How Do I Know if My Child is Saved?
Have you ever looked into the eyes of your child and wondered, do they really know Christ? Has the gospel actually taken root in their heart? Or are they just going through the motions? If so, you're not alone. Every Christian parent wrestles with this question at some point, and it's a good question to wrestle with. We long for our children to be saved, not just to behave well, not just to know Bible stories, but to truly belong to Christ. And yet, salvation is not something we can manufacture. We can't program faith into our children like software into a computer. We can teach, we can model, we can pray, but only God can open blind eyes. As Paul Tripp has said, "Good parenting lives at the intersection of a humble admission of personal powerlessness and a confident rest in the power and grace of God." So how do you know if your child is truly saved? I'll submit to you 4 pieces of evidence to look for.
1. Look for conviction of sin.
Salvation isn't just about professing to believe in Jesus. It's about knowing we need Him. So, does your child recognize their own sinfulness? Do they express sorrow over sin, not just because they got caught, but because they see it as an offense against God? David prayed in Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart. O God, you will not despise." True salvation begins with that brokenness before God. If your child can sin without a troubled conscience, that's cause for concern. But if they grieve over their sin according to their own level of maturity, that's evidence of the Spirit's work.
2. Look for a confession of faith in Christ.
Another important indicator of genuine salvation is your child's profession of faith. Romans 10:9 reminds us, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." So when a child sincerely articulates their trust in Jesus, acknowledging him as Savior, who died for their sins and rose again, it points to the Holy Spirit's work in their life. Of course we should guard against pressuring a child into repeating certain words as a formula. But instead, we want to listen for genuine understanding and heartfelt conviction. A true confession flows from faith that has already taken root in the heart, revealing that your child sees their need for Christ and rests in his finished work on the cross.
3. Look for a growing love for Jesus.
Jesus said in John 10:27, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." True believers don't just know about Christ, they have a relationship with Christ. They love him and desire to follow Him. Does your child seem to be drawn to Jesus? Do they talk about him with joy? Do they hunger for His Word? That affection for Jesus is a mark of a heart that has been transformed by God's grace?
4. Look for patterns of obedience.
Salvation is not perfection, but it is direction. 1 John 2:3-4 says, "By this we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments. The one who says, "I've come to know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him." So does your child desire to obey God, not just to please you as mom or dad, but because they see obedience as an act of worship? If so, that's a fruit of genuine conversion. Now here's where we need to be careful. Saving faith is a spiritual reality. We can't see it, but it does provide evidence. A young child may display these marks in small ways, like feeling guilty after lying, showing interest in prayer, or asking deep questions about Jesus. But their faith, if genuine, will mature over time. Timothy is an example of this. Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:15 that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. So Timothy's faith didn't mature overnight. It was nurtured through the faithful teaching of his mother and grandmother. In the same way, your child's faith may start as a small seed, but in time, if it is genuine, God will grow it. So with that in mind, what can we do practically as parents?
Proclaim the Gospel consistently.
Let your child hear the good news daily, not just in family devotions, but also in how you respond as a parent to failure. Extend grace and confess your own sins.
2. Pray fervently.
Salvation is the Lord's work, and no amount of perfect parenting can guarantee it. But within the tension of God's sovereignty and human responsibility, we should never stop bringing our children before the throne of grace.
3. Trust confidently in God's promises.
Philippians 1:6 provides us with the promise that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. That means that if God is at work in the heart of your child, then he will finish what he started. So, parents, be encouraged. Your role is to plant and water, but God gives the growth. Keep pointing your children to Jesus. Keep praying for their salvation and trust that the Lord will lead his children home.