Feelings
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
The question is not, Do you feel saved, but rather,are you saved? It is good to trust in, and feel the power and blessing of salvation, but that in itself is not sufficient.
A sea captain in the middle of the ocean may have his moments of anxiety, but he would never dream of relying on his feelings as to the course of the vessel. By the chart and compass he judges where he should be; and by the sun and stars he judges where he is. These tests may either confirm his feelings or reverse them, but it is not feelings that tell him where to go or where he’s at.
Just so, it is with salvation. Paul said to Timothy, “From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). It wasn’t a question of whether Timothy felt saved, but a question of faith in Christ Jesus, and resting on His Holy Word.
