Does God reveal to people today, in personal visions or dreams, individuals who will finally be saved?

by Eric Gagnon

I received this question from someone this week. Here is how I responded:

This is an interesting and complex question. From my perspective, here’s how I would approach this: God is sovereign in salvation. Ephesians 1 and Romans 8 teach that God knows who will be saved (Ephesians 1:4-5, Romans 8:29-30). While God could reveal such things, Scripture teaches us that God’s will is primarily revealed through the Bible. The Holy Spirit illuminates our understanding of God’s Word and applies it to our hearts. The Spirit’s primary role is to point us to Christ and the truth of Scripture (John 16:13-14). Therefore, any personal revelation or feeling must be tested against the clear teaching of the Bible (1 Thessalonians 5:21, 1 John 4:1).

This means there are two options: 1) If a personal vision or prophecy is not verifiable in Scripture, then it’s not true and should be avoided. Or at the very least, it’s unfalsifiable. And since no one can argue with a person claiming such a visions, that person might as well add to the Bible, as if they were one of the 12 Apostles. If their words are indeed from God, then it ought to be part of God’s Word. It should be clear why this is at best, dangerous and at worst, blasphemous. 2) On the other hand, if some vision or personal word of prophecy is verifiable from Scripture, then it’s already in Scripture and isn’t really necessary, except maybe to encourage that individual or to point us right back to Scripture. So in both cases, it’s either dangerous, unnecessary or at best something meant for that individual alone.

The idea that the Holy Spirit might reveal to someone that a specific person will be saved is not explicitly supported by Scripture. While the Holy Spirit guides and comforts believers, personal revelations about the salvation of specific individuals are subjective and prone to misunderstanding. I would generally caution against equating personal impressions or feelings with the authoritative revelation of God in Scripture.

It’s biblical to pray for the salvation of others and to stand firm in faith, trusting that God hears our prayers (1 Timothy 2:1-4). God calls us to be faithful in sharing the Gospel and to trust Him with the results (Matthew 28:19-20, 1 Corinthians 3:6-7). While we may feel a strong burden to pray for someone’s salvation, this does not necessarily mean we have received a guaranteed revelation that they will be saved. It’s natural to hope for the salvation of loved ones and to be encouraged when we sense the Spirit’s nudging to pray for them. This can be a way God encourages us to persist in prayer and witness. However, ultimate assurance about someone’s salvation rests in God’s hands. We can find comfort in knowing that God is sovereign and merciful, and that He desires all people to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).