How can we know that we are saved? We cannot know without a foundation. We need proof. The Bible speaks of at least three proofs to let us know that we are saved.
1. “This is the testimony, that God gave to us eternal life” (1 John 5:11).
The first proof that lets us know that we are saved is within us; it can be called the inward proof. This is the Holy Spirit within us as the testimony; it is God through the Holy Spirit testifying of the Son. This testimony is of the eternal life, which God has given to us in His Son. Everyone who believes in God’s Son has this testimony within him. Everyone who believes God has a feeling in his deepest part that he is born of God and that he belongs to God. Although some are not clear in their minds or have doubts in their hearts, there is definitely an inexplicable feeling in the deepest part of their being that makes them feel that they have entered into a relationship with God and that they have been begotten by Him. This is what the Holy Spirit testifies within; it is a testimony of life within them and it proves that they also have life because they have the Son of God. Thus, by the testimony of the Holy Spirit within and by the feeling we have from the Holy Spirit’s testimony, we can know that we have the life of God and are saved.
2. “The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom. 8:15-16).
The witnessing Spirit within us is in our spirit, witnessing with our spirit, causing our spirit to feel what the Spirit witnesses and to witness with the Spirit that we are children of God. Each believer is very happy to call, “Abba, Father.” It is very natural for us to call, “Abba, Father.” Whenever we address God in this way, we inwardly feel very sweet and comfortable. This is because we are children born of God with His life and because the Spirit of His Son has entered into us. It is very natural and sweet for us to address our human fathers as “father.” In the same way we can call God, “Abba, Father” and feel so sweet and comfortable. This proves that we have the life of God and are children begotten by Him. By the Holy Spirit witnessing with our spirit, we can know that we are saved and are children of God.
1. “I have written these things to you that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).
This verse speaks of these things being written that we may know that we have eternal life. These things refer to all the things written prior to this verse, which were written by God through the Holy Spirit. The things written by God through the Holy Spirit cause us to know that we have eternal life. Therefore, they are the second proof which lets us know we are saved. The second proof is the Word written by God through the Holy Spirit, that is, the Bible. The Bible is outside of us, so it can be called the outward proof. The inward proof of our salvation is the Holy Spirit, and the outward proof is the Bible. God not only uses the Holy Spirit within us to prove that we are His children, but He also uses the Bible without to confirm that we have His life. Just as God uses the Bible to testify concerning the redemption He accomplished for us through His Son, He also uses the Bible to confirm that He accomplished our salvation and worked this salvation into us in His Son and through the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:43 says, “Everyone who believes into Him will receive forgiveness of sins.” Verse 39 of chapter 13 says, “In this One everyone who believes is justified.” John 3:18 says, “He who believes into Him is not condemned.” Other verses speak of believing into Him and having eternal life (vv. 16, 36; 6:40). John 5:24 speaks of those who believe into Him having eternal life and passing out of death into life. John 1:12 says, “As many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, to those who believe into His name.” First John 5:12 says, “He who has the Son has the life.” Acts 16:31 says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved.” Romans 10:10 says, “With the heart there is believing unto righteousness, and with the mouth there is confession unto salvation.” Verse 13 of the same chapter says, “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” These passages in the Bible are not only revelations or promises that God has given to us; rather, they are a written covenant. They are proofs that He has written for us. Based upon the words of His written covenant, these written proofs, we can know with assurance that as soon as we believe in the Lord, our sins are forgiven, we are justified, we are no longer condemned, we have eternal life, we are children of God, and we are saved.
A person receives an inheritance through a will and testament. The Lord made these words of His written covenant a testament for us so that we could inherit the blessings of His salvation (Heb. 9:15-17). The person bequeathing an inheritance puts all of his inheritance into a will and testament and passes it on to his heirs. The Lord put His salvation into His written testament, the Bible, and gave it to us. One inherits property according to clearly written provisions of a will and testament, not according to feelings or imaginations. In the same way, we inherit the Lord’s grace according to the Bible, the written testament given to us by the Lord; we inherit according to the clearly written provisions of the Bible, not according to our feelings or imaginations. With the inward proof of the Holy Spirit, there are feelings. But with the outward proof of the Bible, there is no need for feelings. With respect to the Holy Spirit as the inward proof, we have feelings and we will have feelings. But with respect to the Bible as the outward proof, we do not need feelings, and we should not worry about whether we have any feelings. We should simply stand on the clearly written provisions of the Bible to determine whether we are saved. By this we can know we are saved.