How can a christian know whether is saved or no ??

[Bowman]

I think the best way to know is studying and understanding the letters of the apostle Jhon.
also we must bear true fruit of repentance at all times, if your life doesn't fit to what Jhon in his
first letter states of chapter 2 on, then I think your repentance was not real.

The first thing to do is ask yourself what it is that you think you are being saved from in the first place...

 

[homwardbound]

I think one of the most defining proofs is your life itself. If you just go on, business as usual, and there is no change, then you must look at your heart and your relationship with Christ. Knowing Christ brings change. It's like the song says, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace."

If you find that you have no loss of hunger for worldly/carnal things and that you only think about Christ when caught up in sinful moments or on Sunday, then you must check your heart. Jesus should enter into your mind and heart and life daily. You should long for Him daily. And the things of earth will grow 'strangely dim' and you will begin to desire them less and less. This is one of the many ways, I personally believe, that you can see if you're truly living for Christ or living for yourself.

Yes Sis, I think one would know by the changes made in response to Father's love through Son Christ, how we see start to see things that are just not beneficial in agreement with God, and just walk away as Father showed me about Alcohol and drugs, and the captivity was removed back at age 27. And many more things have gone away since as like peeling an onion, it can hurt at first and does, yet the center is as sweet as can be and worth the effort to learn it, it is all by trust in God, and none of me. All anyone and me ever need to do is die to self daily and be alive to God daily, being led by the Spirit of God, taking away all worry and stress as we still have adversities in our face, contentment is found in Christ's finished work
Thanks for your enlightened posts

 

[homwardbound]

NO ONE is "saved" until they die and then GOD decides whether they are worthy of going to Heaven or not.

Oh a man of works, So how does one know when they have done enough works fro God to decide that one is good enough?
Was it perfection? And no flesh can be perfect. and the only one that is, is Christ and so since he is perfect why then did he go to the cross? Not for self, no need right?
Could not have been form us could it, knowing no one could be perfect in and of themselves right, being born after the similitude of Adam and Eve, born of the flesh?

 

[Delija]

Oh a man of works, So how does one know when they have done enough works fro God to decide that one is good enough?
Was it perfection? And no flesh can be perfect. and the only one that is, is Christ and so since he is perfect why then did he go to the cross? Not for self, no need right?
Could not have been form us could it, knowing no one could be perfect in and of themselves right, being born after the similitude of Adam and Eve, born of the flesh?

My friend,i don't know which denomination this man belong,but i just can tell u that there are never enough deeds.Every new day,for a man who desire to be with God,is a day of repent a day of new examination and a day of new works(deeds).Every day have to be a day of rising in faith,but true faith,not reformed.A faith of holy fathers!
And on God is to judge,not a man.Because,as Orthodox understand it,whole life is life of repentance,a life of Theosis,a life of step by step,until reaching the point which is Divinization of man.When u are in peace with world,your near,and a spirits.When nothing bother u and even people wan't to hurt u,or kill,u are enjoy and thank to God for all things!And u pray with unceasing prayer LORD JESUS CHRIST,THE SON OF GOD,HAVE MERCE UPON OF ME A SINNER.
IC XC NI KA

 

[Delija]

The great advice of one of many Orthodox holy fathers.
When the demons expel self-restraint from your intellect and besiege you with thoughts of unchastity, turn to the Lord with tears and say, ‘Now they have driven me out and encircled me’ (Ps. 17:11. LXX); ‘Thou art my supreme joy: deliver me from those who encircle me’ (Ps. 32:7. LXX). Then you will be safe.
St Maximos the Confessor

 

[Sanashankar]

I think the best way to know is studying and understanding the letters of the apostle Jhon.
also we must bear true fruit of repentance at all times, if your life doesn't fit to what Jhon in his
first letter states of chapter 2 on, then I think your repentance was not real.

How can a christian know whether is saved or no ??

The problem in answering this question is that you put it in the PAST TENSE--"How do we know that we ARE saved" which, I guess, could be in the past or present tense. Either way, I know of no Scripture that gives such an answer.

Here is what we do read regarding salvation:

"might save" "to save" "shalt save" "save us" "shall be saved" "such as should be saved" "whereby we must be saved" "we shall be saved" "what must I do to be saved" etc., etc., etc.
​

And even those few verses that speak of "but unto us which ARE saved...." a closer look at the Greek shows that it is in the aiorist tense and should be translated "...which ARE BEING saved..." as it is not as yet a completed fact or act.

