What Does Being “Saved” Mean

We’ve been talking about the requirements for being saved—but what does it actually mean? Obviously, we are saved from death and hell, as we discussed in Unit 2. But, there are still many questions left unanswered.

In this unit, we’ll explore the difference between the promise of salvation and the reality of it. Then we’ll talk about what to do when it becomes hard to believe the promise.

The Promise of Salvation

A promise to do something isn’t the same as actually having done it. The promise of salvation doesn’t mean you’ve already endured until the end of your life and kept the faith, as the Bible requires.

The promise is like being on a life raft in the middle of the ocean. Ahead, you see a giant rescue ship. It turns toward you and, over its loudspeakers, announces, “We’re coming to get you!” You’re SAVED!!!

At least, that’s what you’re now shouting to yourself and everyone else on the raft. That’s because you have the promise of salvation. But—you aren’t on the ship yet, are you?

To speak plainly, you’re still on earth and have not yet been physically raised from the dead. But as a Christian, you heard the gospel and believed it. You heard that Jesus would save you, and as far as you’re concerned, it’s as good as done.

The promise of God will not fail. The rescue ship cannot sink! It will reach you. So you may as well start celebrating! You can say with absolute faith that you are saved—not because you’ve already walked through the pearly gates, but because you have the unbreakable promise of God that you will.

The Bible tells us we have the hope of salvation. But if we’ve already been saved in full, why would we still hope for it? Hope is what you do before the thing you’re hoping for happens. You treat it as a done deal because you’ve been given a promise from God. It hasn’t come to pass yet—but you know it will.

So, if you’re looking at it from the promise point of view, then yes—you are saved the moment you become a Christian. But the full reality of that salvation hasn’t happened yet. It is still in the future.

The Reality of Salvation

The reality is that we have not yet obtained the end result of the promise. We have not yet been raised from the dead. We have not yet entered into paradise. When those things happen, we will see the promise become reality. We will receive what we had hoped for.

So, you can look at salvation from two different perspectives:

• You can say we are saved, because you believe in the promise.
• Or you can say we are not yet saved, because the promise hasn’t materialized.

Both views are correct—one is basic, the other is technical.

Believing the Promise of Salvation When It’s Hard

Whether you look at salvation from the perspective of the promise or the reality, one thing is certain: salvation is obtained through faith. God has made a promise—that if you repent and come to Him, He will save you. But you must believe that promise in order to actually receive it.

One of the most heartbreaking things I see in people is doubt. Many cry out to God to be saved but never accept the promise of salvation. They know they need forgiveness but don’t believe God will truly grant it.

Let’s look at the story of Esau:

This passage refers to Esau, who gave away his birthright. The full story is found in the book of Genesis.

This verse is often a source of fear for people who want to believe but struggle. To them, it seems to say that God will reject someone even if they seek Him with tears. But that’s not actually what it is saying! That’s only a half-truth.

The full truth is this: as long as someone does not believe God will honor His promise, they are lost—even if they seek Him with tears. They don’t trust Him. But when they do come to trust Him, they can be saved.

Hebrews 12:17 says Esau found no place of repentance. It doesn’t say it didn’t exist. It means that, although he sought it, he never actually received it—because he didn’t believe he could.

His mind was made up that forgiveness and restoration were no longer available to him. Because of that, he sabotaged his own salvation. He was never able to be forgiven, not because God wouldn’t forgive him, but because he didn’t believe God would.

Many times, people contact me asking for prayer. They want to be saved but feel like their prayers aren’t being heard. Even though they call out to God, they don’t believe His promise applies to them.

There are several reasons for this: Some don’t know the Scriptures and aren’t aware of God’s promise of salvation. Others may know the Scriptures but misunderstand them. Still others may be battling depression, emotional trauma, or mental health struggles.

Some even suffer from a mental health condition known as religious scrupulosity. It disconnects a person from reality and causes irrational fear, guilt, and doubt. It can resemble obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, or even psychosis.

But regardless of the cause, the solution is the same: trust His Word, not your feelings.

If you’re dealing with this kind of struggle, I want to assure you: God keeps His promises—even for you. You have to accept that, even if you don’t feel like it.

God’s Word is true no matter how you feel. You may not feel saved—but faith is about taking God at His Word, even when your emotions say otherwise. Too often, people rely on their feelings to define truth. But feelings don’t determine reality. God’s Word does.

If you know that God has said He will not despise a broken heart, and that He is faithful and just to forgive us, then it doesn’t matter if you feel despised or unforgiven. Trust His Word, not your feelings. Trust Him over whatever your own heart may tell you.

You don’t need a sign.

You don’t need a weight lifted off your shoulders.

You don’t need to feel the Spirit.

You need to trust His Word.

If you’re someone who struggles with believing the promise—especially when it doesn’t feel real—you’re not alone.

You may be thinking, “Am I believing hard enough?” But it’s not even about your own ability to believe or to have strong faith—it’s about who you believe in!

Sometimes, we all have to admit that we’re not strong enough. If we were, then Jesus wouldn’t have needed to stand in the gap between God and us.

But look at what this man said when faced with the question, Do you believe?

“Lord, I believe… help my unbelief.”

He didn’t pretend to have perfect, unwavering faith. He simply admitted that he believed enough to come to Jesus—and trusted Jesus to do the rest.

You can too.

Implications

You may now be asking:

“If we only have the promise of salvation right now, is it conditional?”

“Is it true what they say about ‘Once saved, always saved’?”

“What happens if I turn away from God and start paddling the other way?”

Those questions and more will be answered in the next few units.

Unit 3:10 – What Is a Born Again Christian OR

Return To Christianity 101 Unit 3 – Repentance and Salvation