Over my 45 years of ministry I have encountered a number of young people who have struggled with doubt about their salvation. This is not uncommon, as many believers will experience some form of doubt. However, in many of these cases, a childhood experience of faith has become fuzzy in their memories, and they question whether the conversion was genuine.

If you’ve struggled with doubts, here are few things you should consider and then a few more things you should actually do:

Things to consider

1. How can you worry about losing what you never had?

The unregenerate mind doesn’t normally concern itself with spiritual things. In fact, such things are accounted foolishness. (1 Corinthians 2:14) So, you would not worry about losing salvation if you never had it in the first place. However, we are instructed by scripture to examine ourselves and whether we be in the faith. (2 Corinthians 13:5) It's important to distinguish doubt from unbelief. Doubt can actually become a bridge to a deeper, more mature faith. Doubt is questioning yourself and what you may or may not have done regarding your salvation experience. Unbelief is willfully rejecting the claims of Christ. Many of us can identify with the doubt of the man who cried out to Jesus, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24)

2. Is there known unrepentant sin in your life?

It is impossible to be in communion with the Lord while at the same time being in love with the world. (1 John 2:15) Is there unconfessed sin in your life--something you know is wrong but aren't willing to admit and repent of? It could be harboring a grudge, entertaining impure thoughts, having bitterness, or an unforgiving spirit toward another person. It could be a bad habit or an addiction that has you in its grasp. A Christian in such a condition could easily begin to wonder whether they’ve ever been truly saved.

3. Are there signs of spiritual life?

Examining oneself about faith involves seeing signs of spiritual life. One of the first and most obvious signs of true conversion would be a change of life. “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT) Other signs of spiritual life involve the witness of the Spirit (see Romans 8:16) and include conviction of sin (John 16:8), a love of other believers (1 John 3:14), and an understanding of biblical truth (John 16:13). Another sign of spiritual life is an experience of inner peace (Romans 5:1, Philippians 4:7).

Things to do

After you’ve answered the questions above honestly, determine to take the following actions.

1. Settle your doubts now.

Get alone with God and settle the matter once and for all. If your past decision isn’t clear in your mind, tell the Lord about it and surrender yourself completely to him. Don’t shrug off your doubt as something that will likely pass. If you believe Jesus Christ died for your sins, that he was raised from the dead, and if you’re willing to turn your life completely over to him, then do it once and for all. Refuse to be ruled by doubt any longer. Satan will seek to sow doubts in your mind because he knows a doubting believer is an ineffective believer.

2. Get into God’s Word.

In speaking with doubters I’ve noticed there is usually a woeful lack of Bible in their spiritual diet. Scripture has much to say about our minds and how we think. We cannot live right if we do not think right, and we cannot think rightly apart from God’s Word. Jesus prayed for his disciples asking the Father to “sanctify them by your truth, your word is truth.” (John 17:17) The more you get into the Word, the more the Word will get into you and your faith will grow. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)

3. Get involved in church.

The Bible teaches that the local church, as the body of Christ, is made up of interdependent relationships with other members. The apostle Paul wrote: "[God] makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." (Ephesians 4:16 NLT) So, you need the church, and the church needs you. If you’ve been having doubts, sharing your struggles with other believers and putting yourself under the faithful teaching and preaching of God’s Word will help build your faith.