The following information is provided for your study and consideration. Please, neither accept the information nor reject the information at a glance. Give due consideration to the Bible verses seen below and decide for yourself the validity of the following conclusions.
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Consider Two Simple Questions:
- What must I do to be saved from my sins, from my separation from God?
- What must I do so that I can spend eternity in heaven?
The Bible contains the answers to the above questions. If these questions are on your mind, then take a few minutes to consider the following Bible passages. (We would love to have the opportunity to study with you in greater detail. If you would be interested in a comprehensive study, please contact us.)
Listen to the Bible, the Word of God
Your road to salvation begins with the recognition that the Bible is the Word of God and that which all men must follow. Consider the following passages:
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV)
The Bible, both the Old Testament and the New Testament, was inspired, or breathed by God. The Bible is the Word of God.
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you. (1 Peter 1:22-25)
Salvation is found in the Word of God.
Recognize the Authority of Jesus Christ
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV)
The words of Christ are authority. Jesus Christ’s words, teachings, and commands are all found within the Word of God. You must be willing to listen to Jesus if you are truly seeking salvation in Christ.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23, ESV)
If you desire to enter the kingdom of heaven, the you must be willing to do the will of the Lord, to do God’s will.
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15, ESV)
Without obeying the commands of Jesus, you cannot truly say that you love Jesus.
“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” (John 15:14, ESV)
Without obeying the commands of Jesus, you cannot be a friend of Jesus.
How To Be Saved – As Taught By Jesus Christ
Since Jesus Christ has all authority, and it is His words that we are to follow, let us consider what you must do to be saved as taught by Jesus Christ.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
Jesus said that if you will believe in Him, then you should have everlasting life.
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16)
Jesus Christ commanded His apostles to preach unto the world that he who believes and is baptized would be saved. You too must believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God.
“I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3)
In simple terms, you must repent of your past sinful life by turning to Jesus Christ.
“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:47, ESV)
Jesus commanded His apostles to preach this message of repentance and remission of sins to the world. This is the same message of repentance that we are teaching to you.
“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.”
(Luke 12:8-9, NKJV)
Do you believe in Jesus Christ? If so, then you must be willing to tell others about your belief in Jesus Christ.
And He said to them, “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 16:15-16, NKJV)
Jesus commanded His disciples to preach to the world the necessity of believing and being baptized in order to be saved. Do you believe in Jesus Christ? If so, then you must be willing to obey His command to be baptized so that you can be saved.
Summary: According to the commands of Jesus, if you believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, if you are willing to repent of your past sins and turn to Him, if you are willing to confess your belief before men, and if you will be baptized, then you will be saved, you will be forgiven of all of your past sins. (Please take the time to study again all of the aforementioned verses.)
How To Be Saved – As Taught By The Apostles Of Christ
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26, NKJV; cf. John 16:13)
Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to aid the apostles in teaching His Word.
“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.'”
(Acts 2:38-39, NKJV)
Just as Jesus commanded, Peter taught a group of people, who believed the message, to repent and be baptized.
That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10, NKJV)
The apostle Paul reminded the Christians in Rome that belief in Jesus Christ and a willingness to confess Him before men was necessary for salvation.
Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. (Acts 17:30, NKJV)
Paul told those who worshiped idols that the Lord commands all men to repent
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (1 Peter 3:21-22, ESV)
The apostle Peter explained that baptism is necessary for salvation in that it is simple obedience to the will of Jesus Christ
Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
(Romans 6:3-4, NKJV)
The apostle Paul reminded the Christians in Rome that when they were baptized, they were baptized into the death of Jesus Christ and, like Jesus who was raised from the dead, they too began to walk in a newness of life.
Summary: Review all of the aforementioned passages. You will find from your studies that in order to become a Christian, a child of God, you must truly believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. You must believe in Jesus enough to be willing to repent of your past sinful life and turn to Him, confessing Him before men and obeying His command to be baptized. Upon so doing, you will be saved, your sins will be forgiven and you will walk in a newness of life.
Please take the time to give careful consideration to what we have presented. We encourage you to listen to the teachings of Jesus and His apostles and do as they teach so that you too can be saved, thereby becoming a child of God.