“ Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified." ~ 2 Corinthians 13:5-7

How I Finally Found Assurance

I've met many who call themselves Christians, yet after speaking with them, I often wonder why. So many seem unconcerned with the reality of their salvation.

When I speak of salvation, I don’t mean finding it—I mean assurance of it. It's one thing to come to faith but another to be confident in it.

I don’t understand why any Christian wouldn’t want to be certain of their salvation. When I was first saved, I struggled with doubt. Despite pastors telling me these doubts came from Satan, I sought assurance because I needed to know my place in Heaven and the bible tells me to seek assurance.

Many misunderstand what it means to be a Christian. Simply believing in God, saying a prayer once, attending church, or following His commandments doesn’t guarantee salvation. Even those who prophesied, performed miracles, and cast out demons in Jesus’ name may not enter the Kingdom (Matthew 7:21-23).

Consider Nicodemus, a Pharisee zealous for God, who met with Jesus one night. Despite his religious devotion, Jesus told him, “You must be born again” (John 3:3). His story shows that salvation isn’t about religious practice—it’s about transformation and a relationship with Christ.

My Assurance

Like many young in faith, I struggled with doubt. But the Bible urges us to examine ourselves to ensure Christ is in us (2 Corinthians 13:5). I didn’t want to just go through the motions—I wanted assurance.

1. Believing in God Isn’t Enough

Even Satan acknowledges God’s existence. True salvation is more than belief—it’s a relationship.

2. Actions Alone Don’t Define a Christian

In ministry, I was zealous, constantly working for God. But I realized I was caught in the excitement of faith, mistaking activity for authenticity. I was doing Christianity, but was I truly being a Christian?

Walking the Narrow Path

I’m not a Christian just because I believe in God or do Christian things. I’m a Christian because I walk with Jesus—even when the path is hard. I stumble and fall, wrestle with conviction, and sometimes run from Him in shame. But my deepest desire is to know Him more intimately. Despite my failures, I strive to be the person He calls me to be.

This ongoing relationship gives me assurance. Like a marriage, it’s not perfect, but it’s real. And if I’m walking with Christ, I trust this narrow path leads to salvation.

Jacob wrestled with God and refused to let go until He blessed him (Genesis 32:22-32). In the same way, through trials and triumphs, I have wrestled with Jesus. Yet one constant remains—my desire for His presence.

I have assurance because the Holy Spirit dwells within me—convicting, guiding, and stirring an undeniable desire to follow Jesus.

I have assurance because I now see the world for what it is—rubbish compared to the priceless treasure of Jesus Christ. I recognize that God’s ways are undeniably right, while mine—and the world’s—are not.

I remember falling in love for the first time—how everything else seemed to fade into the background. Words, noise, and distractions all became muffled compared to her voice. Every thought and action revolved around her. That’s exactly how I felt when I came to faith, and that feeling has never faded. Even in my failures to walk with Jesus, my deepest desire has always been to follow Him.

Even in moments of loneliness, when it felt as if God had abandoned me, my thoughts were never Why have You left me? but rather, Where can I find You? And as I’ve grown in my faith, that question has shifted—not Where are You? but How did I lose You?

Bearing Fruit

When we have assurance, we bear the fruit of Christ. You can't spend time with someone and remain unaffected—especially not Christ. More than that, it's impossible to have the Holy Spirit within you and not bear fruit. His presence produces faith, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

This topic is complex because immature or shallow Christians often struggle to bear fruit, making it hard to distinguish between a young believer still growing and someone who is not truly in Christ. This challenge impacts assurance, as you cannot have true confidence in your salvation as a baby or shallow Christian. To gain assurance, we must grow in our faith, and with that growth comes the confidence of knowing we are secure in Christ.

My Conclusion

What assures me most is my relationship with Jesus. I know He won’t let go of me, no matter how far I wander. Without Him, life feels empty. But with Him, everything matters.

Jesus isn’t just my Savior—He’s the reason I live. And if He’s yours too, you can have the same assurance. Can you say He is your reason to live?