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Salvation

 

Since the day the Church was born, on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem, and the Gospel was first preached by the Apostle Peter mankind has asked the question, “What shall we do to be saved?” This question was also asked by the Philippian jailer who asked the Apostle Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Maybe you too are asking the question, “What must I do to be saved?” If you are asking that question, you deserve an honest and Biblical answer, which we will attempt to answer for you as simply as we can.

 

First, you must believe the Gospel. What is the Gospel? You ask. The Gospel is this: 1Corinthians 15:1 - 4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:..... The Gospel is that the Lord Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried and that He rose the third day from the dead, all according to the Scriptures. Why did Jesus have to die for our sins? “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3: 23. This means we have all sinned and miss the mark. Sin has a wage and that wage is death or separation from God. “For the wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23. Even in our sin though God loved us and sent the Lord Jesus 2,000 years ago to die on the cross for us. “But God commendeth His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. So, the first step of salvation is to believe the Gospel.

 

Second, you must repent. What does it mean to repent? You ask. To repent means, to change your mind and your life (mind, purposes, opinions, and inclinations, in consequence, there is a total change in your thinking and conduct). That change of mind, comes from the believing of the Gospel which has revealed to you the ruinous state of your soul because of sin, and because sin is offensive to God. To repent also means to change who rules your life - from yourself to God. This means putting God first in your life and choosing what will please Him.

 

The last and final step to being saved is, to be baptized. Why do I need to be baptized? You ask. Jesus commanded it and He is now your Lord. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:18 – 20. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16. The Scriptural example throughout the Book of Acts was, hearing the Gospel, believing the Gospel, repentance and baptism. This same example has also been followed by the majority of the Church for over 2,000 years as well.

 

What else does the Scriptures say about baptism?

Acts 22:16; And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Romans 6:3 – 5; Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Galatians 3:27; For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Deuteronomy 30:6; And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

Colossians 2:11 – 12; In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Baptism is not man’s work, it is God’s work.

 

So, what does baptism do? It admits the recipient into the Church, bestows upon him the forgiveness of sins, through the Blood of Christ, and causes in him a spiritual change called Regeneration, delivers from death and the devil, and confers everlasting salvation on all who believe, as the Word and promise of God declare. It is not the water indeed that produces these effects, but the Word of God which accompanies and is connected with the water, and our faith, which relies on the Word of God connected with the water. For the water, without the Word of God, is simply water and no baptism.

 

You have heard the Gospel. That the Lord Jesus Christ; died for your sins, was buried and that He rose the third day from the dead, all according to the Scriptures. And you have believed the Gospel that you have heard. Now you must repent. That can be done by simply praying the following prayer with all your heart and meaning every word you say.

 

“Heavenly Father,

I come to You in the Name of Jesus.

I believe the Gospel with all my heart.

I believe with all my heart that the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified and died for my sins on the cross, was buried and rose the third day from the dead as the scriptures say.

I admit that I am a sinner and I confess that I have sinned against you,

I am truly sorry and I humbly repent.

I repent of my sins and I renounce the devil and all his works.

Because of my faith in Your Word I will be baptized, so that my sins may be washed away, and that I may be placed in the Body of Christ as one of Your children.

I ask that You lead me, protect me and guide me all the days of my life.

In Jesus Name I pray.

Amen”

 

Now what you need to do is find a Christian minister to baptize you. Baptism is administered by immersion in or a three-fold pouring with water on the head, with the words, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." If you live in a country where it may be hard to find a Christian minister then you may have someone do the following for you.

 

The person baptizing pours water on the head in such a way that it will flow on the skin, and, while the water is being poured, must pronounce these words audibly (out loud): “I baptize you in the name of the Father (pour), and of the Son (pour), and of the Holy Ghost (pour)”. The same person who pours the water must pronounce the words.

 

Now that you have been saved, the following steps will help you in your new Christian life.

 

Ø  Read your Bible everyday to get to know the Lord better.

Ø  Talk to God everyday in prayer.

Ø Tell others about the Lord and as His representative in a needy world demonstrate His love by your new life of love and concern for others.

Ø  Worship, fellowship and serve with other Christians in a church where the Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of God is preached and honored and the sacraments are offered.

 

 

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Luke 6:46

 

 

 

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