John 6
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Anyone who believes on Jesus Christ is saved forever, no matter what. Irrespective of who they are, what they have done, or ever will do. God paid for this sins of the entire world, before the world was ever created. Therefore, salvation is by grace through faith, in Jesus Christ.
John 3
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
God did not come into the world to condemn the world. God desires that all men believe on him to live forever.
Acts 17
24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being
God wants you to seek him and thereby find him. God knows what we know. He understands that there are things that we cannot know with 100% certainty. He understands our minds, that we are but dust. That is why he came to speak to us directly and tell us exactly what we must do to find him. What must we do to be saved?
Acts 16
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Is that it? Yes. Because God is good.
Psalm 103
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;
What does it mean to fear God? It means that you recognize that you are at the mercy of God. That you cannot stand on your own.
It does not mean to be scared. Though people do get that response when they have encounters with this infinitely pure God. What’s funny is that God tells you to not fear.
Take this example from Revelation 1:
17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Fear not. Take that as a command coming from God’s own mouth. Besides, it makes no sense to fear, God has saved us. He has the keys to death and Hell, and he wants us in Heaven. And nothing can stop him: “I will do all my pleasure” (Isaiah 46:10).
1 John 4
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
If you’ve heard other “Christians” say that you have to fear God, that’s because they do not know the real gospel. Jesus Christ offers salvation to everyone. The only requirement is a 1-time act of faith, in Jesus Christ.
John 6
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
John 3
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John 4
13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
John 7
37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
John 10
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
30 I and my Father are one.
How do you know that you believe? This gets into theory of knowledge. That’s like asking how do you know that you know something? It’s like asking how do you know that the whole world isn’t just a simulation and that you aren’t a brain hooked up to a matrix.
Actually, in a way, you are a brain in a vat; according to the Biblical world view. You are a soul in a body, and there are realities that you cannot perceive with your five senses. “For now we see through a glass, darkly” (1 Corinthians 13:12). We can see the physical world, but we cannot perceive the (more important) immaterial world.
We get hints at this, even with our own secular\irreligious use of logic. Without appealing to God, man can never really be certain of his sense perception or even logic. Without God as the transcendental foundation for logic, everything in knowledge breaks down into a vicious and self-defeating circle. Philosophy therefore draws distinctions in types of knowledge, on the basis of probability, though there is always the possibility (however improbable) that our beliefs are incorrect. Still, the idea in philosophy is that you are not irrational to operate as though your senses are correct. This, ironically, is a faith based system. We take on faith that our senses are accurate, in the absence of a defeater. What’s also ironic is that of the few things that we can be certain of, the fact that we are not omniscient is most certain.
And the Bible testifies of both these things. We are not like God, therefore we are not omniscient. And just like how we require faith to operate as creatures in this three-dimensional world, we require faith to be reconciled to God.
I am not going any deeper into philosophy, because I am not at all trained or studied in this field. I have done very little research on the topic of epistemology in writing this, and will probably never do so again. So, if something I say is blatantly incorrect, spare me your angered criticisms.
Instead, I will appeal to the Bible itself, to get the answer we are looking for in regard to faith. Especially since the Bible is the ultimate authority when it comes to faith as applied to salvation.
In the book of Hebrews, Paul defines faith for us as:
Hebrews 11
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
The Bible calls faith the substance of things hoped for. As far as substances go, faith is the substance of the immaterial. Faith itself is a type of proof of the immaterial. Therefore, it doesn’t sound like there are proofs of your faith. Rather, faith is the most basic form of knowledge that you can have.
And this makes sense, because we put faith in everything that we do. I have faith that I am typing on a computer right now. I have faith that my car will turn on, though I am not certain it will. It seems that faith is the very foundation of everything that we do in this world.
If that is true, how do we know that we really have faith in Jesus Christ? Christ says, “Out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45). If you are able to say that you believe in Jesus Christ, that is proof that you believe. Because it had to originate in your mind, to come out of your mouth.
This same line of thought is expressed in Romans.
Romans 10
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
If you are able to understand that Jesus Christ is God, and confess your faith with your mouth, you are saved. This is the amount of faith that is needed. Christ said that your faith could be as small as a mustard seed, and it still counts (Matthew 17:20).
