## Evidence of Salvation: How Do We Know?

## Acts 16:22-31

The jailer in Philippi asked what is perhaps the most important question anyone, anywhere, at anytime could ask. No sane, intelligent thinking individual can take the matter of his soul's eternal salvation lightly. He may never darken the door of a church, study the Bible, or seem to be interested in spiritual matters; but in his more serious moments, perhaps when he is alone or faced with some tragedy, the question of eternity will be foremost in his mind.

(Acts 16:30b-31) "…Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."

This morning, if you have never come by faith and accepted God's free gift of salvation through the finished work of Jesus Christ then you need to settle the matter once and for all. There is only one way to come to God, through faith in His Son, Jesus.

(John 14:6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

That being said, there is another important question that has baffled multitudes of people down through the centuries. "How may I know that I am saved?"

God's Word tells us that we can know that we have eternal life. There should be no doubts about this most important matter! This morning I would like to give you a few thoughts on how we can know that we are born again, and on our way to heaven.

I. Evidence of Change.

(2 Corinthians 5:17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

A. Spiritual transition.

1. Every person who comes to Christ by faith will experience this spiritual transition.

2. Paul is speaking from his own experience in this verse.

(1 Timothy 1:15) This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

3. Before he trusted Christ for salvation, he was a proud, bigoted, haughty, selfish person.

4. But after the miracle of the new birth he was transformed into a servant of God.

B. This morning all we must do to see this truth is look around us.

1. Seated in the pews of this church this morning are living examples of what the grace of God can do.

2. There are drunkards and thieves, the proud and the arrogant, but that was then…this is now.

3. Lives that were controlled by sin and selfishness have been transformed by His grace.

4. Look up here! Standing before you is a man whose life was changed by His amazing grace. To God be the glory!

C. Changed doesn't mean perfect.

1. I am talking about sinners saved by grace.

2. That doesn't mean that we will never sin again; it means that our desire is to please God rather than to displease Him.

3. It doesn't mean that we have reached perfection; it means that our affections are set on things above rather than on the things of this world.

4. It means that we are no longer what we used to be!

5. We know we are saved because of the evidence of change!

II. Evidence of God's Word.

(1 John 5:13) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

A. Jesus Loves Me

1. In 1860, Anna B. Warner wrote a little song for a dying little boy.

2. It has become the best loved children's song of all time.

3. The first line and chorus says,

Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong; They are weak, but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

B. Of all the evidences of our salvation, faith in the Word of God is the most sure and trustworthy.

1. The believer who bases his faith upon the truthfulness and trustworthiness of the Word of God is a true disciple.

(John 5:24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

2. It is impossible to be saved and doubt the Word of God.

3. The reward of believing implicitly in His Word is "everlasting life."

III. Evidence of God's Abiding Spirit.

(1 John 4:13) Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

A. When one is genuinely saved, a new Spirit is given him.

1. I am talking about the Holy Spirit of God.

2. After we are born again, the Spirit of God, makes His abode in our hearts and lives.

Rom 8:16 "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:"

3. Paul asked the question of the Corinthian believers.

(1 Corinthians 3:16) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

B. The indwelling Spirit of God teaches us the things of God as spoken in the Bible.

(John 16:13) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1. Our faith and assurance will be strengthened as we allow the Spirit of God to teach us.

2. The Spirit of God and the Word of God go hand in hand to mature the believer in their faith.

Evidence of Salvation:

Are you saved? Are these evidences present in your life? If not I want to invite you to come to Jesus by faith and be born again. Your life will be changed forever!

Whatever the need, come today.