1 John 5:13: Assurance of Salvation

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“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”

(1 John 5:13)

Two classes should not have assurance. First, those in the church who are not converted, never born of the Spirit. Second, those unwilling to do God’s will, not ready to take the place God has designed for them, but seeking another role.

Someone may ask, “Do all God’s people have assurance?” No; many of God’s dear people lack assurance, but it’s every child of God’s privilege to know their salvation beyond doubt. No one is fit for God’s service if filled with doubts. If unsure of their own salvation, how can they help others into God’s kingdom? If I’m in danger of drowning and uncertain of reaching shore, I can’t assist another. I must stand on solid ground first, then lend a hand. If I’m blind and try to tell another blind person how to gain sight, they might say, “Heal yourself first, then tell me.” I met a young Christian who hadn’t overcome sin, living in terrible darkness. Such a person isn’t fit for God’s work, hindered by besetting sins and doubts.

Those unsure of their salvation lack time or heart to work for God. They’re too busy, burdened with doubts, unable to help others bear their burdens. Where doubts and uncertainty exist, there’s no rest, joy, peace, liberty, or power.

Satan has three wiles we must guard against. First, he moves his kingdom to keep us from Christ. Then, he tries to trap us in “Doubting Castle.” If we gain a clear witness for the Son of God despite him, he works to blacken our character and discredit our testimony.

Some think it’s presumptuous not to doubt, but doubt dishonors God. If someone said they’d known a person thirty years yet doubted them, it wouldn’t reflect well. After knowing God for ten, twenty, or thirty years, doubting Him questions His truthfulness.

Could Paul, the early Christians, and martyrs have endured their trials if filled with doubts, unsure whether they’d reach heaven or perdition after martyrdom? They had assurance.

Mr. Spurgeon says: “I never heard of a stork hesitating to build its nest in a fir tree, or a rabbit questioning its right to hide in a rock. These creatures would perish if always doubting their right to use God’s provisions. The stork sees a fir tree and, with its mate, builds without deliberating. The wild goat doesn’t question its right to a crag; it leaps there. Yet sinners question their Savior’s provision, saying, ‘It’s not for me,’ ‘It’s too good to be true.’ No one promised the stork its nest wouldn’t be disturbed or the rabbit it wouldn’t be driven out. Yet Christ, the Savior sinners need, says, ‘Whoever comes to me I will never cast out’ (John 6:37); ‘Whoever will, let him take the water of life freely’ (Revelation 22:17).”

John’s Gospel shows what Christ did on earth; his Epistle reveals what He does in heaven as our Advocate. In the Gospel, except for two chapters, “believe” appears in every chapter: “Believe! Believe! BELIEVE!” John 20:31 states, “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

In 1 John 5:13, John explains his Epistle’s purpose: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” In its five short chapters, “know” appears over forty times. It’s “Know! KNOW! KNOW!” The key is knowing, with the refrain, “that we may know we have eternal life.”

Traveling twelve hundred miles down the Mississippi, I saw people lighting government lights each evening to guide pilots. God has given us landmarks to show if we’re His children; we must examine these tokens.

In 1 John 3, five things are worth knowing. Verse 5: “You know that he appeared to take away our sins, and in him there is no sin.” It’s not what I’ve done, but what He has done. Has He failed? Could God’s Son fail? He appeared to take away our sins.

Verse 19: “By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him.” We know we’re of the truth. If the truth sets us free, we’ll be free indeed: “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Verse 14: “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers.” The natural person dislikes godly people and avoids their company. “Whoever does not love abides in death,” lacking spiritual life.

Verse 24: “Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit he has given us.” We can tell if we have Christ’s Spirit—a Christ-like spirit, not in degree but in kind. If I’m meek, gentle, forgiving, filled with peace and joy, long-suffering, like the Son of God, that’s a test to know if I have eternal life.

The best, in verse 2: “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” It says “now,” not at death.

