Are You Really Saved?

Introduction

There are many heavy questions in this life. Which school to choose, which job to accept, who to marry, where to settle, how to prepare for old age. Each of these questions carries weight. But there is one that outweighs all the others, because it does not touch only your present: it touches your eternity. That question is this: is your faith, your salvation, real?

This is exactly the question running through the passage in John 8:31-36. Jesus has just spoken of himself as the light of the world. He has warned, "If you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins" (John 8:24). And verse 30 tells us that "even as he spoke, many believed in him." At first glance, good news. But a few verses later, this same Jesus will say to these same people, "You are looking for a way to kill me" (v. 37), "you belong to your father, the devil" (v. 44), "the reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God" (v. 47).

What happened? They had professed to believe, but their faith was not real. And the Bible warns us of this more than once. Jesus had already said as much in Matthew 7:21-23: many will say, "Lord, Lord," they will have prophesied, driven out demons, performed miracles in his name, and he will answer them, "I never knew you. Away from me."

Those who call Jesus "Lord, Lord" are not indifferent people. They are people who believe they are saved. People who know the Bible, who attend church, who serve. Even today, many profess Jesus, agree with biblical teaching, work in his name, yet few truly have faith. So how can you know? How can you be sure, not on the last day but right now, that your faith really comes from God?

This passage highlights two marks of true faith. Two marks that God expects in every true disciple. Let's look at them together.

Outline of the Article

1. True Faith Remains in the Lord's Word

2. True Faith Is Freed from Slavery to Sin

3. The Proud Response of the Jews and the Patience of the Savior

1. True Faith Remains in the Lord's Word

In verse 31, Jesus addresses those who have just said they believed in him, and he says, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples."

Two words are worth weighing here. First, the verb hold to, or remain. It describes what stays in place, what does not leave, what makes its home there. A true disciple is not someone who spends a moment near Jesus, who is stirred for a while by his teaching, who obeys only when the word suits him. A true disciple does not drift away from Jesus or from his word. He lets that word govern him. He makes it his home. Whether the season is good or bad, whether the word is sweet or hard to receive, he seeks it, he bows before it, he obeys it with joy, he loves it. As the commentator Leon Morris summed it up, "It is easy to have a superficial interest in Jesus. What is really at stake is remaining."

Now notice the other point. Jesus does not say, "If you hold to my teaching, you will become my disciples." He says, "You really are my disciples." Obeying the word is not what saves. Salvation always comes from grace, through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast."

But true faith, the faith that grace brings to life, always bears this fruit: remaining in the word. The next verse says it: "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10). Jesus does not say, "Remain in my word and you will be saved." He says, "If you are truly saved, you will remain in my word."

Some people, hearing the word "works," cry legalism: "No, once you've made your confession, that's it, works have nothing more to do with salvation." That is only half true. No work earns salvation. But salvation by grace, that very same grace, transforms the person and necessarily produces good works in them. Grace does not merely save from sin; it makes new and moves a person to live for the joy of the Lord.

This is not an isolated idea. John repeats it throughout his writings. John 14:21: "Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me." John 14:23-24: "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching... Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching." And in his first letter, 1 John 2:3-5: "We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them."

This does not mean the true disciple keeps the word perfectly. You know that well from experience. There is the fight against sin, the struggle against temptation, the moments when you follow the flesh when you should have followed the Lord, the major falls. The true disciple knows all of this. But even in these struggles, he does not let go of the word. Even when the word rebukes him, even when it hurts, he holds it close. Why? Because deep down, he loves the Lord, and staying attached to his word is his treasure. This is what Jesus declares in John 14:15: "If you love me, keep my commands."

Remember the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:18-23. Jesus describes four soils where the seed of the word falls. The first, the path, represents those who refuse to listen. The second, the rocky places: they receive the word with joy but have no root. As soon as trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they fall away. The third, the thorns: the word is choked by the worries of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth. The last, the good soil: those who hear, understand, and bear fruit.

Those who resemble the second and third categories may, at first, look like true disciples. But they do not remain. The true disciple holds on. Even when following the Lord costs something, even when temptation strikes, even when he falls, he repents, he comes back, he keeps going. He stays attached to the One who took hold of him.

You may have already wondered, watching certain people around you: this person said they followed Jesus, they called themselves a Christian, and today there is nothing left; what happened? We cannot see people's hearts. But the word tells us at least this: there is no such thing as a "former Christian." Either the person is a true disciple who remains, or they were never really a disciple in the first place.

2. True Faith Is Freed from Slavery to Sin

Second mark, verses 32 through 36. Jesus continues, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Who is this "truth"? The Bible speaks of it on several levels. The Father is truth (Psalm 31:5: "LORD, the God of truth"). His word is truth (Psalm 119:160: "All your words are true"). The Holy Spirit is "the Spirit of truth" (John 15:26). The gospel itself is "the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation" (Ephesians 1:13).

