Godchaser Podcast
Join Evan Evans on The God Chaser Podcast, a weekly exploration of faith, spirituality, and personal growth centered on Jesus Christ. Evan, a devoted believer and captivating host guides listeners through engaging conversations and thought-provoking discussions that deepen their understanding of Christ and His teachings.
We delve into topics such as Christ's teachings, the power of prayer, the role of the Holy Spirit, and the importance of community in spiritual growth. The God Chaser Podcast aims to inspire and challenge listeners, equipping them with the tools and insights needed to live a more fulfilling, Christ-centered life.
Whether you're a seasoned believer or just beginning your faith journey, The God Chaser Podcast with Evan Evans supports and nourishes your spiritual growth. Subscribe to Apple Podcasts and join us each week as we chase after the heart of Jesus, embracing the transformative power of His love and grace.
Godchaser Podcast
The Salvation Question: How to Know You Truly Belong to God
That terrifying question keeps believers awake at night: "What if I'm not really saved?" You prayed the prayer, walked the aisle, got baptized—but deep inside, uncertainty lingers. Maybe it started when you sinned again after promising God you wouldn't. Maybe your passion for God has cooled. Maybe your life doesn't look different enough from your unbelieving friends.
This raw fear haunts Christians across all denominations and maturity levels, yet few discuss it openly. The tragedy? Many believers live their entire Christian lives under this cloud of uncertainty, never experiencing the peace and confidence God wants them to have. They're saved but don't know it. They belong to God but don't feel it. They're His children but live like spiritual orphans.
The beautiful truth is that God doesn't want you wondering about your salvation status. Scripture clearly states: "I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). Notice the word "know"—not hope, not think, not maybe—but know with certainty.
We explore what salvation actually is (a gift you receive, not a process you complete), the security of salvation (once saved, always saved), and the role of works (evidence of salvation, not the cause of it). We address common doubts: persistent sin, lack of feelings, slow growth, and insufficient faith. Most importantly, we point you back to the solid foundation: your salvation depends not on your performance, but on Christ's finished work.
If you've been plagued by uncertainty about your relationship with God, this episode offers biblical clarity and practical steps toward unshakable assurance. Stop living like a spiritual orphan when you're actually a beloved child of God.
Keep chasing after God
Welcome to the God Chaser podcast, where we pursue the heart of God and explore the depths of His wisdom. I'm your host, evan Evans. It's 3 am and you're lying in bed, but sleep won't come. Your mind is racing with questions. You're afraid to ask out loud. You prayed the prayer. You walked the aisle. You got baptized. You've been going to church for years, but something deep inside whispers the question that terrifies you what if I'm not really saved? Maybe it started when you sinned again after promising God you wouldn't. Maybe it was when you realized you don't feel the same passion for God that you used to. Maybe it's because your life doesn't look much different from your unbelieving friends. Maybe it's because you've heard so many different explanations of what it means to be saved that you're no longer sure if you meet the requirements.
Speaker 1:Welcome back to the God Chaser podcast. I'm Evan Evans and this is episode three of our series, the Questions no One's Asking. We've talked about God's silence and divine healing, and today we're diving into perhaps the most personal and terrifying question a believer can face Assurance of salvation. This isn't about theological debates or denominational differences. This is about the raw fear that keeps believers awake at night, the fear that maybe they misunderstood something, maybe they didn't do it right. Maybe they're not really part of God's family. Maybe they're fooling themselves and everyone around them.
Speaker 1:If you've ever wondered if your salvation is real, if you've questioned whether you truly belong to God, if you've been afraid that maybe you're not one of the elect, this episode is for you. We're going to dig deep into what the Bible actually says about salvation, how you can know for certain that you belong to God, and what to do when doubts creep in. This conversation might challenge some things you've been taught. It might comfort fears you've been carrying. It might shake up your theology while strengthening your faith. But, most importantly, it's going to point you back to the solid rock of God's Word and the finished work of Jesus Christ. Remember, this podcast is here to help you study, not just listen. Keep your Bible open, take notes and let the Holy Spirit teach you as we walk through these crucial scriptures together. Don't just consume this content. Study what you hear and learn with the help of the Holy Spirit. So let's talk about the question that haunts more believers than we'd like to admit how can I know for certain that I'm really saved?
