It’s not unusual to hear Christians talk about fruits of conversion or evidences of grace. These are good things to look for in the Christian life. But this can also plague the mind and heart of new Christians. What evidences can a new Christian look for? How do we know if there is enough? What should we look for?

As we think on the indestructibility of the forgiveness of sins from God, we must also connect the dots to our daily life, to our discipleship with King Jesus.

Assurance of salvation, being forgiven by God, doesn’t lead us to careless, Christ-dishonoring lives. Just the opposite. Everyone who has been born again, united to Christ by faith, now wants to live by faith, walk with Jesus, and learn to walk upright with him. As John says later in 1 John:

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure…No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous” (1 John 3:2–3; 6–7).

Right now, we are God’s children. Imperfect. Tripping over ourselves and the world. But we are his kids and he loves us. He isn’t giving up on us—he has big plans for every single child in his Kingdom.

God’s vision for our lives isn’t just for each of us to be the best version of ourselves. That is embarrassingly small, unimpressive. The Father’s plan is for us to become fitting images of our big brother—to be like Jesus. His ways becoming our ways, his character becoming ours, his reflexes, impulses, and love becoming ours.

Until Jesus returns, or we meet him after death, we are slowly, inch by inch, day after day, making progress in holiness, godliness, Christlikeness. This incremental and not always obvious growth is a part of our spiritual life. The new spiritual heart we have as children of God is against sin. Flat-out. But this doesn’t mean we are perfect. Far from it. This is why we are invited/commanded to confess, repent, and keep growing and going with Christ.

Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Hebrews 6:12 emphasizes this point, “Don’t drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them.” New Christians, adolescent Christians, or veteran Christians, none of us can kick back, let go and let God. We show up in the power of the Spirit, run the race, turn from sin, pursue holiness, day after day.

As Martin Luther pointed out, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, “Repent” (Matthew 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” Luther’s insight needs to be drawn out. He put his finger on a gospel reality—we are still going to sin, therefore, we need to be about repenting, which is to live forgiven. The presence of sin in our lives doesn’t call our salvation into question.

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