Have you ever wondered if your salvation is secure? A question that might follow is, What should the life of someone who is saved look like? Is it good works? Many people think they are Christians simply because they have heard about God, because they go to church on Sundays, or because they don’t do bad things to others. But what makes someone a true Christian? The answer is in the Bible. We believe that the Bible is inspired by God and is therefore the standard according to which we should live our lives. So, what does the Bible say about our salvation and about how a believer’s— a Christian’s—life should look?
When we talk about salvation, we are referring to deliverance from our sins. Ephesians 2:8–9 says that we are saved by grace and not by works. In other words, there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. It is a gift from God. And the way we accept this gift of salvation is through faith.
But what does it mean when it says that we need to “believe” to be saved? This refers to a faith that is active—one that shows acts of repentance. James talks about an active faith when he says, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17). In other words, we are saved by grace through faith, but our faith should be evident in our works.
Inevitably, when we draw closer to God and see the magnitude of what He has done for us, there is a transformation and a desire to turn away from sin. A close relationship with God is what makes the difference. The more you are with God, the more you become like Him. It is not just knowing about God but knowing God in an intimate way. John 15:4 says that those who remain in Him—in His Word—are the ones who bear fruit. It is out of that place of intimacy with God that our lives will flourish and bear the fruit of our faith.
Our salvation is secure (not to be confused with assurance of salvation) in the sense that God’s offer of salvation is not dependent on us doing something good. Jesus secured our salvation when He lived, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. However, it is up to us to receive it with a faith that shows true repentance. And we can only do this daily with the help of the Holy Spirit.
But what if we sin again? First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
The fact that our salvation is free does not mean that we can continue to live our lives the way we used to before coming to Christ. Instead, we are called to live in a close relationship with God. We are called to live a life that reflects our salvation and that bears witness to others about God’s character.
Written by Valeria Mercado