When should someone be asking themselves, "Am I really saved?" Steve Gallagher answers that very question in this interview from our archives.

Host: We want to deal with a question today that came in from a fellow who professes to be a Christian. He says that he struggles with an obsessive-compulsive disorder and that he doubts his salvation. He wants to know, is there ever a time when Jesus will simply stop forgiving a person? He wants the answer to questions like, “Am I going to hell? Am I saved? Is there any hope for me?”

Steve: Well, this is one of those situations where I think we really are dealing with the salvation issue and that's what needs to be addressed. As long as a guy is dealing with ongoing sin in his life, then he isn't going to be able to sincerely enjoy the affirmation of salvation that comes to a person who knows that their life is right with God. This has been one of those areas where the church has just given way, given way, given way for so long allowing one corruption after another into the church to the point that now people who are in ongoing homosexuality (or any other form of sexual sin for that matter) can ask the question, “Am I saved?” And many will rush in and say, “Don't doubt your salvation.” And I'm saying that there is every reason in the world for this guy to doubt his salvation.

Host: Are there some particular scriptures that you can provide for this fellow that will help someone who's in sin that's looking for affirmation.

Steve: Well, I can give some scriptures that paint a fairly black and white picture. 1 Corinthians 6 says not to be deceived. Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate and homosexuals and a list of others will not inherit the Kingdom of God. That's very straightforward. 1 John 2:3 says, “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.” (1 John 2:3, NASB 1995) And then a couple verses later John said, “By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” (1 John 2: 5b-6, NASB 1995) And then in the next chapter, John says, “No one who is born of God practices sin.” (1 John 3:9a) It's fairly clear cut. I'm not trying to be a hard nose. I'm just trying to help people to see what the Bible really does say about a person who is in habitual sin.

Host: Now, Steve, we should probably say here that we're not talking about sinless perfection here though.

Steve: No, we're talking about ongoing outward sin. We're not talking about the struggles any sincere believer has. There are no sinless people alive. We all have our struggles, but we are talking about someone here who is continually flouting the commandments of God.

Host: Well, the man who asked this question had a concluding question to go along with his question. And that question was, “Is there any hope for me?” So, is there any hope for Him?

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Steve: Absolutely. There's hope, but it means that you have to repent. It means that you have to put your faith in Christ in a real way. It means that you have to lay aside your sin and your life and make a surrender to Jesus Christ. Jesus said that the gate is narrow for a reason. And that gate being narrow means that we are discarding our old life and going into a new life. But the wonderful thing is that instead of going through the drudgery of trying to live in two worlds and dragging yourself through the Christian life trying to do something you're not empowered to do by the Holy Spirit, you can surrender yourself to Christ in a real way and then have the abundant power that's available for you to live that kind of a life?

Host: Yes. And we might add also here that the gentlemen that asked this question is talking about his struggle with homosexuality specifically. But we are really talking about giving up our life in this world more than just dealing with one particular type of struggle.

Steve: Yes. Homosexuality is no worse than sexual sin of any other kind – or any other of the sins that Paul lists in Galatians 5 or 1 Corinthians 6. Sin is sin.