What Must I Do To Be Saved?
This question was asked one time in the Bible. Your salvation and the salvation of everyone on the face of the earth hinges on the answer.
Ask this question to ten different people and you might get ten different answers. Ask ten different religious leaders how to get to heaven and you might get ten different answers.
Is the subject really that confusing? Is the Bible teaching on the subject really that obscure? No! The problem is most people don’t know what the Bible says about the subject. Let’s look at both the question and the answer in the Bible.
Acts 16:30-31 ...Sirs, what must I do to be saved? {31} And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved...
Let's notice two things here. First, "saved" is a good Bible word. There are several Bible references to the word saved in regard to a person being saved from their sins & hell, so that they can go to heaven. This is one of them, here are a couple others. Revelation 21:23-24 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. {24} And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it...
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Second, notice that in order to be saved a person must not only believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, a person must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. This will become clearer as we proceed.
The Plan of Salvation
When referring to our eternal souls, salvation is a reference to getting your sins forgiven so that you can go to heaven. Not everyone automatically goes to heaven. As a matter of fact, according to Jesus, most people don't!
Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: {14} Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Following is an outline of the plan of salvation in a nutshell, along with explanatory notes and Scriptures.
1. ALL OF US ARE SINNERS
None of us are perfect. We've all done things that are wrong. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: {11} There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. {12} They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
2. GOD REQUIRES A PRICE BE PAID FOR SIN
A.) For the wages of sin is death...
B.) There is another death beside the death of the body. Four times the Bible makes reference to the second death. The first death is the death of the body, the second death is the death of the soul. Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
The death of the soul is the soul spending eternity in the lake of fire. Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Psalm 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.
There are only two possible places you can spend eternity, either heaven or hell. In the Bible there is no such places as purgatory, limbo, etc. Because we are sinners we have all earned the second death, and thus we would all be doomed if it were not for the mercy of God. God offers a way out. For, though the price that is paid for sin is death, note next that...
3. JESUS PAID THAT PRICE FOR US
Romans 5:8-9 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. {9} Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
We are the ones who sinned and deserved to die, Jesus stepped in and died in our place, paying our wages for sin for us. I Peter 2:24a Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree...
Not only did Jesus die on the cross, but after they buried His body, three days later, "up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph o'er his foes!" This is the gospel. I Corinthians 15:1a, 3-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you... {3} For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; {4} And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
I Pet. 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
According to Romans 1:16 The gospel is "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;" And that brings us to your part...
4. YOU MUST PERSONALLY RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOUR
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
In order to be ready to receive Jesus as your Saviour, here are some things you need to understand...
A.) Jesus is the only way to heaven.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
I Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; {6} Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
B.) Salvation is a gift to be received, not a reward to be earned by your own good works.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: {9} Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C.) The gift of salvation is received through repentance and faith. Acts
videoRepentance - Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Repentance is a change of mind and a change of heart toward your sin, which causes you to turn toward God. It is a recognition that you have sinned against God and are guilty before Him. It is all of this combined with a desire to have those sins forgiven by God and forsaken by you. II Corinthians
videoFaith - Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Luke 7:48-50 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. {49} And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? {50} And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
This faith is where believing on the Lord Jesus Christ comes in, as we saw earlier in Acts 16:31 ...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved... This is putting your faith and trust completely upon Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins, to save you from hell, and to give you His free gift of eternal life so that you can go to heaven when you die.
So, if you believe these things... If you believe the gospel and want Jesus to be your Saviour, then what you know to be true about Jesus in your head, must acted upon from your heart.
Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. {10} For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
In John 6:47 Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life."
If you understand these things, and know that you are lost sinner, and that you need Jesus as your Saviour... and if you are ready to believe on Him and receive Him now, then Romans 10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
So if you are ready to do that, go ahead and pray right now, putting your faith in Jesus Christ alone. Ask Jesus to save you from your sins & from hell, and to give you His free gift of eternal life.
If you need help praying, below is a sample prayer that you can pray. Understand that just reciting these words will not save you. You have to mean what you are saying and pray it from your heart to the Lord.
*A Sample Prayer for Salvation
Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and deserve judgment. I believe you died on the cross and shed your blood for my sins, and that you rose again from the dead. Jesus, please save me from my sins and from hell, and give me your free gift of eternal life. I now repent of my sins, put my faith in You, and receive You, Jesus, as my personal Saviour.
If you have truly believed on Jesus as your Saviour you can be confident that He has saved you.
I John 5:10-13 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. {11} And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. {12} He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. {13} These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
And there's more good news! Once Jesus saves you, you are eternally secure, because He has promised to never leave you, and that you will never perish in hell. Hebrews 13:5-6 ...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. {6} So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
John 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: {28} And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. {29} My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Eternal is forever, and for that reason eternal life cannot be lost. If it could be lost, it would not be eternal. So if you have trusted Jesus as your Saviour, you can rejoice in the Lord and look forward to an eternity with God.
Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
If you have just been saved, this would be a good time to bow your head, and thank the Lord Jesus Christ for saving your soul!
I would also encourage you to let somebody else know that you have been saved. Remember, Romans 10:11 says, "For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."