How Would Your
Pastor Answer This Question
What Must I Do To Be Saved?
an your preacher, priest or pastor answer the question as Peter did in Acts 2? Probably not. In fact, he/she will
probably say that you don’t need to listen to that passage at all. But, when his audience heard of
their terrible sin of demanding the death of Jesus Christ and cried out, “Brethren, what shall we do?”, Peter’s
answer was very specific:
Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)
The second occurrence
of the question is Acts 16:29-30. While the specific words were different in the two cases, study of the scripture will show
the same instruction was being given. Here is the story of the jailer in Philippi, as recorded by Luke:
And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30and
after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Now, here is what he was told in reply to his plea, and his response:
They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.
33 And
he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds,
and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.
(vss. 31-33)
Those
on Pentecost—Jews and devout (some of whom were converts to Judaism or “proselytes”, cf. Acts 2:5,
10)—had heard and were believers. In the case of the jailor, he needed to believe what Paul was about to say.
In both cases, the answer to the pleas is clear. Some argue that “belief only”
is the answer to the question in Acts 16:31, but Acts 22:16 shows what “call on the Lord” means, in the
words of Ananias:
“‘Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His
name.”
23 Things That Save Us From Sin
Which Ones Will You Leave Out?
God Has Specified 14 Things That Have
Some Part In Our Salvation From Sin
Here’s
the list, numbered and with scripture citations, with page numbers. Legend: (OT#)=Old Testament | (NT#)=New Testament (after
OT678).
- The Father
Isaiah 12:2 (p.495); Titus 3:4-5 (p.; Romans
6:23; 8:33;
1 Timothy 4:10; Ephesians 3:8-19 - The Son (Jesus Christ)
Matthew 1:21; 1
Timothy 1:15; Hebrews 5:8-9; Luke 19:10 - The Holy Spirit of God
1 Corinthians 6:11; John 14:26; 16:7-13; Ephesians 6:17 - God’s Grace
Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; Ephesians
2:8-9; Titus 2:11-12 - God’s Love
John 3:16;
1 John 4:7 - God’s Mercy
Titus 3:5 - Hope
Romans 8:24; Titus 1:2 - Life of Christ
Romans 5:10 - The Cross (Christ’s sacrifice)
1 Corinthians 1:18; Galatians 6:14 - The Blood of Christ (shed on the cross)
Matthew 26:28; Romans 5:8-9; Ephesians 1:7, 13-14; Hebrews
9:22;
1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 1:7; - The Name of Christ (His authority
and dominion)
John 20:30-31; Acts
4:10-12; 10:43 - The Gospel (contained in the New Testament of the Bible)
Romans 1:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; James 1:21; 1 Peter 1:23 - Preachers/Messengers
of the gospel of Christ
Mark 16:15; 1
Corinthians 1:21; 2 Thessalonians 2:14 - Truth
John 8:31-32;
2 Thessalonians 2:10
The Bible Shows We Respond In 9 ways,
Each Specified To Be Effectual In Our Salvation
Here’s the list, numbered and with scripture
citations
1. Hear (the words of the gospel, telling of Jesus, the Christ)
Romans 10:14-17;
Proverbs 28:9; Isaiah 55:3; Acts 11:14
2. Faith in Christ (belief that He is the Son of God)
John 3:16;
8:24; Romans 5:1-2; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 11:6
3.
Repentance
of sin
Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18;
17:30; 2 Corinthians 7:10;
4. Confession of faith in Christ
Matthew 10:32-33; Luke 9:26; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-37
5.
Baptism in
water
Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 10:47-48;
1 Peter 3:21
6. Works that are specified by faith’s action in obedience—see #7, below
John 6:28-29; James 2:20-26; 1
John 3:24
7. Obedience (of faith)—see #6, above
Romans 1:5, 16:25-26; Hebrews
5:8-9
8. Endurance (faithfulness to the Lord’s will)
Matthew 10:22; Revelation
2:10
9. Save ourselves (nobody can do it for you)—if not you, then who?
Acts 2:40-41;
2 Corinthians 5:20; James 4:8-10
Which Of The 23 Things Would You Leave Out?
You should be thinking for
yourself, letting God’s Word guide you. After all, it is the Word that will judge you (John 12:48). Stop letting others
think for you (including us)! That’s why we’ve given you this Bible, with references to read. You CAN know the
will of God.
Here are some examples of what men say:
“God's eternal choice of His people
unto salvation is by grace alone”
But, if this is true, what about the 22 other things, listed above? Oh, we know they give lip service
to other factors, but does “alone” mean “alone”—or does it mean something
else?
Why on Earth would anybody say that salvation is by anything “alone,”
when the Bible clearly states a number of very specific factors and not a single one of them is said to act “alone”?
“Justification
by faith alone must be confessed and experienced by you and me; it is a matter of eternal life or eternal death”
But, if this is true, what about 22 other things listed, above? Not one of those things is said to be THE “only”
factor in salvation. God does not even say that of Himself, nor Christ Himself or grace; even though we know the impossibility
of salvation without them!
Clearly, salvation is the sovereign act of God and comes only
to those who believe. But, the Bible flatly contradicts what men say about being justified by “faith
alone.” The above statement says, “Justification by faith alone…” Now,
read what GOD said about it:
“You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith
alone.” (James 2:24)
Don’t let some spiritual charlatan tell you, “We’re
saved by grace, not by works” without clarifying what he means! Remember, the “works” of James 2 are NOT works of human merit and self-righteousness
(see Titus 3:5), but are the obedient works of faith! Anyone who teaches otherwise is a false teacher.
“Accept
Jesus Christ as your Savior by praying this simple prayer”
The prayer referred
to is a so-called “sinner’s prayer.” But, if this is true, why did Peter say, ,
“Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…” (Acts 2:38).
Even if the statement was correct, how would the sinner know what to pray, since the Bible says nothing about the
“sinner’s prayer”? It is a dangerous salvation that ignores what God has said and replaces it with what
some man thinks! Are you willing to gamble with your soul?
In Matthew 4:4, Jesus said: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every
word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
If your
pastor doesn’t speak according to the Word of God, what then? Perhaps you need to read #9 in the second list, above,
again.
Concluding
Remarks
Have you ever considered what you would do if God came to Earth and talked to you about your
choices in life and in spiritual service?
What if God said you were wrong? Would you change?
What if God said your pastor was a false teacher? Would you abandon him to his own destruction, or even better,
teach him out of his error?
What if God said that what you’ve always believed is not correct?
Would you care enough to discover what is correct, and then just follow God?
This Bible is given to you so that you will have every possible opportunity to know and understand—and then to
do—the will of God.
If you are serious about becoming a Christian,
why not join with us as we worship and serve Him? You are never a stranger when you assemble with us.
