Someone asked me, “I have a question on assurance. How can a Christian know they are going to Heaven and not hell?”
First, the assurance of salvation comes from God’s fixed and eternal promises rather than our changing emotions. Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Our assurance of salvation rests first on being “in Christ Jesus,” not on believing that we have performed well enough to earn acceptance—as if we ever could!
“Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Christians are accepted by God because of Christ’s work, not because of our own goodness: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him!” (Romans 5:9).
We can also point to the Spirit’s work in us: “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:16). This assurance doesn’t mean we’ll never struggle with doubt. Rather, it means that our confidence ultimately rests in God’s testimony, Christ’s finished work, and the Holy Spirit’s witness—not in the perfection of our feelings. The Holy Spirit lives in us and proclaims Himself that we are children of God. We can always have confidence in that truth.
The strongest biblical comfort comes near the end of Romans 8: “Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us” (Romans 8:33-34). Therefore, we can say, “I am not saved because I am incapable of sinning or doubting. I am saved only because Jesus died, rose again, and intercedes for me, and I put my trust in Him, not in me.”
Scripture says, “Neither death nor life…nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39). One clarification is necessary: this is not permission for us to treat sin lightly. Romans 8 also speaks of being led by the Spirit and putting to death the deeds of the body (Romans 8:13–14). Genuine assurance and spiritual transformation go together.
God wants us to have confident knowledge of our salvation, not endless uncertainty: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Our assurance doesn’t depend on constantly examining whether our faith feels strong enough. Rather, we should look to Christ and trust God’s Word.
It’s true some people merely “check off the box” by saying, “I believe,” while never yielding themselves to God or showing a longing to know and love Him. Scripture says to “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
We should ask ourselves, “Am I daily trusting Jesus Christ? Am I clinging to Him rather than my own goodness? Is His grace producing in me repentance, faith, and a desire to grow?” Again, our works could never save us. But these questions can help reveal whether our profession of faith is genuine.
At the same time, we aren’t to look inward as though the strength of our faith is the foundation of salvation. Salvation is granted to us by Christ’s work, not by somehow mustering up enough faith. Our faith is not the Savior; Jesus is. Even when our faith feels weak, Christ remains sufficient.
If we truly long for and desire to know God and be His child, that in and of itself is from God. If you find yourself saying, “Oh, I love Jesus, or at least I really want to love Jesus. I’ve repented of my sins and gone forward. I keep asking God to forgive me. But has He really forgiven me?” That is when you can say, “It is the very Spirit of God Himself that is making me long for this, and it is Satan who is projecting these doubts in me.”
I would express assurance of my salvation this way:
“I know I am saved, not because I am worthy, but because Jesus Christ is worthy. I have sinned, and I cannot remove my guilt through my own effort. But I am trusting in Christ, whose death and resurrection provide forgiveness and reconciliation with God. He promises eternal life to those who believe in His Son. My doubts do not have authority over God’s Word. I will continue turning from sin, trusting Christ, and seeking to grow in faith—not to earn salvation, but because God has already shown me grace, and I want to know Him more and more.”
