How do you know if you've been saved?

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Can we know that we’ve been saved before the hour of our death?
 
jredden92 said:
Can we know that we’ve been saved before the hour of our death?
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Dogma of faith from the Council of Trent, Session VI (Jan. 13, 1547) from Denzinger, Sources of Catholic Dogma:
Chap. 9. Against the Vain Confidence of Heretics

802 Although it is necessary to believe that sins are neither forgiven, nor ever have been forgiven, except gratuitously by divine mercy for Christ’s sake, yet it must not be said that sins are forgiven or have been forgiven to anyone who boasts of his confidence and certainty of the forgiveness of his sins and rests on that alone, since among heretics and schismatics this vain confidence, remote from all piety [can. 12], may exist, indeed in our own troubled times does exist, and is preached against the Catholic Church with vigorous opposition. But neither is this to be asserted, that they who are truly justified without any doubt whatever should decide for themselves that they are justified, and that no one is absolved from sins and is justified, except him who believes with certainty that he is absolved and justified, and that by this faith alone are absolution and justification effected [can. 14], as if he who does not believe this is doubtful of the promises of God and of the efficacy of the death and resurrection of Christ. For, just as no pious person should doubt the mercy of God, the merit of Christ, and the virtue and efficacy of the sacraments, so every one, when he considers himself and his own weakness and indisposition, may entertain fear and apprehension as to his own grace [can. 13], since no one can know with the certainty of faith, which cannot be subject to error, that he has obtained the grace of God.

822 Can. 12. If anyone shall say that justifying faith is nothing else than confidence in the divine mercy which remits sins for Christ’s sake, or that it is this confidence alone by which we are justified: let him be anathema [cf. n. 798, 802].

823 Can. 13. If anyone shall say that it is necessary for every man in order to obtain the remission of sins to believe for certain and without any hesitation due to his own weakness and indisposition that his sins are forgiven him: let him be anathema [cf. n. 802].

824 Can. 14. If anyone shall say that man is absolved from his sins and justified, because he believes for certain that he is absolved and justified, or that no one is truly justified but he who believes himself justified, and that by this faith alone absolution and justification are perfected: let him be anathema [cf. n. 802].
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So put simply if you are certain you have been saved you probably aren’t because that would be Pride. “Blessed are the poor in Spirit”
 
No, it’s not that. It’s much simpler, really. The answer to your question,
jredden92 said:
Can we know that we’ve been saved before the hour of our death?
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is no, we can’t, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re not saved. It just means we can’t know whether we’re saved or not. The verb “to know” can be stretched to cover a wide range of meanings, but that would be stretching it beyond breaking point.
 
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jredden92 said:
Can we know that we’ve been saved before the hour of our death?
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God, alone, knows with perfect certainty about our salvation, unless one receives a private revelation according to the Council of Trent-and these amount to incomparably profound direct communications from God. Otherwise we can still have a strong level of assurance based on His promises and trustworthiness along with being able to observe fruit in our lives which testify to our closeness to Him.
 
I believe we can have strong reason to hope on the basis that no-one who called out to him was ever turned away.
 
jredden92 said:
So put simply if you are certain you have been saved you probably aren’t because that would be Pride. “Blessed are the poor in Spirit”
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I wouldn’t draw the conclusion that it is probable, just not certain. Belief in one’s own abilities or attractiveness is said to be pride whereas inflated belief in one’s own abilities or attractiveness is called vanity.
 
There is no simple answer. Only God knows. No one here can speak for God. Jesus is the only one that can answer your question. Anyone that claims to know the answer is just that: a claim. The Holy Spirit is your guide. 😀
 
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When you were baptized, you were saved. When you are in a state of grace, you are saved. We all have the hope that we will be saved, but we do not know it yet.
 
Someone can be assured of their salvation via private revelation

Council of Trent, On Justification

CANON XVI.-If any one saith, that he will for certain, of an absolute and infallible certainty, have that great gift of perseverance unto the end - unless he have learned this by special revelation; let him be anathema.
 
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One of the virtues infused in your soul when you were baptized, and used by your will in struggling times, is Hope.
Have you ever labored long on an arduous and lengthy project with roadblocks ever popping up to discourage you, but you somehow at one point concluded in delightful surprise, “Do you know what?!! I am going to succeed!!!”
While still hard work, and while still pitfalls that set you back, and while you would fail if you stopped fighting, you do not stop and you intend to succeed.
That delightful surprise is the Will (your will) using the virtue of Hope and enabling perseverance.

The more you practice the faith, it will become more apparent to you, and in surprise and delight you will hear yourself say in an act of Hope, “My Lord, I really will be with you forever!”

So, make use of the sacraments to interact with Jesus, and follow his direction as your Lord to pray, fast, give alms - that way you will be complete as your Father in Heaven is complete.
And you will find in surprise that you do not fear an unknown future.
 
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The Divine Mercy is powerful, Day 9, Jesus says for lukewarm souls “the last hope of salvation is to flee to My mercy”. If mankind turned to Jesus for mercy imagine the outcome.
 
Hope for eternal life is the beginning and end of our faith. Keyword is hope.
 
You’ll know that you’re saved as soon as you start to hate sin and love holiness. You’ll grow in piety and will find Christ to be altogether lovely.
 
“How do you know if you’ve been saved?” I’ll know at my particular judgement.

Until then, I have Faith and Hope in Jesus my Savior, in His love and mercy.
 
People can have a rational, hopeful confidence in their salvation but as far as absolute certainty: not even a person who claims to be absolutely certain is absolutely certain. They don’t have a crystal ball.
 
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Can those with more knowledge correct me if I am wrong in this contribution please.
My belief is that we dont have to wait until we physically pass on from this life to eternal life to experience the Kingdom of God, as it has already come in the form of the Risen Christ.
Granted, this sinful nature of ours may stop us from recognising or participating in it, but surely that’s what the sacraments are for? I am not dismissing that we will face a ‘final’ judgement, where we all hope to hear the words “My faithful and loyal servant”, and it is at that point we will learn the eternal outcome. But the Good News is that we can experience the Kingdom of God here in this life, through the cross, sharing in the sufferings of our crucified Lord and experiencing His resurrection when we come to believe that death has no power over us.
Pls excuse the simplicity of my response
 
We will know when the gates of heaven close behind us. Until then, we hope to persevere to the end.

Ultimately, despite our best efforts, it’s all God’s grace.
 
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Some of these posts apparently haven’t seen the second post here. which shows that it is Catholic doctrine that no one can know with certainty that they are saved.
 
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I think this was what really started to make me question about my protestant belief.

A church group leader asked me what will happen to you if you die tomorrow. My answer was I don’t really know for sure. Only God knows for absolute certainty. We are thus to work out our salvation in fear and trembling (philippians 2.12). Vico mentioned about pride, that is generally true when one starts to believe they are saved with absolute certainly. It varies to different extent, some give up going to church altogether. Some go to church to continue to serve, but there is still some form of pride where if they die, let the scripture judge ones’ salvation and God second. The order is mixed up.
 
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