Speaker 2:Welcome to the God Chaser podcast, the ultimate destination for those yearning to cultivate a passionate, intimate relationship with God. Join your host, Evan Evans, as he explores the depths of Scripture, shares inspiring testimonies and provides practical guidance to help you become a true God chaser, Discover the transformative power of pursuing God's presence and be inspired to reignite your spiritual journey. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts and get ready to embark on an adventure that reignite your spiritual journey. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts and get ready to embark on an adventure that will change your life forever. Welcome to the God Chaser Podcast. Let the chase begin.
Speaker 1:Episode three. What if I'm not really saved? Welcome back to the God Chaser Podcast. I'm Evan Evans, and if you're new to our series, you've stepped into conversations that most Christians have in private but rarely discuss publicly. This is episode three of the Questions no One's Asking, and today we're addressing what might be the most personal and frightening question a believer can face what if I'm not really saved? Before we dive in, let me remind you that this podcast is designed to help you study God's Word, not just passively consume content. Keep your Bible open, take notes and let the Holy Spirit be your teacher as we walk through these crucial scriptures together. We've talked about God's silence and divine healing in previous episodes, and now we're getting to the heart of what it means to belong to God. This question of assurance affects more believers than we'd like to admit, and it's time we had an honest, biblical conversation about it.
Speaker 1:If you've ever wondered whether your salvation is real, you're not alone. If you've ever wondered whether your salvation is real, you're not alone. This fear haunts believers across all denominations, all backgrounds, all levels of spiritual maturity. The thoughts usually sound something like this I prayed the prayer, but did I really mean it? I walked the aisle, but maybe I was just emotional. I got baptized. But what if I didn't understand enough? I've been going to church for years, but my life doesn't look much different. I keep sinning the same sins. Maybe I'm not really changed. I don't feel God's presence like I used to. Maybe he was never really there. Other Christians seem so much more spiritual than me. Maybe he was never really there. These thoughts can be paralyzing. They can rob you of joy, peace and the confidence that should mark the Christian life. They can make you question every prayer, every decision, every moment of your relationship with God. The tragedy is that many believers live their entire Christian lives under this cloud of uncertainty, never experiencing the peace and confidence that God wants them to have. They're saved, but they don't know it. They belong to God, but they don't feel it. They're his children, but they live like spiritual orphans. Here's the beautiful truth God doesn't want you to wonder whether you're saved. He wants you to know with certainty that you belong to him.
Speaker 1:The Bible is filled with passages that give us solid ground for assurance. 1 John, chapter 5, verse 13, is perhaps the clearest statement about assurance in all of scripture. I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. Notice the word know not, hope not, think Not maybe, but know. God wants you to have certainty about your salvation.
Speaker 1:Romans 8, verse 16 tells us For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. The Holy Spirit Himself bears witness, with our spirit, that we belong to God. This isn't just wishful thinking or positive self-talk. This is divine confirmation from the Spirit of God. Ephesians, chapter 1, verse 13 to 14, describes this assurance. And now you, gentiles, have also heard the truth, the good news that God saves you and when you believed in Christ, he identified you as His own by giving you the Holy Spirit whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be His own people. The Holy Spirit is God's guarantee, his down payment, his seal of ownership that you belong to Him, of ownership that you belong to Him. When you believed in Jesus, god marked you as His own and gave you His Spirit as proof of your relationship with Him.
Speaker 1:To understand assurance, we need to understand what salvation actually is. Salvation is not a process you complete. It's a gift you receive. It's not a work you perform. It's a work God performs in you. It's not about your effort, it's about God's grace.
Speaker 1:Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 8 to 9, makes this crystal clear. God saved you by his grace when you believed, and you can't take credit for this. It is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Salvation is a gift. You don't earn gifts, you receive them. You don't work for gifts, you accept them. You don't deserve gifts. They're given out of love and generosity.
Speaker 1:Romans, chapter 10, verse 9 to 10, gives us the simple requirements for salvation. If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. That's it Declare Jesus as Lord, believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. These aren't complicated theological requirements that only scholars can understand. These are simple acts of faith that any person can perform.
Speaker 1:Titus, chapter 3, verse 5, reinforces this truth. He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. Notice the past tense. He saved us Not. He will save us if we're good enough, or he might save us if we try hard enough. He saved us. It's finished, it's done, it's complete.