Even Ephesian 2:8 which states: "For by grace ARE you saved through faith...." which is properly translated with the word "are" than "are you being saved" or some other aiorist tense verb, still does not show that anyone is ALREADY saved. The phrase "ARE saved" is telling us HOW we are saved, not WHEN we are saved. We "are" saved by grace just as people a century into the future also "ARE saved by grace." That's HOW they are saved, not WHEN.

If there were a verse that stated that we or anyone ARE or HAVE BEEN already saved, it would contradict many other Scriptures that show that salvation is an ongoing process.

If this verse be absolutely true, can a statement that contradicts this statement of our Lord ALSO be true? Well, for example, "...he that shall NOT endure unto the end... ALSO be saved?" See the contradiction?

Jesus says to him that OVERCOMES... seven time in Rev. 2 and 3. If the "overcoming" part is really not necessary, then why is it emphatically stated such SEVEN TIMES?

Is there a reason for not having a verse stating how one can know that they are absolutely SAVED [past tense] at some point in their lives? I think so. We can NEVER STOP overcoming, striving, pressing on, following after, etc. We can have CONFIDENCE AND HOPE that we will be saved if we continue in our present total devotion to God, but never in this life can we say that we "ARE saved" already, in the past tense.

God has not, however, left us with assurances that we can absolutely bank on, if we follow His admonitions. Here is just one:

"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 brother kindness charity [LOVE]. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful... give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye DO THESE THINGS, YE SHALL NEVER FALL" (II Pet. 1:5-8 & 10).
​

This verse says it all:

"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same SHALL BE saved" (Matt. 24:13).

​

 

[Cobus]

These are the saved people... 1 JOhn 3:9...Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
And look at the two groups... unsaved-sins, saved - wicked toucheth not...
1 John 5:18 and 19...... We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

Do you see the difference between the two groups... the SAVED ones SINNETH NOT! Even is the WHOLE WORLD sin the saved ones does NOT! They are BORN OF GOD.... Salvation is complete the moment you are BORN OF GOD.... at the END of God's saving plan.... You are saved when God makes you a perfect person.... only from then on will you bear HIS FRUIT, from HIS SEED, and HIS SALVATION... NOT before...

As long a you sin you need salvation, you ARE NOT SAVED YET... As easy as that....

 

[capumetu]

(
　
(Zephaniah 2:2-3) Before [the] statute gives birth to [anything], [before the] day has passed by just like chaff, before there comes upon YOU people the burning anger of Jehovah, before there comes upon YOU the day of Jehovah’s anger, [SUP]3[/SUP]　seek Jehovah, all YOU meek ones of the earth, who have practiced His own judicial decision. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably YOU may be concealed in the day of Jehovah’s anger.

 

[homwardbound]

Semantics. This is why we seem so judgmental and harsh. Can't someone just say, "Trusting involves doing, as well. It isn't enough to believe, you must also be surrendered wholeheartedly to God." Why must we correct each other so viciously? Seems to be the trend here. Rather than adding to what someone says, we go into long diatribes about why what they said is wrong, then, ultimately, state they are actually correct and we're just adding to what they said.

I see it simple Faith in God through Son brings God works through me. Simple enough, and not of self ever as I see it, to me god gets all, the credit, not me ever

 

[homwardbound]

My life has changed so dramatically since I was saved recently. I have a hunger for the Word and constantly read and study it. There have also been changes in me personally--my attitude towards others, the way I handle difficult situations, my relationship with my husband--to name a few. I feel so blessed to have received the gift of salvation even though I feel unworthy of such beautiful gift. My life is about God now, I want to serve Him always. I know He is with me and I am working hard to live my life according to the bible, the way The Lord wants me to live my life.

Sorry if I sound simplistic, just speaking from my heart.

