Are You
Saved? Do You Want To Be?
In
a recent survey, more than 90 percent of Americans answered YES to the first
question? Clearly, most people think heaven will be their final dwelling place.
This is also demonstrated by the fact that we seldom hear any comments at
funerals, except those placing the deceased in heaven, no matter how sinful a
life they have lived. Often even those who have shown no faith in God, or
attended any type of church, are preached into heaven.
But
salvation in heaven is a biblical subject. The statements of men cannot alter
the rules of God concerning it because only God can offer salvation. Heaven is
His domain, and He will determine who dwells there. With this in mind, let us
explore what the Bible says about God, His home in heaven, and who can expect
to go there.
Does God
Want You To Be Saved?
The
answer is an unequivocal YES. Peter said, "The Lord is not slack
concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to
us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance" (I Pet 3:9). John wrote: "For God so loved the world that
he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to
condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved" (John
3:16-17). And Timothy was told, "For this is good and acceptable in the
sight of God our Savior; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto
the knowledge of the truth" (I Tim 2:4).
God
desires the salvation of His creation and has provided the perfect sacrifice
for sin.
Do You
Want To Be Saved?
God
wants all men to be saved, but that is not the end of the story. To receive the
promised salvation, we must individually desire it. Amos admonished Israel to
"seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of
death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for
the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The
LORD is his name" (Amos 5:8). Paul wrote, "But without faith it is
impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb 11:6).
Jesus taught that man should "seek first the kingdom of God" instead
being overly concerned about food, drink and clothing (Matt. 6:31-33).
Notice
where the priority is placed for those who want salvation.
Ø
We must seek God.
Ø
We must seek Him
first.
Ø
We must seek Him
diligently.
Put your service to God on the backburner, and you will be burned. "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (I Pet 4:17-18)
What
Must I Do To Be Saved?
This
is a good question to ask, especially in view of various answers concocted by
man. The jailor in Philippi asked it when he realized the power of God (Acts
16:30), as did those present when Peter and the other apostles preached on the
Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:37). In both cases the questioners realized that God
was displeased with their sins and that they had to do something to rectify the
situation.
Only
God could answer the question correctly. This is what He said:
WE MUST BELIEVE IN
GOD AND HIS SON, JESUS
In
the two cases mentioned above, we have believers in God and a non-believer.
Those present on Pentecost already believed in God; that is the very reason they
were in Jerusalem at the time. They did not believe in Jesus as the Messiah.
The
jailor was probably a Gentile, thus a non-believer. The jailor was told,
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house
(Acts 16:31).
The
following scriptures further enforce faith, as a prerequisite to salvation:
Ø
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 5:1).
Ø
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: it is the gift of God (Eph 2:8).
Ø
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for
he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him. (Heb 11:6).
Ø
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer:
behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and
ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will
give thee a crown of life (Rev. 2:10).
Other
scriptures also show the necessity of faith, but these will suffice.
WE MUST REPENT OF
OUR SINS
Most
people would not question the necessity of faith, but
many want to stop there, making it the only answer to the question about
what we must do to be saved. This doctrine is comforting and easy to obey, but
it is not biblically correct. Remember, if we seek salvation it must be on
God's terms, not man’s (Matt 15:9). Other actions are required to receive a
home in heaven.
Repentance
is one of those actions, as the gospel writer Luke makes clear. "Now
after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the
gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, the time is fulfilled, and the
kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Luke
1:14-15). Vine's Expository
Dictionary of New Testament Words says of the word repentance, "In the
[New Testament], the subject chiefly has reference to ‘repentance’ from sin,
and this change of mind involves both a turning from sin and a turning to God.
Christ began His ministry with a call to ‘repentance,’ Matt. 4:17, but the call
is addressed, not as in the [Old Testament] to the nation but to the
individual."
A
good example of repentance is found in Matt. 21:28-32, which reads: "But
what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said,
Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but
afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise.
And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did
the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them,
Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom
of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye
believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when
ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him."
Other
examples include:
Ø
The story of the
prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32).
Ø
The godly sorry that
caused a reversal of attitude in the church at Corinth (II Cor.7:9-10).
Ø
The Pharisees and
Sadducees who were told to "bring forth therefore fruits meet for
repentance"(Matt. 3:8).
Ø
Jesus’ teaching that
"except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:1-5).
Ø
The answer to the
question asked by those on Pentecost: "Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).
Obviously,
one cannot expect to receive the reward of heaven unless he not only has faith
in God and Jesus but allows that faith to cause repentance from a sinful life.
WE MUST CONFESS
JESUS
Jesus is the promised Messiah, prophesied in the Old Testament. Jesus is the Savior. Jesus is king of kings and Lord
of lords. Jesus is the only hope that anyone has to enter heaven because his blood atoned for the sins of all nations.
"Neither by the blood of
goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place,
having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of
goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the
purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through
the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God" (Heb 9:12-14).
Ø
Being willing to
confess Jesus is a requirement of salvation. "Whosoever
therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father
which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also
deny before my Father which is in heaven (Matt. 10:32-33)."
Ø
Confession with the
mouth demonstrates the faith that is in the heart. "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. For with the
heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation" (Rom 10:9-10).
Ø
Jesus’ name is
exalted above all names and must be confessed. "And
being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto
death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,
and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the
earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father" (Philip. 2:8-11).