Speaker 1:One of the most comforting truths in all of Scripture is that salvation is secure. Once you're saved, you're saved forever. This isn't presumption, this is promise. This isn't arrogance, this is assurance based on God's Word. John, chapter 10, verse 27 to 29, records Jesus saying my sheep listen to my voice, I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father's hand. Jesus says his sheep will never perish and that no one can snatch them away. The word never doesn't mean probably not, or unless they mess up really badly. It means never.
Speaker 1:The security of our salvation doesn't depend on our ability to hold on to God. It depends on His ability to hold on to us. Romans, chapter 8, verse 38 to 39, expands on this security, and I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow. Not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. Not even the highest powers or lowest powers in creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Notice what's not on this list your sin, your doubts, your failures, your weakness, your inconsistency. Paul lists cosmic forces, death, life, angels, demons, powers of hell, but he doesn't list human failure as something that can separate us from God's love, human failure as something that can separate us from God's love. Why? Because human failure is already covered by Christ's sacrifice.
Speaker 1:One of the biggest sources of doubt about salvation comes from confusion about the role of works. Some people think they need to work to earn salvation. Others think they need to work to keep salvation. Both are wrong. Here's the biblical truth Works don't save you, but salvation produces works. You're not saved by good works, but you're saved for good works. Works are the result of salvation, not the cause of it.
Speaker 1:Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 10, explains this. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Notice the order First we're created anew in Christ Jesus salvation. Then we do good things. Works. The works flow from the new nature. They don't create the new nature.
Speaker 1:James 2, verse 17 says so. You see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. This verse is often misunderstood to mean that works are necessary for salvation. But James is talking about the evidence of salvation, not the cause of it. True faith will produce works, but the works don't make the faith valid. The faith produces. Think of it this way Apple trees don't become apple trees by producing apples. They produce apples because they are apple trees. The apples are evidence of the tree's nature, not the cause of it. The apples are evidence of the tree's nature, not the cause of it. Similarly, christians don't become Christians by producing good works. They produce good works because they are Christians.
Speaker 1:Let's address some of the most common doubts that believers struggle with. I keep sinning, the same sins. Maybe I'm not really saved. Sin in the life of a believer doesn't negate salvation, it grieves salvation. The fact that you're bothered by your sin is actually evidence that you're saved. Unbelievers don't agonize over their sin the way believers do. 1 John, chapter 1, verse 8 to 9, addresses this. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. Notice that John is writing to believers and he assumes they will sin. He doesn't say if you sin, you're not saved. He says when you sin, confess it and receive forgiveness.
Speaker 1:Romans, chapter 7, verse 15 to 20 shows us Paul's own struggle with sin. I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing it. The sin within me is doing it. If the Apostle Paul struggled with sin, you can expect to struggle with it too.
Speaker 1:The presence of sin doesn't disqualify you from salvation. It makes you a normal Christian. I don't feel God's presence like I used to. Maybe he was never really there. Feelings are not the foundation of salvation, faith is. Your emotions fluctuate based on circumstances, health, stress, hormones and countless other factors. God's love for you doesn't fluctuate based on how you feel. Habakkuk, chapter 3, verse 17 to 18, shows us faith that doesn't depend on feelings. Even though the fig trees have no blossoms and there are no grapes on the vines, even though the olive crop fails and the fields lie empty and barren, even though the flocks die in the fields and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk chose to rejoice in God regardless of his circumstances or feelings. Your salvation is not based on your emotional state. It's based on God's unchanging promise.
Speaker 1:My life doesn't look much different from non-Christians. Maybe I'm not really changed. Change in the Christian life is both instantaneous and progressive. The moment you believed, you were instantly justified, adopted and sealed by the Holy Spirit. But becoming like Jesus is a lifelong process called sanctification. 2 Corinthians 5, verse 17 tells us. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone. A new life has begun. You are a new person the moment you believe. But learning to live like a new person takes time. Philippians, chapter 1, verse 6, encourages us. God is still working on you. The fact that you're not perfect doesn't mean you're not saved. It means you're human. The fact that you want to be more like Jesus is evidence that God is working in your life.
