of complacency (a self-satisfaction) in my salvation. In which I may loose sight of God's Grace and the Faith, that He gave me. >>>>>>>>>>> more to pray about...........

The words of Blessed Assurance come to mind. The assurance that once we have accepted Christ Jesus, the believers receive the God's spiritual blessings, in the form of the Holy Spirit. The sovereign election of the Father. Eph 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Eph 1:14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory. So we can stand firm in our Faith and Grace, knowing that the words of that old time song, hold true to His promise to us.

"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a fore taste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, This is my story, Born of His Spirit, wash in His blood. This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long; This is my story, this is my song , Praising my Savior all the day long.

Eph 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

Eph 1:14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

The Holy Spirit who seals is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance. The “deposit” is more than a pledge which could be returned; it is a down payment with a guarantee of more to come (cf. “the first fruits of the Spirit,” Rom_8:23). “A deposit guaranteeing” (used elsewhere in the NT only in 2Co_1:22; 2Co_5:5). It guarantees believers’ “inheritance” of salvation and heaven (1Pe_1:4). In essence, the “deposit” of the Holy Spirit is a little bit of heaven in believers’ lives with a guarantee of much more yet to come.

Believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the redemption of those who are God’s possession. This redemption is not release from the guilt of sin; that was spoken of in Eph_1:7 and the believer is already “God’s possession.” Instead, this is the believer’s ultimate, final release from the presence of sin (cf. Rom_8:23; Php_3:20-21).

Jesus will never give up on those that know His voice, even though we may wonder of the path now and then, Jesus, will always be willing to hold out His Hand, to lift us out of the hole we may have climbed into, or fallen into.

Proof, is not only found in the words of God, but, in the soul of every believer that turn their backs to Christ, and were forgiven and accepted back into the fold, once they blew all they had.

Lord Forgive me for ever doubting.

Dennis

[glf]

A lot of people, I think, who have genuinely been saved doubt their salvation in times of trial and afflictions, after being saved for 36 years I still doubt that I have truly have been saved. What proof is there that I am God's own possession.

2Cor13:5 "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"

Gal5:22,23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

2Pet1:3-13 "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance."

Since we are unable to actually look into another's heart and see their faith or ours or even the Holy Spirit who indwells those who have been born of the Spirit. We look to the fruits of the Spirit to see Christ in them. Signs and wonders can be counterfeited like Pharaoh's court magicians who threw down their staffs which then, turned into snakes by the evil one's ability. The fruits of the Spirit are grown by abiding in the vine or in Jesus' word. For the faithful, maturity is a part of walking in the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit is how we fulfill that the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power and these signs(Mk16:17-20) shall follow them that believe. The gift of the Spirit is given to each one to profit with-all, but the gifts operate by faith and so, to not believe in one's gift, whatever it is, is to not use it. Fluency comes through use and then those who use their lesser gifts are to pray for better gifts. In fact, Paul tells us to desire the best gifts. Such is the signs of our times, sadly; when except there is a falling away, the end shall not come. Where Jesus himself asked, "when I return, will I find faith upon the Earth?"

Let's practice a little self-sacrifice and put down all of our entertainments and study, filling our minds with the word of God and make a daily prayer list to take to the Lord, a habit. Even a quick mention can make a huge difference as we can see in 1Jn5:16,17: "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death." That's life being given to one of the brethren because of a prayer from one who would stand in the gap for those who are perishing. If life can come from a quick emotionless prayer, imagine the Lord's delight to move in an area of need at the fervent prayer of one who adds fasting to their prayer of faith.