But in this passage from John 8, the truth is especially Jesus himself and his word. John 14:6: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

And this truth, Jesus says, will "set free." The verb used literally means to release someone from a controlling power, to bring a slave out of that status. If a person can be set free, it means they were captive to begin with. Jesus is saying: I am the truth, and I have the power to free those who are in chains.

Chained to what? To sin. Verse 34: "Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." No exceptions. Before Christ, every one of us lived as a slave to sin, loving darkness more than light, seeking the lie more than the truth.

When you believe in Jesus, everything changes. Jesus frees you on two levels.

First, he frees you from the condemnation of sin. Romans 8:1: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Through his blood, your sins are forgiven, you are justified, you no longer have to tremble before the day of judgment.

Second, he frees you from the power of sin. Romans 6:6-7: "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin, because anyone who has died has been set free from sin." Before, you obeyed sin without being able to resist. Now, knowing the truth, you can flee from sin. You still fall sometimes, but you are no longer forced to sin. With the Lord's help, you can turn away from it.

Romans 6:16-18 sums up this joy: "But thanks be to God that... you have become slaves to righteousness." From being a slave to sin, you have become a slave to righteousness.

Do not mistake what true freedom is. The freedom Jesus gives is not "doing whatever I want, however I please." That would be barely different from slavery to sin, which also pushed you to live only for yourself. True freedom is following the Lord with joy, from the bottom of your heart, because you love him. When you lived for yourself, you thought you were free, but you carried guilt, fear, an emptiness that never gets filled. The day the truth set you free, the Lord came to dwell in you: you experienced his joy, his satisfaction, the pleasure of pleasing him. That is the freedom Christ gives.

3. The Proud Response of the Jews and the Patience of the Savior

The Jews hear Jesus, and here is their reaction. Verse 33: "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"

Historically, they had been slaves to the Egyptians for four hundred years, then dominated by Assyria, Babylon, Syria, and at that very moment by Rome. Physically, slavery is written into their history. But spiritually, they considered themselves free: they were children of Abraham, chosen, and believed they would automatically inherit the kingdom of God because of that lineage.

Jesus answers in verse 34: "Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." These religious people, so confident in their lineage, did not think they needed a savior. Jesus' words, instead of breaking them, make them angry.

And yet, Jesus does not reject them. Verses 35 and 36: "Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." At the time, a slave could not remain in the household indefinitely. He could be sold overnight, lose his place. His standing was never secure.

That was exactly the situation of these men. They believed themselves to be sons. In reality, they were still slaves to sin. Without a change, they would be eternally separated from God. And Jesus, full of compassion, tells them: only the Son, that is, me, can truly make you free. This is the patience and love of your Savior.

Key Takeaways

1. The most decisive question in your life is not "where will I live" but "is my faith real."
2. A confession of faith can be genuine or merely apparent. False disciples drift away; true ones remain.
3. Remaining in Jesus' word is not what saves, but it is the mark of those who are saved.
4. True freedom is not living according to your own desires, but finally being able to obey the Lord with joy.
5. Jesus, the Son, is the only one who can truly set you free. His offer is still open today.

Personal Application

1. Am I really remaining in the Lord's word, or only stopping by when it suits me?
2. When the word rebukes or disturbs me, do I hold to it even more, or do I pull away from it?
3. When I sin, do I feel the struggle, the conviction, the desire to repent, or do I live in sin without being troubled by it?
4. What do I call "freedom": doing my own will, or joyfully obeying my Lord?
5. If Jesus told me today, "I never knew you," could I answer him with the evidence of a life that remains in him?

Scripture References

• John 8:31-36 · main passage
• John 8:24 · "You will die in your sins"
• Matthew 7:21-23 · "I never knew you"
• Ephesians 2:8-10 · saved by grace, for good works
• John 14:15-24 · loving Christ means keeping his word
• 1 John 2:3-5 · knowing God means keeping his commands
• Matthew 13:18-23 · the parable of the sower
• Psalm 32:3-4 · David's conviction
• Psalm 31:5, Psalm 119:160, John 15:26, Ephesians 1:13 · truth according to the Bible
• John 14:6 · "I am the way, the truth, the life"
• Romans 8:1 · no more condemnation
• Romans 6:6-18 · freed from sin, a slave to righteousness

FAQ

How can I know if my faith is real?

According to John 8:31-36, two marks: you remain in Jesus' word, even when it rebukes you, and you are freed from sin's grip, not that you never sin anymore, but you are no longer forced to give in to it and you feel conviction when you fall.

Can someone be a "former Christian"?

According to the word, no. There is no such thing as a "former Christian." Either the person remains and thereby proves they are a true disciple, or they were never truly a disciple. The roots were not there (Matthew 13:20-21).

What exactly is the true freedom Jesus promises?

It is not "doing whatever you want." It is being freed from slavery to sin so that you can finally obey the Lord with joy. Condemnation is lifted (Romans 8:1) and the power of sin is broken (Romans 6:6-7).