The issue of doubting one’s salvation is an important one that many Christians struggle with. This article will dive deep into what the Bible says about salvation, assurance, and doubt in order to provide biblical clarity on this topic.
What Does it Mean to be Truly Saved?
According to the Bible, for someone to be truly saved they must repent of their sins and put their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Acts 3:19, Acts 16:31). This results in them being born again spiritually and receiving eternal life (John 3:3, John 3:16). When someone is born again, they become a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). God forgives their sins and declares them righteous, not because of their own works but because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross (Romans 3:21-26). The Holy Spirit then comes to indwell them and begins the process of sanctification, causing them to bear fruit in their life (Romans 8:9-11, Galatians 5:22-23).
So in summary, someone who is truly saved has repented of sin, trusted in Christ, been forgiven and declared righteous, received the Holy Spirit and eternal life, and is being sanctified. This is all by God’s grace, received through faith, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Can Someone Lose Their Salvation?
An important question related to doubting salvation is whether someone can lose their salvation or not. There are differing views on this. Some believe that it is possible for a genuinely saved person to later reject Christ and lose their salvation. However, the more consistent biblical teaching is the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints – that a truly saved person will be kept by God’s power and persevere in faith (John 6:37-40, John 10:27-30, Romans 8:31-39, Philippians 1:6, 1 Peter 1:3-5). While genuine believers can certainly struggle with doubt, fall into sin, and go through periods of spiritual dryness, God remains faithful to preserve His people and ensure they do not fully or finally fall away.
The reason for this preservation is that salvation is ultimately God’s work from beginning to end. He elected and predestined believers, He called them, He justified them, and He will glorify them in the end (Romans 8:29-30). Our assurance of salvation rests not on our own ability to persevere but on God’s promises and sovereign power to present us faultless before His presence (Jude 1:24-25). While this does not give license to sin, it does provide comfort and confidence that nothing can snatch true believers out of God’s hand (John 10:28-29).
What Role Does Assurance Play?
Assurance of salvation refers to the confident belief that one is truly saved and will persevere to the end. This assurance is available to genuine believers and is based on the objective promises and finished work of Christ along with the internal witness and ongoing work of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14-16, Hebrews 10:19-22, 1 John 3:19-24). However, believers may not always experience a subjective sense of assurance even though they are genuinely saved.
Lack of assurance can be caused by things like unconfessed sin in someone’s life, lack of abiding in Christ, or belief in false teaching that undermines grace and security. Doubts may also arise simply due to the believer’s personality type and tendency towards introspection. While absence of assurance does not mean someone is unsaved, it can hinder their spiritual growth and testimony. Christians should seek to walk closely with Christ in obedience in order to gain assurance, while also resting in the objective facts of the gospel when doubts arise.
Why Do Genuine Christians Sometimes Doubt Their Salvation?
As mentioned, it is not uncommon for genuine believers to sometimes doubt their salvation. While this doubt should not be perpetual, it does not necessarily indicate someone is not truly saved. There are several potential reasons Christians may doubt:
- They are going through a period of backsliding or spiritual dryness
- They are overly introspective about their standing before God
- They have believed false teaching about losing salvation
- They are convicted by the Holy Spirit of sin in their life
- They compare themselves to other believers and feel they don’t measure up
- They have a tendency towards anxiety, depression, or perfectionism
- They have faced trials, illnesses, or hardships that cause them to doubt God’s love or faithfulness
- They feel guilt and shame over past sins, failures, or shortcomings as a Christian
In considering reasons like these, it becomes clear that doubting one’s salvation does not automatically indicate someone is unsaved. Genuine Christians can struggle with feelings of doubt for many reasons. What’s important is that they continue to persevere in faith, confess any known sin, and seek their assurance from the objective promises of the gospel.
What Should Someone Do if They Doubt Their Salvation?
If someone doubts their salvation, here are some biblical steps they can take:
- Examine if there is any unconfessed sin or backsliding that needs to be dealt with through repentance and renewed faith (1 John 1:9).
- Spend more time abiding in Christ through prayer, Scripture reading, fellowship with other believers, etc. (John 15:4-7).
- Review the basis of the gospel – Christ’s finished work and God’s free grace (Romans 3:21-26, Ephesians 2:8-9).
- Remember that feelings are fickle but God’s promises are sure and objective (Numbers 23:19, Hebrews 6:13-20).
- Talk to a pastor or mature believer about their doubts and seek biblical counsel (Proverbs 11:14, Titus 2:2-8).
- Make their salvation certain by examining their fruit and life for evidence of genuine conversion (2 Corinthians 13:5, 2 Peter 1:5-11).
- Seek assurance from the internal witness of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14-16, 1 John 4:13).
