We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
1 John 2:3

“Hey man, do you got Jesus?” said the hippie eyed young man. It was the early 70’s. My father was a student at the University of Houston. This was during the era of the Jesus movement and many college campuses were canvassed with such efforts. By this time my father was a Christian and he was quick to reply “Yes.” Then the man energetically grabbed my father by the arm and said, “No man, do you know Jesus?” My father looked at him and saw the genuine concern in his face. “Yes, I do” he said more assuredly and attentively.
How do we know where we stand with God? Can we know we are saved? It is good to think about salvation through the lens of relationship. That is the way that John describes it. He asks questions about belonging, knowing, and following. It is not enough to simply make claims about our faith. Anyone can say, “Yes, I believe,” but unless that confession is followed with obedience it is emptied of its purpose. In this case, they may think that they are saved, but they have not invested themselves in truly knowing Jesus by following his will.
At the same time, there are those who sincerely trust and obey God, but still have doubts about their salvation. I remember a dear friend of mine who used to struggle with a feeling of inadequacy. Even when he obeyed God he still felt a sense of not being good enough. He was baptized several times because he didn’t feel as though it was working. Each time he would feel good for a little while, but soon later his fear of being unsaved would come back again. We all struggle with doubts from time to time. We can find peace in knowing that we serve a God whose love is greater than our doubts and fears. Are you at peace with God today? Do you know him? Are you doing his will? Today is a good day to start.