"What Must I Do to Be Saved?"
The Bible teaches that sin is a transgression of Gods law (1 John 3:4). All people who know the difference between right and wrong have sinned (Romans 3:23). Our sins separate us from God (Isaiah 59:1,2). The punishment for sin is death (Romans 6:23). This is "the second death" which is everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord (Revelation 21:8, 2 Thess. 1:9).
God loves us. He does not want us to suffer the second death. (Ezekiel 33:11) Therefore, He has provided the following way for us to be forgiven of our past sins, escape the second death and gain eternal life. (Romans 3:25)
1. Believe (The Gospel of Jesus Christ)
First, one must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). Jesus said: "...if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins" (John 8:24). The jailor at Philippi asked Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They told him to "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:30,31). One must believe that atonement for their past sins comes only through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. (Romans 3:25) We must not rely on our own righteousness works which can never make up for the sins we have committed against a holy God (Titus 3:5). We must believe that the only way of escaping Gods wrath is through accepting Jesus as a propitiation for our past sins. (Romans 5:9)
2. Repent (Turn From All Willful Known Sin)
Second, one must repent (stop all willful sinning) in order to be saved (Acts 17:30,31 Heb 10:26). Jesus commanded that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47). Repentance is a result of having true godly sorrow over ones past sins (2 Corinthians 7:10). When one desires to find mercy and pardon from God he must first stop the sin he so eagerly desires forgiveness for. The scriptures say "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55:7) He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13) and "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19). We must also persevere in this state (Ezekiel 18:24).
3. Be Baptized (Make a Public Covenant With God) (NO BAPTISM DOES NOT SAVE YOU... WE ARE NOT PROPONENTS OF BAPTISMAL REGENERATION) BUT...
Third, Jesus said that we must be willing to confess Him before men if we want Him
to confess us before the Father (Matthew 10:32,33). Jesus also implied that baptism
was an integral part of "Confessing Him before men", "becoming a disciple" or "entering
into covenant with God". Jesus said: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit" (Matthew 28:19) and also "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to
every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not
believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15-
We pray that you would believe on the Lord Jesus, turn from all your sins, and make your covenant with God today.
To see what the Bible says about the lifestyle of true disciples of Jesus and what they believe please visit our confessions page by clicking here.