True changes come from belief in the finished work Sister as you just said it has, and are yet humble love it

 

[homwardbound]

" How should we reply to this question? For my own part, I hesitate to respond categorically, "Yes, I am saved." Such an answer suggests that my salvation is already here and now an accomplished fact, a fully realized and completed actuality. But how can I know for certain what my behaviour will be during the remaining course of my life? Despite God's guiding hand upon me, I still retain the power to say No to Him as well as Yes.
Long after his conversion on the road to Damascus St. Paul feared that after preaching to others he might himself end up "rejected" or "disqualified" by God (1 Corinthians 9:27 - "No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize".) Must we not show a similar caution? The warning issued by the pagan Solon applies equally in a Christian context: "Call no one blessed until he/she has died." It is the one who endures to the end who will be saved (Matthew 10:22; 24:13)"
This all flies very much into the face of my evangelical background and I well remember several converations in the past where I have insisted that once we are saved we are always saved and to believe otherwise is to deny Christ and doubt His saving work on the cross. Kallistos Ware however questions this and demonstrates that salvation is about a lifetime of trust and not just a momentary decision made some time in the past. Maybe that is why the spiritual disciplines don't seem to figure very much in those branches of the Christian Faith that espouse such teaching. What is the real need to fast and pray if whatever we do we are saved anyway? In their reaction against any thought that we can achieve salvation by our own effort they have gone to the opposite extreme and seem to suggest that we have little or no part to play except, in a moment of revelation, to say 'yes' to God.

But as St. Paul reminds us that although salvation is impossible in our own strength without God's prevenient grace, yet we are not creatures without free will and by God's grace - and with our continued co-operation and reception of that grace - we will one day be saved. He writes to the Philippians in Chapter 2:
"Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure". (Philippians 2:11-12 NRSV)
And again later in Chapter 3: "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:10-14 NRSV)

Even Paul, the great saint himself, is not complacent, but humbly acknowledges that there is still work for the Lord to do in him. We would do well in using similar caution and humility when we talk about our own salvation.

Bottom line as I go here in this world, discernment important as to the works that are done in and through me, and ask God for God's finished works through me of son at the cross for me and not only me but for the whole world
1 Cor. 3 clear on what works will burn up and what works will not and survive the fire
So ask yourself what will not burn up? Will God's works ever burn up?
Will all self flesh works burn up, no matter how well theses works appeared to look as good, when only Father is good.
So what is the battle, Flesh and blood against the Spirit of God, as shown in Galatians

 

[homwardbound]

My friend,i don't know which denomination this man belong,but i just can tell u that there are never enough deeds.Every new day,for a man who desire to be with God,is a day of repent a day of new examination and a day of new works(deeds).Every day have to be a day of rising in faith,but true faith,not reformed.A faith of holy fathers!
And on God is to judge,not a man.Because,as Orthodox understand it,whole life is life of repentance,a life of Theosis,a life of step by step,until reaching the point which is Divinization of man.When u are in peace with world,your near,and a spirits.When nothing bother u and even people wan't to hurt u,or kill,u are enjoy and thank to God for all things!And u pray with unceasing prayer LORD JESUS CHRIST,THE SON OF GOD,HAVE MERCE UPON OF ME A SINNER.
IC XC NI KA

And God the Father of Christ is trying to show you what you just posted, that through his Son since you believe this is done in you, by the Spirit of God. And you are learning to walk that way, continue to see as God continues to show you the truth that sets you free as you just said it is to be.
It is all God Brother, you are complete in Christ period, you do because you have, you do longer to get.
one forgives why, because through Christ one is forgiven
One loves why? Because we are past tense and present along with all future are loved
I went through the desperation to know truth and found out I could not love or forgive not 100% until I found out how deep God's love is and that is loved and forgiven 100%. So in response, I respond in thanks and praises fro God's doing, not any of mine
1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
1 John 2:2 and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Romans 3:25 whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

 

[homwardbound]

The great advice of one of many Orthodox holy fathers.
When the demons expel self-restraint from your intellect and besiege you with thoughts of unchastity, turn to the Lord with tears and say, ‘Now they have driven me out and encircled me’ (Ps. 17:11. LXX); ‘Thou art my supreme joy: deliver me from those who encircle me’ (Ps. 32:7. LXX). Then you will be safe.
St Maximos the Confessor

When will we ever come to the end of the energy of our flesh Father? And begin trust in you through Son alone, and be a doer over the hearer that no flesh can perform, but Christ's that did for us to reckon ourselves dead to sin by the death of Christ and made alive to you by your Spirit, the same Spirit that led your Son. hmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! when?
I know at the resurrected Christ, yes there and there only can one see the new life if one is willing to dead to self as Paul said:
[h=3]Philippians 3[/h]Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)

3 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. [SUP]2 [/SUP]Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. [SUP]3 [/SUP]For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. [SUP]4 [/SUP]Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: [SUP]5 [/SUP]circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; [SUP]6 [/SUP]concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. [SUP]7 [/SUP]But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. [SUP]8 [/SUP]Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, [SUP]9 [/SUP]and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: [SUP]10 [/SUP]that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; [SUP]11 [/SUP]if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

 

[homwardbound]

How can a christian know whether is saved or no ??

