What do you answer if someone asks you, “Are you saved?” Have you ever had it happen? How did you respond?

The inspired writings to our church give us some pretty strong warnings against saying, “I am saved.” Let’s notice a couple of them here.

“We are never to rest in a satisfied condition, and cease to make advancement, saying, ‘I am saved.’ When this idea is entertained, the motives for watchfulness, for prayer, for earnest endeavor to press onward to higher attainments, cease to exist. No sanctified tongue will be found uttering these words till Christ shall come, and we enter in through the gates into the city of God. Then, with the utmost propriety, we may give glory to God and to the Lamb for eternal deliverance. As long as man is full of weakness–for of himself he cannot save his soul–he should never dare to say, ‘I am saved.’ ” – Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 314.

A similar paragraph, found in Christ’s Object Lessons, page 155, reads:

“Never can we safely put confidence in self or feel, this side of heaven, that we are secure against temptation. Those who accept the Saviour, however sincere their conversion, should never be taught to say or to feel that they are saved. This is misleading. Every one should be taught to cherish hope and faith; but even when we give ourselves to Christ and know that He accepts us, we are not beyond the reach of temptation. God’s word declares, ‘Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried.’ Daniel 12:10. Only he who endures the trial will receive the crown of life.”

Notice that these warnings are against the idea of once saved, always saved. They are speaking about thinking that just because we have once been saved that it is automatic that we will ultimately be saved. There can be a real difference between saying, “I am saved today,” and saying, “I will be saved in heaven.”

One person came up with a pretty good answer to cover both bases: when asked, “Are you saved?” he responded, “So far!”

But let’s limit our attention for the moment to the question of today. Are you saved today? How do you answer? Do you say, “I hope so,” or “I think so,” or, “I guess I’ll find out when the judgment day arrives”? Or can you comfortably answer, “Yes, I have the assurance of salvation today”?

The question of personal salvation is the most-oft-asked question in Christian circles. Whenever surveys give Christians the opportunity to list their most urgent question, this one always rises to the top. It is the common question for young and old alike. If you ask an audience to write down the one question they would like to ask, if they could know for sure they’d get the right answer, questions about assurance of salvation are always in the majority. “Will I be in heaven?”

“Will I be saved?” “Will I make it?” It’s sort of a self-centered concern! In fact, it is one of the major methods the devil uses to focus our attention on ourselves and to cause us to lose sight of Jesus. Steps to Christ, page 72, warns us about it. It says,

“We should not make self the center and indulge anxiety and fear as to whether we shall be saved. All this turns the soul away from the Source of our strength. Commit the keeping of your soul to God, and trust in Him. Talk and think of Jesus. Let self be lost in Him. Put away all doubt; dismiss your fears.”

We must always live the Christian life one day at a time. Seek God for fellowship and communion one day at a time. Come to Him for repentance and forgiveness one day at a time. Lay all our plans at His feet, to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate, one day at a time. Come to Him for the outpouring of His Spirit, strength for trial, wisdom for service, one day at a time. And as we do this, we can accept His assurance of salvation one day at a time.

“If you are right with God today, you are ready if Christ should come today.” – In Heavenly Places, p. 227.

If you have been trying to base your assurance of salvation on your past experience with God–even if the past experience happened as recently as yesterday–then you are making a mistake. If you have been trying to somehow gather up enough assurance to last you through to the end of your life–even if your life should end tomorrow–then you’re in trouble. But you can have the assurance of salvation today. And if you take the time day by day to make sure of your acceptance of God’s ac-ceptance, the end of your life on this earth will find you among the saved for eternity.