The Bible teaches in John 14:6 that Jesus is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” He alone provides salvation, and believing in Him is the only path to heaven. Being a Christian means being a Christ follower. But how can we know that we are truly following Christ? How can we know for sure that we have been saved? In God’s infinite mercy, He has revealed in His Word the way to salvation as well as the signs of assurance of salvation. The following four steps help us know if we are truly followers of Christ.

1. We have declared Jesus as our Lord and Savior
Becoming a Christian has nothing to do with how good of a person we are or whether or not our parents or grandparents were Christians. Going to church doesn’t make us a Christian. Neither does getting baptized or saying a specific prayer. We become a Christian when we recognize that we are sinners who have rebelled against a holy God and are unable to save ourselves. We believe that Jesus lived a perfect life, paid our debt through His death on the cross, and rose again. And we trust Him alone for salvation.
You can know that you are a Christian if you have declared Jesus to be your Savior and your Lord. You believe that the work that He did on your behalf is sufficient, and you submit to Him as the Lord (or the Boss) of your life. Christians understand that Jesus has absolute authority over their lives. They die to their old selves and live a new life of submission to Jesus. This does not mean that we are perfect in this lifetime, but it does mean that we become increasingly obedient as time goes on.
Salvation is by grace, through faith, and apart from works (Ephesians 2:8-9). We do not do good works to earn our salvation, but we do good works as evidence of our salvation. In everything, we strive to follow Jesus’ example and grow in Christlikeness. We love God and others, and we prioritize laying aside our own selfish desires to adopt an attitude of humble service.

2. We have an increasing hatred of sin in our lives
Unbelievers love their sin. They act in rebellion to God’s Word, and they don’t feel bad about it. Christians also sin, but they do not love it. They feel convicted that what they have done is wrong, and they embrace an attitude of genuine repentance. This means that they strive to think, speak, and act in a way that honors God. And when they do something that displeases God, they recognize their error and try to correct that in the future.
As Christians mature, they become less and less sinful, but they begin to notice their sin more and more. It seems paradoxical, but it is not. As they grow in holiness, they stop sinning in big ways and they grow in righteousness. But they begin to recognize the small sins in their hearts that go against God and they have an increasing desire to root out all sin in their lives. They live in a constant battle against their flesh.
3. We are growing in both holiness and the fruit of the Spirit
Christians continue to sin in this life, but the overall trajectory of their lives is that they are growing in holiness. They are showing evidence of becoming more and more sanctified as their lives go on. This process of sanctification comes both as a result of human effort and the work of the Spirit. Christians have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of them, and the Spirit helps them and guides them in their daily lives (John 14:16-17). He grows their faith, grants them increased understanding of the Bible, and leads them to live God-honoring lives.
One of the greatest signs that the Holy Spirit is working in the lives of His people is when they begin producing spiritual fruit. Jesus said in Matthew 7:16-20 that Christians and non-Christians are identified by the fruit they produce. He explains that bad trees produce bad fruit and good trees produce good fruit.
Look at your own life. Are you a person who produces the fruit of anger, impatience, bitterness, jealousy, and lust? Or are you a person who produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? If you have accepted Jesus and the fruit that you are producing is the fruit of the Spirit, then that is evidence that you are legitimately a Christian. But if you are consistently producing bad fruit and are unrepentant about it or don’t feel any conviction to change, then it is evidence that shows you are not a believer.

4. We have the internal assurance of the Spirit
One final way that you can know you are a Christian is through the internal assurance that the Holy Spirit provides. Doubts are a normal and inevitable part of being a sinful human in this fallen world. But the Spirit gives His people assurance in their hearts of their salvation (1 John 5:1-13) and affirms them as children of God in the midst of suffering (Hebrews 2:11). The Holy Spirit applies Jesus’ work of salvation to His people and gives them certainty of their redeemed status before God.
The Bible is clear about salvation. It does not leave people wondering whether or not they are saved, and it does not deprive them of the knowledge of their status before God. If these four tests are true for your life, then you are a Christian who has been bought with the blood of Christ and sealed with the seal of the Holy Spirit. You are saved, and your eternal home is in heaven.
But if your life does not reflect these four tests, know that it is not too late for you to become a Christian! Romans 10:13 says that everyone who “calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Let today be your day of salvation! Trust in the work of Jesus on the cross on your behalf, repent from your sins, and strive to live out the rest of your days for His glory. And then take hold of the assurance of salvation that He provides.
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