When the apostles
preached the gospel, some believed. Their faith caused them to change (repent)
from the life they had lived to one directed by the word of truth. They openly
made their faith in Christ known by confessing him with the mouth (Acts 8:37).
WE MUST BE BAPTIZED
The
necessity of baptism for salvation is one of the most
clearly taught doctrines in scripture. Many accept the scriptures’ teaching on
faith, repentance and confession but refuse to accept the necessity of baptism.
Please
notice the following facts about baptism.
Ø
Jesus commanded it
(Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16)
Ø
Those who asked on
Pentecost what they had to do to be saved were told to be baptized (Acts
2:38-41).
Ø
Every example of
conversion in the book of Acts includes baptism.
Ø
Paul taught it (Acts
19:3-5; Rom 6:3-4; I Cor 12:13; Gal 3:27; Col 2:12)
Ø
Peter said it saves
us (I Pet 3:21).
If
your desire is to serve God, and the Son who died on a cross for all men, why
refuse to obey one of their most emphatic commands? To make it as simple as
possible, if you want to obey God and receive the promised salvation, you will
not object to doing what he asks.
It
may not be within your reasoning to understand why He has commanded such, but
the one who loves God never questions his commands, he just obeys them.
Here
are some other important things to know about baptism:
Ø
It is immersion in
water, a burial (Rom 6:4; Col 2:12). Sprinkling and pouring are additions of
men.
Ø
A subject of
baptism is one who is capable of believing and repenting (Acts 2:38; 8:36-38;
Mark 16:16).
Ø
It is not water
salvation; t is not the washing of the flesh; it is the act of a good conscience
toward God (I Pet 3:21).
Ø
It is not salvation
by works of man. God is
performing the work (Col 2:12).
Ø
It is necessary to
unite with Christ (Rom 6:3; Gal 3:27).
Ø
There is only one
baptism (Eph 4:5). Other baptisms
are mentioned in the bible but for a specific purpose.
(If you want to study
some objections of men to the necessity of baptism, follow this link.)
WE MUST BE FAITHFUL
UNTO DEATH
The
crown of life is only promised to those who live a faithful life (Rev. 2:10).
When we commit our lives to God, He expects us to follow His commands. To the
Corinthians, Paul pointed out that "circumcision is nothing, and
uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God” (I Cor
7:19). The promise of the tree of life is to those who keep the commandments of
God (Rev 22:14).
Notice a few more scriptural points proving the necessity for continued faithfulness:
Ø
Those who substitute
men's traditions and commandments worship in vain (Mark 7:6-13).
Ø
Man can know God's
commandments and turn from them (II Pet 2:21).
Ø
Christ is the author
of salvation to those who obey him (Heb 5:8-9).
Ø
Christ will return
to punish all who do not obey (II Thess 1:8-10).
Ø
Making a profession
of righteousness is not faithfulness (Matt. 7:21-23).
Ø
The consequence of
unrighteousness is the indignation and wrath of God (Rom 2:8-9).
Ø
Judgment for wrong will
be without respect of persons (Col 3:25).
What
is the conclusion of the aforementioned scriptures? Simply stated, God has requirements that those who desire salvation must
meet. We cannot ignore His
commandments and then expect salvation. The scriptures, both Old and New
testaments, contain many examples of those who expected salvation while
disobeying God's commandments. There are no examples of their success but many
examples of their failure -- and punishment.
God
has been very specific about what He requires of man. Do you want to be saved?
If you do, strict obedience to His commands is necessary.
Jack Glover
07/11/2004
The woman saith unto him,
I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will
tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he (John
4:23-26).
One of the two which
heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first
findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, we have found the Messias,
which is, being interpreted, the Christ (John 1:40-41).
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And we have seen and do
testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whosoever
shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God
(I John 4:14).
But grow in grace, and in
the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and
for ever. Amen (II Peter 3:18).
Who hath saved us, and
called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world
began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ,
who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light
through the gospel (II Tim. 1:10).
For unto you is born this
day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).
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That thou keep this
commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus
Christ: Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only
Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords (I Tim. 6:15).
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Forasmuch as ye know that
ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your
vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the
precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (I
Peter 1:18-19).
But if we walk in the
light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the
blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin (I John 1:7).
Who hath delivered us
from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear
Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins
(Col 1:13-14).
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Then Peter said unto
them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for
the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the
promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even
as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he
testify and exhort, saying, save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then
they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were
added unto them (Acts 2:38-41).
But when they believed
Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of
Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself
believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and
wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done (Acts 8:12-13).
And as they went on their
way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water;
what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all
thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went
down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him (Acts 8:36-38).
And as they went on their
way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water;
what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all
thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went
down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him (Acts 9:18-20).
Can any man forbid water,
that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well
as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then
prayed they him to tarry certain days (Acts 10:47-
48).
And a certain woman named
Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard
us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were
spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us,
saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house,
and abide there. And she constrained us (Acts
16:14-16).
And brought them out, and
said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him
the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the
same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all
his, straightway (Acts 16:30-33).
And Crispus, the chief
ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of
the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized (Acts
18:8).
Then said Paul, John
verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that
they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ
Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:4-5).
For thou shalt be his
witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And now why tarriest
thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of
the Lord (Acts 22:15-16).
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 (Matt. 28:19-20).
And he said unto them, Go
ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be
damned (Mark 16:15-16).
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 (Rom. 6:3-4).
For as many of you as
have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Gal.
3:27).
There is one body, and
one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one
faith, one baptism (Eph. 4:4-5).
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 (Col.
2:12).