Understanding that all are individuals and there is no blanket, here are some signs that go along with being saved:
Immediately upon becoming saved, some of the sins you were already resisting are gone. (For instance, if you were inappropriately attracted to someone, or if you tried to not be late all the time--those struggles are gone in an instant.)
The Bible, which maybe once you thought was a mythology book, or a quaint old book you would never understand, is revealed as a magical, completely true, multidimensional, living, God-breathed document, with incredible treasures in every verse. It stops being a dust collector on the shelf.
You realize that you just don't fit in the world anymore and that, in fact, you never did. Further, you no longer want to.
You realize that the verses that talk about the evilness of man's every thought and of his heart are true, and that you aren't the exception.
For the first time in your life you want to put away sin. You may not be able to, at least not with all of them, but you want to. You realize that being able to recognize your own sin is a miracle, because before you thought you were "good," and that wanting to put sin away was impossible for the unsaved person you are.
Friction between yourself and unsaved family members who think you've gone nuts becomes the norm. Friends may start to drop out of your life.
For the first time you are actually able to love unselfishly. Because of the "then" and "now" aspect of being saved, you realize that you never loved anyone before, and you realize how amazing it is to really love, even though it hurts.
The truth starts to reveal itself to you; the truth in scripture and the truth of the world. The truth in scripture is amazing and beautiful and you want more. The truth of the world is Sodom & Gomorrah ugly and makes you want to hide in a closet.
You no longer feel attached to any worldly thing and become willing, as the Son's work is accomplished in you, to give it all away. This goes for possessions as well as worldly knowledge (evolution for creation, Newtonian astronomy for geocentricity, flat earth for round earth, etc.) because the Bible says differently. At the very least you will no longer buy into unproven theories.
Pursuit of worldly wealth becomes abhorrent to you, especially if your particular job feeds on the suffering of others. This doesn't mean you can't or won't have wealth, or at least have enough, but it means pursuing it isn't your main priority any more, if it is a priority at all, and you care how it is accomplished.
Whatever prejudices you might have had, or biases against anyone, and biases for, or rejections of people for being "different," or vanities, begin to recede into the void, bled off by the truth that all are fallen and all sin is equally repugnant to God.
Forgiveness becomes the norm for you, and over time even ills done you in distant memory, even tremendously hurtful things done you become things you desire to forgive. You also seek forgiveness for ills you do to others, much more quickly than before.
Because it has been revealed to you how fallen the world is, and because your heart is actually able to love for real, sorrow becomes your companion. More important than pleasing people becomes reminding them that they need a savior, and telling them where to find Him. The sorrow comes because of how hard hearted and blind people stubbornly remain, even despite rock-solid evidence presented to them, and because you know there really are dire consequences for rejecting God. But you still have hope and persist because you too were once so hopelessly lost in sin.
Finally, no matter what it costs you--your job, your spouse, your family, your friends, your worldly wealth, your worldly standing, your health--you would never go back, not even for a minute. No matter if it brings terrible suffering, like the torture some of our brothers and sisters are suffering in other countries right now, or if it brings martyrdom, like in other countries ruled by Islam and communism right now, you know the difference between being saved and being destined for the pit, and you will never trade off being saved again. Ever.
Immediately upon becoming saved, some of the sins you were already resisting are gone. (For instance, if you were inappropriately attracted to someone, or if you tried to not be late all the time--those struggles are gone in an instant.)
The Bible, which maybe once you thought was a mythology book, or a quaint old book you would never understand, is revealed as a magical, completely true, multidimensional, living, God-breathed document, with incredible treasures in every verse. It stops being a dust collector on the shelf.
You realize that you just don't fit in the world anymore and that, in fact, you never did. Further, you no longer want to.
You realize that the verses that talk about the evilness of man's every thought and of his heart are true, and that you aren't the exception.
For the first time in your life you want to put away sin. You may not be able to, at least not with all of them, but you want to. You realize that being able to recognize your own sin is a miracle, because before you thought you were "good," and that wanting to put sin away was impossible for the unsaved person you are.
Friction between yourself and unsaved family members who think you've gone nuts becomes the norm. Friends may start to drop out of your life.
For the first time you are actually able to love unselfishly. Because of the "then" and "now" aspect of being saved, you realize that you never loved anyone before, and you realize how amazing it is to really love, even though it hurts.
The truth starts to reveal itself to you; the truth in scripture and the truth of the world. The truth in scripture is amazing and beautiful and you want more. The truth of the world is Sodom & Gomorrah ugly and makes you want to hide in a closet.
You no longer feel attached to any worldly thing and become willing, as the Son's work is accomplished in you, to give it all away. This goes for possessions as well as worldly knowledge (evolution for creation, Newtonian astronomy for geocentricity, flat earth for round earth, etc.) because the Bible says differently. At the very least you will no longer buy into unproven theories.
Pursuit of worldly wealth becomes abhorrent to you, especially if your particular job feeds on the suffering of others. This doesn't mean you can't or won't have wealth, or at least have enough, but it means pursuing it isn't your main priority any more, if it is a priority at all, and you care how it is accomplished.
Whatever prejudices you might have had, or biases against anyone, and biases for, or rejections of people for being "different," or vanities, begin to recede into the void, bled off by the truth that all are fallen and all sin is equally repugnant to God.
Forgiveness becomes the norm for you, and over time even ills done you in distant memory, even tremendously hurtful things done you become things you desire to forgive. You also seek forgiveness for ills you do to others, much more quickly than before.
Because it has been revealed to you how fallen the world is, and because your heart is actually able to love for real, sorrow becomes your companion. More important than pleasing people becomes reminding them that they need a savior, and telling them where to find Him. The sorrow comes because of how hard hearted and blind people stubbornly remain, even despite rock-solid evidence presented to them, and because you know there really are dire consequences for rejecting God. But you still have hope and persist because you too were once so hopelessly lost in sin.
Finally, no matter what it costs you--your job, your spouse, your family, your friends, your worldly wealth, your worldly standing, your health--you would never go back, not even for a minute. No matter if it brings terrible suffering, like the torture some of our brothers and sisters are suffering in other countries right now, or if it brings martyrdom, like in other countries ruled by Islam and communism right now, you know the difference between being saved and being destined for the pit, and you will never trade off being saved again. Ever.
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