How Can I Be Sure I Am Saved if I Don't Feel Different?

Direct Answer

Yes — you can be sure you are saved even when you do not feel different, because biblical assurance rests on God's Word, not on emotions.

Les Feldick shows that salvation is a one-time event in which God does everything, and feelings are not the proof. He asks, "Do you feel this? Can you see this? No. How do you know it's true?" and answers that we know because the Book says so. A person can be confident because Scripture promises no condemnation to those who have believed the gospel.

Key Scriptures

Romans 1:16 — Identifies the gospel as the power of God unto salvation, showing salvation is God's work rather than a feeling.

Romans 8:1 — Promises no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus, giving the believer objective assurance.

What Does the Bible Say About Assurance?

Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." This places the power of salvation in God's gospel, not in the believer's feelings. Romans 8:1 adds, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." A saved person's confidence rests on being in Christ, and the Scripture promises no condemnation to such a one.

What Does Les Feldick Teach About Salvation Without Feeling Different?

Les Feldick emphasizes that assurance of salvation does not depend on a feeling or a visible change. In Clip 1 he asks, "Do you feel this? Can you see this? No. How do you know it's true?" and his answer is that we know because the Book says so. He teaches that salvation is an instantaneous event in which every aspect—forgiveness, redemption, justification, translation, reconciliation, and glorification—is accomplished by God at the same moment. Because God has done it all, a believer can claim the promise and rest on it even when the devil raises doubts. Les also differentiates salvation from Christian growth: salvation is a one-time event, while growth is a process. A new believer starts as a babe in Christ and matures over time, so it is not unusual not to feel immediately different. The first step is taking God at His Word concerning who we are and what He has done for us. Faith guides us into salvation and all through the Christian experience, all based on what the Book says, not on someone else's opinion.

What Really Happens the Moment You Believe?

Les Feldick lists what the moment of belief includes: forgiveness, redemption, justification, being translated, reconciled, glorified, and baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. He says all these attendant aspects of salvation are done at the same time, so the believer can ask, "How can you doubt?" The guarantee is not in feelings but in what God has already accomplished.

Why Should I Believe the Book Over My Feelings?

Les says that without the promises of Scripture, people would live in perpetual insecurity because no one has the wherewithal to hang on of our own. But for the believer, justification is by faith—something invisible, not something you work at. When he asks, "Do you feel this? Can you see this? No. How do you know it's true?" he answers, because the Book says so. That is the kind of faith God honors.

Do I Have to Feel Different Before I Can Grow?

Salvation is an event; Christian growth is a process. Les explains that a person does not suddenly become mature and that everyone begins as a new babe in Christ. The growth comes through time and through getting into the Book. Faith is what guides you all through the Christian experience, based on what the Book says, not on a manufactured feeling.

From the Teaching

The Gospel as God's Power

Les explains that salvation is a genuine Holy Spirit-driven belief that Christ died for you. The power is in what Christ did, not in any feeling.

The Book Says So

Les asks whether you can feel or see your salvation, then answers that you know it is true because the Book says so. This directly addresses the worry about not feeling different.

Salvation vs. Growth

Les says new believers begin as new babes in Christ and that Christian experience and growth are a process—not something that happens all at once.

True Salvation vs. Ritual

Les rejects church membership or aisle-walking as proof of salvation. A person who has genuinely believed the gospel with all his heart has no condemnation and is a child of God.

A Complete Work at the Moment of Belief

Les lists what happens the moment of belief—forgiven, redeemed, justified, translated, reconciled, glorified—and asks "How can you doubt?" These are all taken by faith, not by feeling.

Faith Takes God at His Word

Les says the first step in salvation is taking God at His Word and that faith is based on what the Book says, not on what someone else says or how you feel.

Salvation Is an Instantaneous Event

Les teaches that salvation is a one-time, instantaneous event while growth is a process. The change of being translated from darkness to light happens in a moment, even if feelings do not immediately register it.

No Condemnation for the Believer

Les says that because believers are justified by faith and all of salvation is the work of God, there is no condemnation. This objective promise gives assurance instead of perpetual insecurity.

Bible Verses

Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Shows that salvation is God's power at work in everyone who believes, not a feeling the believer must generate.

Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The promise Les points to when he says believers should not live in perpetual insecurity, because those in Christ are not condemned.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it normal to not feel a change after being saved?

Yes. Les Feldick says salvation is a one-time event and Christian growth is a process. You do not instantly become mature; you begin as a new babe in Christ. Assurance rests on the Book, not on your emotions.

How do I know my sins are forgiven if I don't feel forgiven?

Les says God has done every part of salvation—forgiveness, redemption, justification, and more—at the moment you believe. You take each promise by faith: "God has said it, we believe it, and we rest on it." Feelings are not the proof; the Word of God is.

Can I trust my salvation if I was saved in a church setting?

Les does not buy into a set system or simply walking an aisle as proof of salvation. What matters is that you have genuinely believed the gospel with all your heart. For such a person, the Scripture says there is no condemnation.

What is the first step of salvation?

Les says the first step is to believe that you are what the book says you are—short of the glory of God. Faith is taking God at His Word, and that same faith carries you through the whole Christian experience.

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Source Video

Watch the Teaching: What Does "Saved by Faith" Really Mean? Romans 1:16-17