​Are You Really Saved? 11 Signs You May Not Be (and What to Do)

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Could you still be unsaved without even realizing it?
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God’s love extends to everybody. If you can just open your heart, there’s no reason you can’t be saved if you aren’t already redeemed. Just know that while it may be a little scary if you notice some of the signs you aren’t yet saved, this is the first step towards correcting that. A little discomfort now is worth an eternity in heaven, so if you suspect you aren’t saved, talk to your pastor or priest about your worries, pray, and continue to actively worship to invite God into your heart.

How Do You Know if You Aren’t Saved?

As a Christian, the Holy Spirit fills the heart of God’s redeemed. If the Holy Spirit hasn’t touched you, you will know it. Sin won’t disgust you, the Bible won’t invigorate you, and you’ll struggle to find God’s graces in the world.

Section 1 of 3:

Signs You Aren’t Saved

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  1. If you’re saved, the Bible should be a part of your normal routine. Reading God’s word (alongside frequent prayer) is the best way to reaffirm your relationship with the Lord. If you aren’t regularly picking up the Bible, it’s a troubling sign that you aren’t being driven to enrich your life in Christ. [1]
    • “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” (Revelation 1:3)
  2. Attending church when you’re saved is one of the most rewarding and exciting experiences. The sense of togetherness you feel celebrating Christ with other believers is invigorating, and the spiritual growth you’ll experience is irreplicable. If you aren’t saved, church will feel like some boring old chore. [2]
    • “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20)
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  3. If hearing a preacher drone on about God this and Jesus that starts to put you to sleep, it’s a sign you aren’t really hearing God’s word. If you were to really let Him into your heart, tales and stories of God’s deliverance would fill you with love and have you coming back for more. [3]
    • “Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.” (Isaiah 55:2)
  4. Discussing your faith should be a rewarding experience. If you’re saved, discussing the various elements of your spiritual life that you find the most essential and empowering will reaffirm your relationship with God. But if conversations about the Lord are kind of grating for you, it means your heart has hardened to God and you may not be saved. [4]
    • “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” (Romans 10:17)
  5. Being around God’s anointed should fill your heart with joy. Even just hanging around other Christians should feel empowering. If you don’t get that spark in your heart and that pep in your step when you hang out with other Christians, it could be a sign that you’re not saved yet. [5]
    • “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.” (Psalm 1:1)
  6. God changes people for the better, so how have you been born anew? Think back to your days before you found God. How did you behave? How did you feel? Now, think about your life today. Is it radically different or are you basically the same person? If you don’t know you’ve grown in God’s love, it’s a signal you’re not saved. [6]
    • Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17
  7. Look, there’s nothing fun about death, but for a saved soul it’s just a normal part of your journey back to the Lord. Knowing that you’re going to heaven is a huge sign that you’re saved, so if you have any confusion about what happens in the afterlife, it means you still have a lot of praying left to do. [7]
    • “For if we have been united with [Jesus] in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:5)
  8. Christians who are saved have no problem admitting mistakes. We are all born in original sin. Beyond that, human beings are imperfect and sin is an extension of that imperfection. All of this is normal. What sets God’s flock apart from the unsaved is what happens after sin takes place. Are you honest about your imperfections or do you deny they exist? If you’re hesitant to be honest with the Lord when you’re praying, it’s a sign you may not be saved. [8]
    • “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
  9. Everyone sins—that’s normal—but how does sinning make you feel? Do you relish in the delight of your sins, or does sinning make you feel kind of icky even when the underlying behavior brings you physical or emotional pleasure? If sin makes you feel a little bit of shame or disgust, that’s 100% normal and it’s a sign you’re aligned with the Lord. [9]
    • “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” (Psalm 32:5)
  10. The Bible makes it clear that saved people are uncommon. The Bible makes it clear that there’s nothing easy about being a Christian. Faith is difficult to maintain, and it’s easy to give yourself over to the worldly pleasures that drive you away from God. If you feel kind of like you’re a black sheep in normal society, it’s a good sign you’re saved. If you feel “at home” around nonbeliever though, it’s a worrying sign. [10]
    • Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.” (Matthew 7:13).
  11. How you feel actually says a lot about your relationship with God. If you find yourself sitting around worried that you aren’t really saved by God, it’s a pretty good sign you aren’t. The Lord’s followers stand tall under any amount of pressure because they’re just that confident in their faith. If you don’t have that confidence, it’s a sign you may need to continue praying and worshipping. [11]
    • “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
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Section 2 of 3:

How to Be Saved

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  1. The Bible is extremely clear on this—so long as you believe in Jesus, you will be counted among the saved. You must know, deep in your heart, that Jesus is the son of God and that he died for your sins. If you believe that, you are saved and you will feel the grace of the Holy Spirit. [12]
    • “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31)
    • You cannot just be a good person and get into Heaven. The Bible specifically says, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26) It’s not that doing good works makes you saved, just that if you’re truly saved you’ll be driven to perform good deeds automatically. [13]
Section 3 of 3:

What to Do if You Aren’t Sure You’re Saved

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  1. The Bible is God’s word. If you are ever feeling crossed up or lost, turn to the Bible to find the guidance and love you need to get back on track. The more you expose yourself to the good book, the more likely the Holy Spirit will find a path to open your heart up. [14]
    • You don’t have to force-feed yourself stories from the Bible. Enjoy yourself by breaking it up, watching movies or cartoons based on Biblical stories, or reading along with friends or family.
  2. Find the person in your community who is known for having the answers and tell them what you’re going through. It’s 100% normal for people to experience doubt or run into crises of faith and that’s when it’s most important to find support. Ask for help finding God’s love in the world and just talk through whatever’s weighing on your heart. [15]
    • A little bit of confusion or fear is normal. In fact, it’s part of growing in your faith. If you never experienced any obstacles in your journey with God, you’d never know just how resilient your faith is.
  3. Prayer is the single most powerful thing you can do if you’re trying to cultivate a closer relationship with God. At least once a day, close your eyes and speak to God. Thank Him for all that you’ve been given in life and ask for additional guidance. The more you pray, the more likely you’ll feel God’s love in your heart. [16]
    • If you don’t have any experience praying, ask a fellow believer to pray with you. Prayer partners are popular in the Christian faith for a reason.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-does-the-spirit-testify-im-saved
      2. ↑ https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-does-the-spirit-testify-im-saved
      3. ↑ https://seminary.grace.edu/how-do-i-know-if-im-really-saved/
      4. ↑ https://seminary.grace.edu/how-do-i-know-if-im-really-saved/
      5. ↑ https://seminary.grace.edu/how-do-i-know-if-im-really-saved/
      6. ↑ https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-does-the-spirit-testify-im-saved
      7. ↑ https://seminary.grace.edu/how-do-i-know-if-im-really-saved/
      8. ↑ https://answersingenesis.org/gospel/salvation/what-does-it-mean-to-be-saved/
      9. ↑ https://answersingenesis.org/gospel/salvation/what-does-it-mean-to-be-saved/
      1. ↑ https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-does-the-spirit-testify-im-saved
      2. ↑ https://seminary.grace.edu/how-do-i-know-if-im-really-saved/
      3. ↑ https://seminary.grace.edu/how-do-i-know-if-im-really-saved/
      4. ↑ https://girlsministry.lifeway.com/blog/works-without-faith-doesnt-work-either/
      5. ↑ https://www.gcu.edu/blog/theology-ministry/importance-reading-bible
      6. ↑ https://www.faithward.org/advice-for-when-youre-struggling-with-faith/
      7. ↑ https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe/god/10-meaniningful-benefits-of-prayer

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