Is It Normal to Doubt My Salvation?
Doubt Is a Part of Faith
Yes, it is quite normal to have doubts because that is the Devil’s tool to discourage you and to get you to give up in living a victorious Christian life.
In John 1:12, God’s Word says:
“But as many as received Him to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name…”
You see, God says in this verse that if you receive Jesus, God will receive you. If you do one thing – accept Jesus into your heart as Savior, Lord, and Master, He will do one thing – give you the privilege of becoming one of His dear children.
If an individual truly repents of his sin and accepts Jesus into his heart as Savior, Lord, and Master, God says that He will accept that person. You accept Jesus and God will accept you as one of His dear children (John 3:15).
Some people wait for some amazing and strange sort of feeling. Some may have a feeling of joy or a feeling, which produces tears. But the main feeling God wants is that of sincerity. Just be sure that you sincerely are accepting Jesus as your Savior, the best you know how, with the help of God and His great love.
It may be simply a quiet surrender to God, a quiet decision to accept Jesus into one’s heart, believe God’s love that put Jesus on the cross, and God’s promise in John 1:12 that if you accept Jesus, God will accept you.
When You Have Jesus as Savior
After you are sure that you have Jesus as your Savior, are cleansed and washed in the blood of the Lamb, and God has accepted you as one of His dear children, set out to live for Him. First, make public your profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Follow Jesus’ example in being baptized, buried in the water and raised again, symbolically as He was literally buried in the ground and raised up alive from the grave. Baptism is not a part of your salvation, but it is an act of obedience as a child of God.
Then, set out to read your Bible every day, pray, try to witness to others and go to church regularly so that you will keep your own heart warm and closer to the Lord. Make up your mind that you will go all out for Christ, put Him first in your life, and try to please Him above self, all others, or above anything else. Make up your mind you will do this for the rest of your life.
The book of 1 John is filled with practical things that Christians do. These things do not save a person, but they are good indicators that a person really is saved. So, read through 1 John and circle the verses that tell things that Christians do. For example, 1 John 1:7 says Christians “walk in the light, as he is in the light.” 1 John 1:9 says Christians confess their sins. 1 John 2:5 says Christians keep God’s Word. 1 John 3:6 says Christians abide in God. 1 John 4:4 says Christians overcome the world. 1 John 5:1 says Christians believe that Jesus is the Christ. There are many more. Find as many as you can and then ask God to help you improve your weak areas.
Overcoming Obstacles
If you stumble and fall, repent and confess your sin(s) and ask God to forgive you. You can never lose your salvation, but if you have unconfessed sin, you will lose the precious close fellowship with God. After confessing your sin, get up and go to serving Him again just as faithfully as you possibly can under His grace and loving care.
To overcome doubts as they come, study God’s Word, read good books about the Bible, pray regularly and faithfully, attend a good sound fundamental church, have fellowship with other Christians, and find a way in which you can serve the Lord Jesus both in personal witnessing and in your church. The more you study the Bible and experience the promises of God as they come true in your own life, the less doubts you will have about your salvation.
