What Must I do to be Saved?

 

 

Introduction

Not every religious book out there is going to have the information available for those who are interested in becoming a Christian. There are those who will simply tell you to pray the “Sinner’s Prayer” and that automatically makes you saved. But there is no example, in the New Testament, of an individual becoming a Christian based on a prayer. There is more to it than that, and it is why I’m writing this article.

 

What Must I Do?

This question was asked on three different occasions in the Book of Acts and the results were the same. On Pentecost, when the first gospel sermon was preached, this was the response of those who heard it, Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).

Saul of Tarsus, who became the Apostle Paul, asked Jesus this question in Acts 9:6, So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

The Philippian Jailer posed the same question in Acts 16:30, And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

In all three examples, these individuals knew that there was something that they must do for salvation. It wasn’t just a matter of faith or belief; it required doing something. Jesus said, “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.” (Matthew 7:21)

 

You must Hear the Gospel and Obey

In Romans 10:17 the apostle Paul wrote, So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The only way one learns how to do, or be, something is to read about it, or hear it told to them. Becoming a Christian is the same way.

This blog is not a substitution for study, but a good start in that direction. The scriptures have everything you need to know in regard to becoming a Christian, staying on that path, and living your life according to the pattern set.

And it is wise to have a teacher on-hand to help you understand. Like Philip was to the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8:30-31, So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.

 

You must Believe that Jesus is the Christ

Not surprising that thousands of people are told that all you have to do to be saved is to believe that Jesus is the Christ. While that is important, it doesn’t save on its own merit. For example, when Paul was before King Agrippa, talking about his own conversions, this conclusion took place…

“King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.” Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” And Paul said, “I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.” (Acts 26:27-29) Here it shows that King Agrippa was a believer but that didn’t make him a Christian. His response is proof of that plus, in the next few verses, he gets up with those with him and walks away.

You need more than belief or faith to be saved. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. (James 2:24)

 

You must Repent of your Sins

Ask any individual, who believes that you are saved by faith only, if repentance is necessary and they will tell you that it is. This immediately destroys their own doctrine that “faith only” is enough.

Repentance is a guarantee that you will no longer do that which violates God’s law in His book. Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). You put away the old man of sin and put on the new man of righteousness (Ephesians 4:22-24).

 

You must Confess that Jesus is The Christ

A verbal confession is necessary as it shows others that you believe that Jesus is the Christ. Paul wrote of this in Romans 10:9-10, 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.

This is not a performance, but an acknowledgement that you are “on the same page” as the rest and that you want to do things the same way. Paul wrote of this in 1 Corinthians 1:10, Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

There are those who believe in something but refuse to verbalize it as it might make them seem different or, even, irrational. So, they will keep it to themselves. You shouldn’t be ashamed in believing that Jesus is the Christ. As Paul wrote in Romans 1:16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

 

You must become Baptized

This is what a lot of people refuse to do as they assume that baptism is a work. They declare that you can’t be saved by works; therefore, baptism isn’t essential. But Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16) If Jesus said that it is necessary, why complain? Shouldn’t that be sufficient evidence?

The apostle Peter confirms this on the day of Pentecost when he said, “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.” (Acts 2:38)

Want further proof? Look at Paul’s conversion in Acts 22:6-16. There, Paul speaks of his conversion and what he was told to do. Let’s look, specifically, at verse 16, ‘And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’ The purpose of baptism is to wash away your sins. A prayer can’t do that.

If Jesus commands it, and the apostles confirm it, that should be enough to prove that baptism is a necessity and not a work. You’re not being added to a denomination but the body of Christ which is the church (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18).

 

You must Remain Faithful unto Death

This is the hardest part of all; to remain faithful. In Revelation 2:10, it is written, “…Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Most have this notion that, once they are baptized, they are finished and can sit back while waiting for Heaven. 

The reason temptation is harder on you is because Satan wants you back and he will keep at you to try and win you back. The apostle Peter wrote, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Putting on the armor of God, as described in Ephesians 6 is your best defense against the wiles of the devil. But also remember, you aren’t in this fight alone. You have brethren all over the planet who will stand by your side, spiritually, and help you combat the fiery darts of the evil one (Eph. 6:16).

The other goal, to help you stay faithful, is working on, what some people call, the “Christian Graces”. They are listed in 2 Peter 1:5-9, But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

 

Conclusion

This is how an individual becomes a New Testament Christian. You will not hear any other preacher use these steps to become a Christian. Whatever they use as a method of conversion will most likely put you into the denomination that they are affiliated with. Those of us who are true Christians (the people of the book), use these steps as part of what is called the invitation at the conclusion of a sermon. There is an article about that further back in this book.

If you’re not ready to become a Christian, but want more information, or to study further, you can contact me and I can help you locate a congregation near you or we can study online; if, at all, possible. You won’t be left alone in this endeavor. Just reach out and I’ll do what I can to assist you.

Remember, whatever you decide, time will eventually run out. As the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:2, …Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.