Am I really saved?

We get questions from some of our listeners like this: “When I was 12, I made a decision to trust Jesus Christ as my Savior, but I am not sure that I will go to Heaven when I die. Am I saved?” Or, a listener may ask, “I am a Christian, but I am not living as I should. Does this mean I am not a Christian?”

My question to those callers who would ask either of the two questions is this: “What changed in your life when you made that decision?” The apostle Paul, who had met the Savior on the Damascus road came away changed forever. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” II Corinthians 5:17. Very simply put, “No Change, No Christ.” No one has ever met Jesus Christ and has come away the same. They are either better or worse, but there will have been a change. The change will be for the better, if they have accepted Him and invited Him into their lives. They will change for the worse if they are confronted by Him and reject Him.

A missionary was translating John 3:16 into the language of the people he was trying to win to the Lord. He was stumped, because there was no word in their language for the crucial word, “believes.” While he was thinking and praying, a national who had been working with him came into the room. This man had been working hard on the mission compound, gathering some supplies and repairing some things. He sat down in a chair and exclaimed in his native tongue, “It feels wonderful to put my whole weight down on this chair!” Immediately, the missionary had the word for which he was seeking. He translated John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever puts his whole weight on Him may have eternal life.” We commit our entire weight on a chair when we sit down in it.

Jesus did not operate a “seeker friendly” type of ministry, leveling the entrance standard to the lowest common denominator. Certainly, He loved sinners and died for them. He invited them to come to Him, but He expected, yes even demanded, a commitment of faith from those who would name His Name and follow Him.

Could it be that you have made a “decision to believe,” but have never made a “commitment to follow Him”. In like manner, we commit our total self to the Savior by faith when we accept Him as our Savior.

If you’d like to have more information about this topic, see 0301 Salvation or visit our BBN Bible Institute Online and register to study the course 00400 Understanding The Gospel.