I know I am saved . . . .

I made that statement one time in public while delivering a message and was chided by an older woman who told me that was an arrogant thing for me to say. I tried to show her in the scriptures in 1 John 5 where John says that we know we have received eternal life if we have the testimony of God in our heart: that in Jesus we have the gift of grace. I reasoned that if we didn't know we were saved, why would we be motivated to tell anyone about the good news of the Gospel?

I was raised on the "hope of salvation" dogma which is designed to keep us in a state of perpetual doubt as to our destiny, which in turn is supposed to motivate us to strive harder for perfection.

Unfortunately, many Christians seem to lack the understanding that doubt is the antithesis of faith. We can no more live in faith and doubt than we can follow Jesus and Satan at the same time. Jesus was clear when He asserted that we cannot serve two masters. One will always be favored above the other and there will be an imbalance in our loyalty.

I believe that the "hope of salvation" dogma also denigrates the power of the blood of Jesus. When one is saved that is to say that one has been delivered or saved from sin. Heaven is the reward for our being saved, not as many believe salvation itself. In Acts 2:47 it is clear there were people who were saved, right then and there. Why? They were freed from the bondage of sin.

When the Bible talks about heaven it is speaking of the reward that awaits the saved. I know that I am saved because I know the blood of Jesus is greater than sin! 1 John 4:4 assures me that the one who lives in me, Jesus, is greater and stronger than the one who rules the world - Satan.

To say that I am saved is to simply state that sin has been eradicated from my life and that I am walking with Jesus. I fully anticipate that heaven will be the reward for my faithful walk with the Lord because the one with whom I walk is greater than the one with whom the unsaved walk.

There is no arrogance in claiming salvation, only faith. I have faith in the promise of heaven as reward, the result of me being saved.

Do not cast doubt upon the power of the blood, rather embrace its saving. Rejoice in your victory over sin and look forward to your reward of heaven!