That's an important question. I asked myself that recently. There was something standing between me and God and it was driving me crazy. So I asked him to show me what was the thing standing in the way. God kept showing me the sinfulness of my past life. I would dream about it at night, the horrible things that I did. I asked God that if I was saved, why was my old life getting in the way. Then in a conversation I had with one of our pastors, who had no idea what I was going through, he asked me about when I got saved. It was like a bolt of lightning shot through me and it hit me. That was the problem. I was never truly saved! I can hear you now, "but Russ you said a prayer". Yes, I said a prayer but it wasn't from my heart way back when I was 12 years old. It was because my friends did it and my parents wanted me to. Getting saved isn't a ritual thing, it's a heart thing between you and God. When you are saved you are given new desires and thoughts. You live your life totally and solely for Jesus Christ. Your old ways are gone and you have no desire to do them anymore. Needless to say the first thing I did was hit my knees, truly repented my sins from my old life, and committed my life to Jesus. I now know I'm saved and can serve my Lord however he sees fit to use me. How he uses me is his call, I have no say in it, I just know that whatever he wants me to do I'm his. I posted this in hopes that maybe someone else might read it who did the same thing I did. Just said a prayer when you were younger. If you have doubts about your salvation, take it to God. I can honestly say, once you are truly saved all doubts are gone. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to the river to get baptised.....really. Praise God!