Speaker 1:I don't have enough faith. Maybe my faith isn't real. Faith is not about quantity, it's about quality. It's not about having great faith. It's about having faith in a great God. Jesus said that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. Matthew, chapter 17, verse 20. The disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith in Luke, chapter 17, verse 5. If the disciples needed more faith, you can expect to need more faith too. The desire for more faith is evidence that you have real faith. Romans, chapter 12, verse 3, tells us that God has given each believer a measure of faith. You don't have to manufacture faith. God gives it to you as a gift. If you're concerned about your faith, that concern itself is evidence that you have faith.
Speaker 1:It's important to distinguish between biblical assurance and presumption. Assurance is confidence based on God's promises. Presumption is confidence based on false assumptions. Biblical assurance says I know I'm saved because I've trusted in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, and God's Word promises that everyone who believes in Him will be saved. Presumption says Assurance is based on faith in Christ. Presumption is based on faith in yourself, your actions or your circumstances.
Speaker 1:Matthew, chapter 7, verse 21 to 23, gives us Jesus' warning against presumption. Not everyone who calls out to me, lord, lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter On judgment day. Many will say to me Lord, lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name. But I will reply I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws. These people presumed they were saved based on their religious activities. But Jesus says he never knew them. The key phrase is I never knew you, not I used to know you, but you lost your salvation. He never knew them because they never had a real relationship with him.
Speaker 1:While salvation is by faith alone, genuine salvation will produce certain characteristics in a believer's life. These aren't requirements for salvation, they're results of salvation Love for God and others. 1 John 4, 19-21. 21 tells us we love each other because he loved us first. If someone says I love God but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar. For if we don't love people we can see. How can we love God whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command those who love God must also love their fellow believers.
Speaker 1:Desire for God's Word 1 Peter, chapter 2, verse 2, says Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Believers have an appetite for God's Word. Conviction about sin John, chapter 16, verse 8, tells us that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of its sin. If you're bothered by sin in your life, that's the Holy Spirit working in you. Desire for fellowship First John, chapter 3, verse 14, says if we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. True believers desire fellowship with other believers.
Speaker 1:Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5, verse 22-23 lists the fruit of the Spirit. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These characteristics will increasingly manifest in a believer's life. Perseverance 1 John 2, verse 19 says 1 John 2, verse 19 says these people left our churches but they never really belonged with us, otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us. True believers persevere in faith. Remember these are evidences of salvation, not requirements for salvation. If you see these characteristics developing in your life, it's confirmation that God is working in you. If you don't see them all, or if they're weak, it doesn't mean you're not saved. It means you need to grow.
Speaker 1:Even with all these biblical truths, doubts can still creep in when they do. Here's what you should do Go back to Scripture. Don't rely on your feelings or circumstances. Go back to what God's Word says about salvation. Read John 3, verse 16, romans 10, verse 9, ephesians 2, verse 8-9, and other passages about salvation. Remember your decision. Think back to when you trusted Christ. You may not remember the exact date or circumstances, but if you've ever genuinely trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, that decision is valid, regardless of how you feel about it.
Speaker 1:Now. Confess known sin. Sometimes doubts come because there's unconfessed sin in your life. 1 John, chapter 1, verse 9, promises that if you confess your sins, god will forgive them. Seek counsel. Talk to a mature believer, pastor or counselor who can help you process your doubts and point you back to biblical truth. Pray for assurance. Ask God to give you confidence in your salvation.
Speaker 1:Psalm 139, verse 23 to 24, says Search me, o God, and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Focus on Jesus. Look at Jesus, not at yourself. Your salvation is secure not because of your performance, but because of his performance.
Speaker 1:Hebrews, chapter 12, verse 2, tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. The gospel is good news precisely because it doesn't depend on us. It depends on God. You are saved not because you're good enough, but because Jesus is good enough. You're not saved because you're strong enough, but because Jesus is strong enough. You're not saved because you're faithful enough, but because Jesus is faithful enough. Your salvation is not based on your ability to believe perfectly, live perfectly or feel perfectly. It's based on Jesus' perfect life, perfect death and perfect resurrection. He lived the life you couldn't live, died the death you deserve to die, and rose again to give you the life you could never earn.