The problem in answering this question is that you put it in the PAST TENSE--"How do we know that we ARE saved" which, I guess, could be in the past or present tense. Either way, I know of no Scripture that gives such an answer.

Here is what we do read regarding salvation:

"might save" "to save" "shalt save" "save us" "shall be saved" "such as should be saved" "whereby we must be saved" "we shall be saved" "what must I do to be saved" etc., etc., etc.
​

And even those few verses that speak of "but unto us which ARE saved...." a closer look at the Greek shows that it is in the aiorist tense and should be translated "...which ARE BEING saved..." as it is not as yet a completed fact or act.

Even Ephesian 2:8 which states: "For by grace ARE you saved through faith...." which is properly translated with the word "are" than "are you being saved" or some other aiorist tense verb, still does not show that anyone is ALREADY saved. The phrase "ARE saved" is telling us HOW we are saved, not WHEN we are saved. We "are" saved by grace just as people a century into the future also "ARE saved by grace." That's HOW they are saved, not WHEN.

If there were a verse that stated that we or anyone ARE or HAVE BEEN already saved, it would contradict many other Scriptures that show that salvation is an ongoing process.

If this verse be absolutely true, can a statement that contradicts this statement of our Lord ALSO be true? Well, for example, "...he that shall NOT endure unto the end... ALSO be saved?" See the contradiction?

Jesus says to him that OVERCOMES... seven time in Rev. 2 and 3. If the "overcoming" part is really not necessary, then why is it emphatically stated such SEVEN TIMES?

Is there a reason for not having a verse stating how one can know that they are absolutely SAVED [past tense] at some point in their lives? I think so. We can NEVER STOP overcoming, striving, pressing on, following after, etc. We can have CONFIDENCE AND HOPE that we will be saved if we continue in our present total devotion to God, but never in this life can we say that we "ARE saved" already, in the past tense.

God has not, however, left us with assurances that we can absolutely bank on, if we follow His admonitions. Here is just one:

"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 brother kindness charity [LOVE]. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful... give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye DO THESE THINGS, YE SHALL NEVER FALL" (II Pet. 1:5-8 & 10).
​

This verse says it all:

"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same SHALL BE saved" (Matt. 24:13).

​

What if one does believe this are they as it says to be:
Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
and what about this:
Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

so the end result is what do we seek after good works or the Spirit of God? Which one is actually good works? God alone or flesh mixed with God, hmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no flesh will ever please God, the only flesh that ever did please God is Christ's, and today we no longer know him in the flesh, only in the resurrected Spirit, which today is the only way God is worshipped
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

 

[homwardbound]

These are the saved people... 1 JOhn 3:9...Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
And look at the two groups... unsaved-sins, saved - wicked toucheth not...
1 John 5:18 and 19...... We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

Do you see the difference between the two groups... the SAVED ones SINNETH NOT! Even is the WHOLE WORLD sin the saved ones does NOT! They are BORN OF GOD.... Salvation is complete the moment you are BORN OF GOD.... at the END of God's saving plan.... You are saved when God makes you a perfect person.... only from then on will you bear HIS FRUIT, from HIS SEED, and HIS SALVATION... NOT before...

As long a you sin you need salvation, you ARE NOT SAVED YET... As easy as that....

Okay, so there are those that want this salvation and do not want to sin, and are searching out the truth to be set free from sin to see how not to sin anymore. is that true?

now a person is on there way searching this out to know truth that sets them free for it is the truth that sets us free right?

So what if one gets killed here on earth before seeing this complete truth that those born of God do not sin. What happens to these people that truly sought God, it is was not complete in them as you just said no born again unless one has quit sin?
Thanks Cobus, please answer me this time I really want to know what you think here to be true
Thanks