Some say, “I believe that, but I’ve sinned since becoming a Christian.” Has anyone not sinned after becoming a Christian? No one on earth has or will avoid sin entirely. But God has made provision for believers’ sins, not us. Remember this.

In 1 John 2:1: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” John includes himself: “we.” Our Advocate pleads at the throne of God. Jesus said, “It is to your advantage that I go away” (John 16:7), to become our High Priest and Advocate. He’s never lost a case and will “present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy” (Jude 24).

Confessed sins are forgiven instantly and should never be mentioned again. If God puts them away, that’s the end. Suppose my son does wrong while I’m away, confesses, and asks forgiveness. I forgive and kiss him. He rejoices. If he asks again the next day, I’d say, “That’s settled; don’t mention it.” If he persists, doubting me, it would grieve me. So, if God forgives, don’t bring up the past. Forget what’s behind and press toward the goal in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14). “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Courts recognize this. In a case, a man forgave his wife but later brought her to court. The judge, learning he’d forgiven her, ruled the matter settled. If earthly judges uphold this, will the Judge of all reopen forgiven sins? Our sins are gone for eternity if God forgives; we must confess and forsake them.

In 2 Corinthians 13:5: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” Test your faith. Can you forgive an enemy? That shows if you’re God’s child. Can you forgive an injury or take an affront as Christ did? Can you be censured for doing good without murmuring? Can you be misjudged yet keep a Christ-like spirit?

Read Galatians 5 for the Spirit’s fruits: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). If I have these, I have the Spirit, as an orange requires a tree. Christ says, “You will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16). Make the tree good, and the fruit will be good. The Spirit brings these fruits, a test of being God’s child.

In Romans 8:9: “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” This settles it, even if someone has joined a church. Compare your life to Paul’s; if similar, it proves you’re born again, a new creation in Christ.

Though born again, becoming a mature Christian takes time. Justification is instant; sanctification is lifelong. We grow in wisdom. Peter says, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18), and “Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge self-control, and to self-control steadfastness, and to steadfastness godliness, and to godliness brotherly affection, and to brotherly affection love” (2 Peter 1:5-7). We add grace to grace. A tree may be perfect in its first year but not mature. A Christian may be God’s child but not mature. Romans 8 is vital; verse 14 says, “All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God,” like a soldier led by a captain or a traveler by a guide.

Paul’s Epistles emphasize assurance. In 2 Corinthians 5:1: “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” Paul was certain, not uncertain, saying, “I have a desire to depart and be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23). In Colossians 3:4: “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Dr. Watts’ tombstone bears this verse, showing no doubt.

In Colossians 1:12-14: “Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Three “has” statements: qualified, delivered, transferred—not future promises.

In Romans 8:32: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” If God gave His Son, He’ll give certainty. If a friend paid a $10,000 debt, you’d trust them for a smaller sum. God, having given His Son, will ensure our salvation’s certainty.

Verses 33-39: “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This rings with assurance: “I know.” God, who justifies, won’t condemn. No one—men, angels, or devils—can accuse us.

Job, in a darker era, said, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth” (Job 19:25). Paul’s last words to Timothy: “I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me” (2 Timothy 1:12). It’s knowledge, not doubt: “I know,” “I am convinced.” Scripture’s “hope” doesn’t imply doubt but refers to Christ’s return or resurrection. We don’t “hope” we’re Christians, like I don’t “hope” I’m American or married—these are settled. If born of God, we know it, and Scripture clears any darkness.

Christ taught this to His seventy disciples, who returned elated, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” He checked them, giving a greater reason to rejoice: “Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:17, 20). It’s our privilege to know our salvation is sure, equipping us to serve others. If doubtful, we’re unfit for God’s service.

In John 5:24: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” Some say you can’t know until the final judgment, but if your life is hidden with Christ in God, you won’t face judgment for sins. We may face judgment for rewards, as when the lord commended the servant with five talents (Matthew 25:20-21). Salvation is distinct from stewardship.