Speaker 1:2 Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 21, explains this beautiful exchange, for God made Christ, who never sinned to be the offering for our sin so that we could be made right with God through Christ, jesus took your sin so you could receive his righteousness. He took your guilt so you could receive his innocence. He took your condemnation so you could receive his justification. He took your death so you could receive his life. This is why salvation is secure. It's not dependent on your performance, it's dependent on his performance, and his performance was perfect.
Speaker 1:When you understand the security of your salvation, it changes how you live. You don't serve God out of fear that you might lose your salvation. You serve him out of gratitude that you can never lose it. You don't obey him to earn his love. You obey him because you already have his love. Romans, chapter 8, verse 1, declares so now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. No condemnation, not less condemnation or conditional condemnation. No condemnation. This doesn't lead to license to sin. It leads to freedom from the fear of condemnation. When you know you're secure in Christ, you're free to pursue holiness out of love rather than fear. First, john, chapter 4, verse 18, explains Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love. Perfect love casts out fear. When you truly understand how much God loves you and how secure your salvation is, fear loses its grip on your life.
Speaker 1:If you're still unsure about your salvation after everything we've discussed, let me ask you directly have you ever trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Have you ever acknowledged that you're a sinner who needs God's forgiveness? Have you ever believed that Jesus died for your sins and rose again? Have you ever surrendered your life to Him? If you can answer yes to these questions, you are saved. It doesn't matter how you feel about it. It doesn't matter if you remember the exact moment. It doesn't matter if you've struggled with doubts. If you've trusted Christ, you belong to Him. If you're not sure you've ever truly trusted Christ, you can settle the matter right now.
Speaker 1:Romans 10, verse 13 promises, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. You can call on Him right now. Tell Him you're a sinner who needs His forgiveness. Tell Him you believe Jesus died for your sins and rose again. Tell Him you want to surrender your life to Him. Ask Him to save you and make you His child. If you pray that prayer with a sincere heart, god will save you, not because of the words you say, but because of the faith in your heart, and once he saves you, you can know with certainty that you belong to him forever.
Speaker 1:Your salvation is not just about this life, it's about eternity. When you trust Christ, you receive eternal life. Not just life that lasts forever, but life that begins right now and continues forever. John, chapter 17, verse 3, defines eternal life. And this is the way to have eternal life to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent. Eternal life is knowing God. It's a relationship that begins the moment you believe and continues forever. Death doesn't end this relationship, it perfects it.
Speaker 1:1 Corinthians, chapter 2, verse 9 gives us a glimpse of what awaits believers. That is what the scriptures mean when they say no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. Your future is secure, your destiny is certain, your hope is guaranteed, not because you're worthy, but because Jesus is worthy. Not because you're faithful, but because God is faithful. As we finish this episode, I want to leave you with this truth. God wants you to be sure of your salvation. He doesn't want you to live in doubt, fear or uncertainty. He wants you to have confidence in your relationship with Him.
Speaker 1:Your salvation is not based on your feelings, your performance or your circumstances. It's based on the finished work of Jesus Christ and the unchanging promises of God's Word. When you trust Christ, you are saved completely, permanently and eternally. The question isn't whether you're good enough to be saved. The question is whether you've trusted the one who is good enough. Jesus is good enough. Jesus is good enough. His sacrifice is sufficient. His love is unchanging. His promises are true. If you've trusted Christ, you can rest in the assurance of your salvation. If you haven't, you can trust him today. Either way, you can have certainty about your eternal destiny.
Speaker 1:Don't just listen to this episode. Study it. Look up these scriptures for yourself. Let the Holy Spirit teach you through His Word. Take notes, ask questions. Let this be the foundation for unshakable confidence in your salvation. Next week, we're tackling another question that many believers struggle with why do I feel so alone in church? We're going to explore the reality of loneliness in Christian community and what the Bible says about authentic fellowship. Until then, remember if you've trusted Christ, you are saved, you are secure, you are loved. You are his child forever. Nothing can change that truth. This is Evan Evans with the God Chaser podcast. Keep chasing, keep believing and keep resting in the solid rock of your salvation in Jesus Christ.
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Speaker 1:May you not just chase God but find him in the blessings, big and small, that he has in store for you. And there we have it, folks. Another episode of God Chaser wrapped up. We hope you've been blessed by today's discussion and we look forward to diving into more life-transforming topics with you in the future. Stay blessed and keep chasing after God.