2. I can know that I have been born again if I keep His commandments
I John 2:3,5,6 says, “3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”
You can know that you have been born again if you keep God’s commandments, but what are His commandments? I John 3:23 explains, “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.” Do you believe on the name of God’s Son, Jesus Christ? Have you trusted in Him as your Savior? If so, you can be assured that you have been born again. Jesus is the way to salvation. There is no other way. Acts 4:12 says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
You can know that you have been born again if you walk as Jesus walked. Jesus walked in love toward others, especially toward His disciples. He loved them, even unto the end. Jesus loved His disciples even when they deserted Him. Do you love others? Are you a true friend to them? If so, this is evidence that you have been born again.
The book of John teaches this same thing. In John 15:14, Jesus said, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” But what does Jesus command you? How did Jesus walk? A good way to find out the answer to these questions is to study through the gospels. Look at Jesus’ life. How did He walk? What did He do? What kind of fruit did He bear? What were His commandments? Why did He command these things? Interestingly, when God gives a command in Scripture, He almost always gives a reason for the command in the same passage. Here is an example: In John 13:34, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” But why should we love one another? Jesus explains, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (verse 35) We should love one another so that other people know we are Jesus’ disciples. Our love toward one another is evidence that we have been born again.
Search the Scriptures and then examine your life. What does Jesus command? Are you doing it? How did Jesus walk? Are you walking as He walked? What kind of fruit did Jesus bear? Are you bearing the same kind of fruit? Jesus said, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:8) Good works do not produce salvation, but a person who is born again will do good works. If you have not been born again, you cannot keep Jesus’ commandments or walk as He walked because Jesus said, “without me ye can do nothing.” (See John 15:5) Good works are evidence of salvation, and they produce assurance of salvation.
You can know that you have been born again if you keep Jesus’ commandments and walk as He walked.
3. I can know that I have been born again if I acknowledge the Son of God.
I John 2:23 says, “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.”
Some people do not believe in a triune God. They think that the concept of a triune God is the same as believing in three gods. Therefore, they refuse to acknowledge the Holy Spirit and the Son. The Bible says that those who will not acknowledge the Son do not have the Father. You cannot be born again if you deny the Son. The concept of a triune God is hard to understand, but the Bible does explain a little about it. You can read more about it under point 8 in this study.*
You can know that you have been born again if you acknowledge the Son because God said, “he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.”
*To get a copy of the whole study, go to the Resources page and download the free short e-book, "How Can I Know That I Have Been Born Again"