If someone gets saved?

[Annie]

I'm a little confused...

I'm not sure where the confusion is, but I can give your question a shot...According to Scripture (I can try to find the actual verses later if I think of it), one man cannot know 100% for sure if another man is saved, because he cannot see the heart as God does. All he has to go by is what he sees outwardly, which can be misleading either way. Now, there are people that I believe with all my heart are children of God, because I've seen them walk in sincerity and purity, bearing fruit, loving as Jesus did, testifying of His grace, etc. IOW, the whole picture of their lives points to who they are following. I "know their hearts" because I've spent lots of time with them and have observed what they are like in a variety of settings, whether others are watching or not. They are people of integrity. But can I know "for sure" that they are saved? I don't think so.

[deputydog530]

well said Annie.

1Jn 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Based on scripture, I can know I am saved and going to heaven. Based on the fruit of my life others can be what I would term 99.9% sure im saved. why cant the know 100%?

Because of this..Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Only God can know the heart.

I know a Catholic man who I believe is saved. His witness is that he put his full faith and trust in Christ. I also know the man who lead him to the Lord is saved. This man stays in the Catholic Church because his family is Catholic.

I also know many Catholics that say they are saved, even born again, yet trust in part in thier baptism to be saved. By this I know they are not saved because they are trusting in works to be saved.

I hope this helps.

DD

[heartstrings]

Paul seemed to be sure about Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Justus, Luke ,Demas,
Epaphras [bible]Colossians 4[/bible] Timothy, Philemon and Onesimus again [bible]Philemon 1[/bible]

Then there's My wife and daughter....the pastor who preached the message when I got saved...some of the brothers and sisters in my church....... I think you can be sure that another brother or sister in Christ is genuine. My Dad died 11 years ago, but I have no doubt I will see him in heaven. He loved people and he loved God. There was definitely a change and there was fruit in his life and I've been around when the "hart panted after the water brooks". Have you ever been around somebody who was full of the Holy Spirit? If you know God, I think you know when He's around.

[Annie]

Paul seemed to be sure about Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Justus, Luke ,Demas,
Epaphras [bible]Colossians 4[/bible] Timothy, Philemon and Onesimus again [bible]Philemon 1[/bible]

Then there's My wife and daughter....the pastor who preached the message when I got saved...some of the brothers and sisters in my church....... I think you can be sure that another brother or sister in Christ is genuine. My Dad died 11 years ago, but I have no doubt I will see him in heaven. He loved people and he loved God. There was definitely a change and there was fruit in his life and I've been around when the "hart panted after the water brooks". Have you ever been around somebody who was full of the Holy Spirit? If you know God, I think you know when He's around.

I agree, and that is actually part of what I was trying to say. I can "be settled" in my heart that someone is a believer. But, even so, I'm not all-knowing, and I cannot see their heart like God does. Compared to God's certainty, my certainty is based only on what I observe, my understanding of which is finite. I cannot personally presume to declare someone a child of God or not a child of God; that's God's business. I might have no doubt that I'll see a person in heaven, but that lack of doubt is not definitive.

The one person I KNOW is saved is.......me! :smile I John says that we may KNOW that we have eternal life. PTL!