All true Christians may and should know that they are among those who have been predestinated to eternal life. The mere presence of faith, no matter how weak it may be, provided it is real faith, is a proof of salvation. “As many as were ordained to eternal life (and they only) believed,” Acts 13:48. Faith is a miracle of grace within those who have already been saved — a spiritual token that their salvation was “finished” on the cross, and certified on the resurrection morn. The truly saved know that the love of God has been shed abroad in their hearts and that their sins have been forgiven. In Pilgrim’s Progress we read that when Christian’s sins were forgiven a heavy burden rolled from his shoulders and that he experienced a great relief. Every converted man should know that he is among the elect, for the Holy Spirit renews only those who are chosen by the Father and redeemed by the Son. “It is folly to fancy that a sincere lover of Jesus Christ who trusts in Him as his Saviour and lovingly obeys Him as his Lord, can possibly lack the election of God. It is only because he is one of God’s elect that he can believe in Christ for the salvation of his soul, and follow after Christ in the conduct of his life…. It is impossible, that a believer in Christ should not be elected of God, because it is only by the election of God that one becomes a believer in Christ…. We need not, we must not, seek elsewhere for the proof of our election. If we believe Christ (if we have the faith of Christ) and obey Him, we are His elect children.”