Just like the man that begged Christ to heal his son. He was dealing with this epistemological crisis himself, and eventually gave up on himself. This is the way to go.
Mark 9
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
That’s all you have to do. Say in your heart “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” If you can say this, God will take care of the rest. That is as simple and as easy as it gets.
Acts 2
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Acts 4
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
You are saved if you believe that Jesus Christ paid for all of your sins, and for the sins of the whole world.
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.
That’s another way that you can be sure that you are saved. Because salvation is offered to everyone. If salvation were not available to some, then you might fall into that category. That is why Peter said to make your “calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). You can be sure of your salvation by knowing that God has already paid for the sins of the entire world, such that whosoever believes on him is saved.
Hebrews 10
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
John 6
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 12
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
If you know the gospel, that Christ tasted death for everyman, then you can know you are saved. Even if you do not have any tangible experience, or feelings to coincide with your faith.
Romans 8
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
If all that I am telling you is true, then this is the most epic truth imaginable. God is real. Salvation is real. Heaven is real. It is unfathomably epic. Can you imagine the vindication once God is revealed? Right now, “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7); yet we are 100% on the money. God is glorified by your faith, even though the devil is trying all that he can to cast doubt on the reality of God. Your faith, in the face of adversity, gives glory to God. Like Abraham, who “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he (God) had promised, he (God) was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:20).
Romans 8
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Just as it says in Habakkuk 3, even though everything is arrayed against you, you can be sure of God’s promise to save:
17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.
Just like Jesus Christ himself. God is of infinite power. So much so, that even when He is killed, He has no choice but to come back to life. Because God is Life, regardless of whatever circumstances befall Him. God cannot be touched. That is why even when we do our best to crucify Him, He yet lives. And that is why regardless of what lies this world throws at you, or whatever accusation comes your way, you are saved and cannot be touched. Because this is God’s work, it is His doing.
Philippians 1
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ
Once you believe on Christ, you are born again. You are signed, sealed, and delivered. You are predestined for Heaven, after you first believe the gospel.
Ephesians 1
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 2
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Anyone who is in Christ is predestined for greatness. And anyone can be born again, in Christ, by faith.
What about turning over a new leaf? Do I have to be good? Do I have to do good deeds? No. While you are encouraged to help others, it does not matter in the end. What matters is that you believe the truth, and anyone else that you may have converted to the truth. You say you want to do works? Here are your works:
John 6
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
What about doing the will of God? What can I do, to do the will of God?
John 6
39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Did you think that Christians should keep the law? Well that is not the gospel. The law was not given for man to keep, it was given for man to break. God gave us an absolute standard, so that we can see our need for salvation. That is why it is not of works. Moses gave the law, and the law condemns. Christ gives the gospel, and the gospel saves.
John 1
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
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.
25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
Romans 4
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Galatians 2
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Titus 3
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Philippians 3
9 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:
God justifies the ungodly. This is the gospel. If you find that you are a “sinner,” then you can be sure that God died for you; making you righteous.
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.
Romans 3
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
That is why salvation is permanent. Even if you stop believing, it’s too late. You are born again, in the Spirit.
1 Peter 1
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1 Peter 1
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
2 Timothy 2
13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
Psalm 119
90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.
Psalm 40
10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
That is why salvation is a sure thing. You are born of the Spirit, which cannot sin and is incorruptible. Your flesh will continue to fail a thousand times over, but you are righteous in the Spirit of Christ.
Romans 8
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 1
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
That is why we are the righteousness of God. We have put on Christ as our righteousness. We are made righteous by Christ, and nothing else. It doesn’t matter what you have done, what you are doing, or what you could ever do. The only factor is faith in Jesus Christ. It has nothing to do with you at all.
John 11
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
2 Samuel 22
3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
47 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.
Isaiah 43
25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
Isaiah 54
9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.
17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.
Isaiah 45
22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
This is why knowing God is eternal life. Not just knowing his name “Jesus Christ,” but more importantly, knowing what he has done.
John 17
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
2 Timothy 1
12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
In conclusion, the gospel is very simple and easy. This is the meaning of life: to believe on Jesus Christ before you die. It is easy, permanent, and immediately achieved by grace through faith.
Luke 7
50 Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.