- Be patient and persevere through the doubt, knowing God will complete His work in them (Philippians 1:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
Walking through these steps can help a doubting believer gain proper perspective. Their doubt may remain for a time but they can still find rest and assurance in Christ if they continue trusting Him.
How Can Believers Have Assurance of Salvation?
For those who have believed the gospel and follow Jesus as Lord, assurance of salvation can be attained in the following biblical ways:
- By remembering the finished and sufficient work of Christ on the cross to forgive sins (Hebrews 7:25-27).
- By evidence of the Holy Spirit’s ongoing sanctifying work in their lives (Romans 8:13-16, Galatians 5:22-23).
- By heeding the internal witness of the Holy Spirit affirming they are God’s children (Romans 8:14-16, 1 John 4:13).
- By persevering in love, godliness, and righteous living by God’s power (1 John 2:3-6, 1 John 3:24).
- By holding fast to sound doctrine about salvation and security (1 Timothy 4:16, 2 Timothy 1:12-14).
- By relying on God’s promises to complete salvation (Philippians 1:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
- By recalling Scripture’s clear statements that nothing can separate them from God’s love (John 10:28-30, Romans 8:31-39).
While doubts may surface at times, Christians have many means by which to gain assurance and confidence that they belong to Christ forever. Sound doctrine, the Spirit’s witness, godly living, and clinging to God’s promises provide an anchor for the soul when doubts arise (Hebrews 6:19-20).
What Do You Say to Someone Struggling With Doubts?
When someone confesses they are doubting their salvation, here are some helpful responses:
- Assure them that some level of doubt is normal and it doesn’t necessarily mean they are unsaved.
- Ask thoughtful questions to understand the nature and possible causes of their doubt.
- Point them to Christ’s finished work on the cross as the basis for assurance.
- Remind them that security comes from God’s faithfulness, not their own.
- Speak words of hope, comfort, and gentleness that point to biblical truth.
- Suggest practical steps like confessing any sin, studying Scripture, and persevering through prayer.
- Avoid excessive introspection but encourage self-examination for the fruits of salvation.
- Discuss God’s promises that nothing can separate believers from His love.
- Offer to accompany them on the journey away from doubt and towards assurance.
Coming alongside someone compassionately and speaking gospel truth can help anchor their soul when doubts seem overwhelming. The goal is not to just get them to “feel” saved again, but to find genuine assurance in Christ alone.
What Warnings Does the Bible Give to Those Who Lack Assurance?
There are some warnings in Scripture to those who lack assurance and endure continual doubt:
- They will be ineffective and unfruitful in ministry (2 Peter 1:5-11).
- They may begin to drift away from sound doctrine and the faith (Hebrews 2:1-4).
- They are blind and forgetful of being cleansed from sin (2 Peter 1:9).
- They open themselves to worldliness and corruption (2 Peter 1:4).
- They are like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by doubts (James 1:6).
- They should examine themselves to see if they are truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).
- They lack wise spiritual discernment and maturity (Hebrews 5:11-14).
- They will not have boldness and confidence before God (1 John 3:19-21).
These warnings indicate how detrimental continual doubt and lack of assurance can be to a Christian’s spiritual life and growth. It cuts them off from effectiveness, discernment, stability, boldness, and confidence in the faith. This highlights why actively pursuing biblical assurance is so crucial.
How Can Churches Promote Genuine Assurance?
Churches can encourage genuine assurance of salvation among believers in several important ways:
- Preach the finished work of Christ as the sole basis of salvation week after week.
- Frequently highlight God’s free grace and the inability to earn salvation by works.
- Equip people with solid biblical and theological knowledge about salvation.
- Help people understand the difference between justification and sanctification.
- Promote careful self-examination for fruits of salvation while avoiding navel-gazing.
- Offer classes, resources, counseling for those struggling with doubt.
- Model humility and teach proper responses to those with doubts.
- Warn against false teaching on losing salvation or “works-righteousness.”
- Remind believers regularly of Christ’s promises and God’s faithfulness.
- Cultivate an atmosphere of gospel freedom alongside obedience to Christ.
Churches play a key role in nurturing assurance of salvation in their people. By teaching sound doctrine, pointing people to Christ’s finished work, providing counseling and resources, and modeling humility, they can promote genuine assurance and help protect against needless doubting.
Conclusion
Doubting one’s salvation can be unsettling but does not automatically mean someone is unsaved. Genuine believers may struggle with doubt for many reasons. The Bible encourages those doubting to examine their hearts, walk in obedience by God’s strength, meditate on the gospel promises, and seek the Holy Spirit’s witness. While persevering through seasons of doubt, Christians can still rest in God’s faithfulness and Christ’s finished work. Churches should seek to gospel freedom and anchoring believers in biblical assurance when doubts arise.