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WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
By
Marilyn LaStrape
How we “get saved” is an issue that is discussed
in all religious groups. The religion of works tells us that we will
need to clean up our lives, start doing some good works, and somewhere
along the line somebody will get back to us. Where in the Bible does
it say that??
The book of Acts tells
us exactly what people did in order to come into a covenant
relationship with God. In all cases, the gospel was preached to them
and they responded in obedient faith. Listed below are biblical
accounts of how people were saved.
When Peter preached
the first gospel sermon on the Day of Pentecost, there were devout
men, dwelling in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven. After
their hearts were pricked with the realization that they had crucified
the Lord, the question was asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we
do?” (Acts 2:37) The response was: …“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.”
When the Holy Spirit
instructed Philip to join the chariot of the Ethiopian eunuch, Philip
preached Jesus to him. They came to a certain water and the question
was asked, “What hinders me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36) The
response was:… “If you believe with all your heart you may.” (Acts
8:37)
When Ananias was
directed by the Lord to go to Saul, who later became Paul, he was
praying. Ananias informed him that the Lord had sent him that Saul
might receive his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 9:18
says, “Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and
he received his sight at once, and he arose and was baptized.”
When Peter was sent to
Cornelius, he had invited his relatives and close friends to hear what
they needed to do to be saved. After Peter had preached the gospel to
them, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. When
Peter realized that the Holy Spirit had been extended to the Gentiles,
he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. (Acts
10:44-48)
When Paul and Silas
had been jailed for preaching the gospel, a great earthquake shook the
prison where they were being held. The foundations of the prison were
shaken and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains
were loosed. The keeper of the prison thought that everyone had
escaped and was about to kill himself. Paul told him not to harm
himself for they were all there. The Philippian jailer asked the
question: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30) Paul and
Silas taught the jailer and his household the gospel, “And he took
them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And
immediately he and all his family were baptized.” (Acts 16:32-33)
These examples show us
how the grace of God works in our lives. Paul tells us in Titus 3:11,
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.”
Exactly what is this grace of God that has been extended to us?
1.
His divine initiative – Genesis 3:15 – “I will put enmity
between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed, He
shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
2.
His unmerited favor – Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates His
own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died
for us.”
3.
His favorable regard – Psalms 84:11 – “For the Lord God is a
sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good will He
withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
4.
His redemptive mercy – Titus 3:4-5 – “But when the kindness and
the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved
us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy
Spirit.”
5.
His generous gift – Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace you have been
saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of
God.”
6.
His sympathetic compassion – Psalms 103:12-14 – “As far as the
east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from
us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who
fear Him, for He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.”
Even though our
salvation is a gift of God, we cannot make the mistake of believing
that once we are saved, we are always saved. In the parable of the
tares, Jesus tells us to let the wheat and tares grow together
because while we are trying to gather tares, we are uprooting wheat.
He further states, “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they
will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend and those who
practice lawlessness.” (Matthew 13:41) His kingdom on earth is the
church.
In the parable of the
dragnet, the kingdom of heaven, which is the church, is compared to a
dragnet that gathers some of every kind. The good is gathered, the
bad is thrown away. “So it will be at the end of the age. The angels
will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast
them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of
teeth.” (Matthew 13:49-50)
If we attempt to be
justified by the law, that is to think that we can “earn” our
salvation through law keeping, we need to heed the warning of
Galatians 5:4, “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt
to be justified by the law; you have fallen from grace.”
These passages remind
us that a life of faithful obedience is the expectation once we are
saved. Our entire life is to be lived in service and thanksgiving for
us being saved from eternal destruction.
This
article is copyrighted by the author. All Rights Reserved. No part
of this article may be reprinted without permission of the author.
©Copyright 2003
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