Will God demand payment twice for a debt Christ paid? If Christ bore my sins, must I answer for them? Isaiah says, “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Romans 4:25: “Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” Believe and receive His finished work.

In John 10:9: “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” Verses 27-29: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit pledge to keep us.

Many seek a token beyond God’s Word, fostering doubt. If I promised to meet someone and they asked for my watch as proof, it would question my truthfulness. Don’t doubt God’s statements. Christ says, “I am the door” (John 10:9); “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11); “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12); “I am the truth” (John 14:6); “I am the way” (John 14:6); “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35); “I am the water of life” (John 4:14); “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).

Doubts often stem from seeing ourselves as servants, not friends or children. Christ calls us “friends” (John 15:15). A son has liberty in the house, unlike a servant. We should realize we’re God’s sons and daughters. God won’t disown His children. We’re His by adoption and birth, born into His kingdom. My son was mine at one day old as much as now at fourteen, though his maturity wasn’t yet clear. God’s children aren’t perfect but are perfectly His.

Doubts also come from self-focus. “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you” (Isaiah 26:3). Self-focus robs joy. Look within to be wretched, around to be distracted, up for peace. Peter sank when he looked away from Christ, who said, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). His word was surer than stone, but Peter sank when he looked away. Focusing on Christ brings peace. After His resurrection, He showed His hands and feet (Luke 24:40), grounding their peace. Look at His blood to scatter doubts; look at yourself to grow them.

Focus on who He is and what He’s done, not on yourself. Abraham Lincoln’s emancipation proclamation freed three million slaves on a set day. Many couldn’t read, but others shared the news, and most believed, shouting, “We are free!” Some doubted and stayed with their masters, but it didn’t change their freedom. Christ proclaims freedom to all who trust Him. Feelings don’t free us; His power does. Look to Christ with faith.

Bishop Ryle says: “Faith is the root, assurance the flower. You can’t have the flower without the root, but you may have the root without the flower. Faith is the trembling woman touching Jesus’ garment (Mark 5:27). Assurance is Stephen seeing heaven opened (Acts 7:56). Faith is the thief crying, ‘Lord, remember me’ (Luke 23:42). Assurance is Job saying, ‘I know that my Redeemer lives’ (Job 19:25). Faith is Peter’s cry, ‘Lord, save me!’ (Matthew 14:30). Assurance is Peter declaring, ‘There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved’ (Acts 4:12). Faith is Saul praying in Damascus (Acts 9:11). Assurance is Paul saying, ‘I know whom I have believed’ (2 Timothy 1:12). Faith is life—great, but possibly weak, sickly, joyless. Assurance is life with health, strength, vigor.”

A minister’s benediction: “The heart of God to welcome us; Christ’s blood to cleanse us; the Holy Spirit to make us certain.” The Spirit ensures believers’ security. A writer notes trees growing from rocks, secure by their hold, sustained by nature. Believers, rooted in the Rock of Ages, are secure despite dangers. Their hold on Him and His grace guarantees life. As a tree or rock must fail to break their bond, so the believer’s life or the Rock must fail to dissolve their union.

Isaiah says of Jesus: “I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house. And they will hang on him the whole honor of his father’s house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons” (Isaiah 22:23-24). One peg, secure, holds all vessels. A small cup fears falling, a heavy flagon worries, a gold cup says it’s safe not for being gold but for hanging on the peg. If the peg holds, all hang safely—gold, china, pewter.

A tombstone read: “Born, died, kept.” Pray God keeps us in perfect peace, assured of salvation.

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About the Author

Born in Northfield, Massachusetts, Dwight L. Moody overcame a poor upbringing and limited education to become a leading 19th-century evangelist. Converted in 1855, he left a successful Chicago business career for ministry, founding the Moody Church and leading the Chicago YMCA. His powerful revivals with singer Ira D. Sankey drew millions in America and Britain. Moody’s simple, heartfelt preaching on salvation transformed lives. He established the Moody Bible Institute and Northfield Schools, leaving a lasting legacy in modern evangelism.