The Evidence of Saving Faith

“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test.” (2 Corinthians 13:5-6)

Am I saved? This is a question that often lurks at the back of our minds. Before we answer this question, it is important to understand that the question is not based on a historical record, but our heart’s current condition in relation to our walk with God.

Some people have attempted to answer this question by recalling their conversion story. Sadly, the one-time event of declaring Jesus as our Lord and Savior is not in itself solid and complete evidence that we have been saved. Many people have claimed that they have accepted the person and work of Jesus for their salvation, and yet, their lives seem to contradict this claim. If we are to satisfactorily answer this question, we must check whether our conversion led to transformation.

This is exactly why Paul instructed the Corinthians to examine themselves to see whether they were in the faith. If we are truly in the faith, our faith journey does not end in our conversion. Rather, our faith journey starts in conversion and naturally progresses toward transformation.

Dear believer, true conversion always leads to true transformation. If we have truly been made new in Christ and united with Christ, there will be evident fruits and consequent blessings in our lives. These fruits and blessings are evidenced by a life of obedience, worship, and dedication to God.

By virtue of our identity in Christ, we will be continually transformed in His likeness. Because Christ has saved us from the power of sin and the punishment of sin, sin can no longer be the pattern of our lives. Rather, because Christ’s righteousness has been imputed to us and because Christ’s righteousness has set an example for us, righteousness must characterize our day to day living.