WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

TEXT:
(Acts 16:25-34 KJV) "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. {26} And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. {27} And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. {28} But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. {29} Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, {30} And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? {31} And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. {32} And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. {33} And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. {34} And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house."

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

It is sad that preachers and teachers are giving honest truth-seeking people Varied and Different answers to this question all across the land. Answers range from Doing Penance, Self-Sacrifice, Self Denial, Going through Various and Tortuous Rituals, Practicing Celibacy, Refraining from certain Foods, to nothing more than just Laying your Hand on the Radio or Praying a Sinner's Prayer. Some people would tell you that you Can't be saved, and others that Everybody will be saved. Some say that salvation depends upon your move, and others say that you can only wait for God to move. The Idea that we must Wait for God to Move logically led to the "Mourner's Bench" setup, where the convicted sinner in desire of salvation would mourn and plead with God to save him.

TOO IMPORTANT AN ISSUE TO PASS OFF

Some in disgust have simply passed off the idea of being saved as an illusive dream. But our eternal destiny is too important to give up on so easily!

SEARCH FOR THE ANSWER

Today we want to search for the Scriptural and correct answer for our question, What must I do to be saved?

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE QUESTIONS WE RAISED?

1. WILL ALL PEOPLE BE SAVED? We know they won't, because Jesus talked of a broad way leading to destruction through which many would pass (Matt.7:14).

2. WILL NO ONE BE SAVED? We again know that is not true, because Jesus said (Luke 13:29 KJV) "And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God."

3. WILL DOING PENANCE, SELF-DENIAL AND SELF-SACRIFICE BRING ABOUT SALVATION? Not according to the Bible. That would be salvation be our own achievement, our own good works--and the Bible clearly rules this out: (Isa 64:6 KJV) "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." And again: (Eph 2:8-9 KJV) "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."

4. SOME HAVE SAID THERE IS NOTHING A MAN CAN DO TO SAVE HIMSELF. IS THIS TRUE? Yes, in a way, it is. If we could have saved ourselves, then there would have been no need of Jesus coming, suffering and dying on the cross for us. From the human standpoint, salvation is beyond our reach. As the Psalmist put it: (Psa 49:6-8 KJV) "They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; {7} None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: {8} (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)"

But then, in another way, it is not true. It is true that nothing we could do would accomplish our salvation. If we are ever to be saved, it must be the Lord's doing. (Titus 3:5-7 KJV) " Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; {6} Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; {7} That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Or, again, (2 Tim 1:9 KJV) "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 even though it is true that we cannot save ourselves, and we are dependent on the Lord to save us, THERE IS STILL SOMETHING WE CAN DO, IN THAT IT IS UP TO US TO BRING OURSELVES INTO A SAVING RELATIONSHIP TO THE LORD. Heb. 5:9 declares of Jesus, "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." This is what so many have so much trouble seeing. Even though we cannot effect our own salvation, there is definitely something for us to do in coming to a saving relationship with the Lord: Phil.2:12, "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

And again, (Mat 11:28-29 KJV) "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. {29} Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

(John 5:40 KJV) "And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."

(Rev 3:20 KJV) "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

The best chapter I know to answer this question is Romans chapter ten.

And what does it say?

1. It is not enough to have zeal, that zeal must be directed in the right way; (Rom 10:2,3 KJV) "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God's Righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

2. It is not by self-righteousness: (Rom 10:4 KJV) "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."

3. We don't have to do the impossible part, for the Lord has already done that for us: (Rom 10:6-10 KJV) "But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) {7} Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) {8} But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; {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. {10} For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

4. It says we must hear and believe the gospel: (Rom 10:14-15 KJV) "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? {15} And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Rom 10:17 KJV) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

5. It says we need to obey the gospel: (Rom 10:16 KJV) "But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?" (A living faith is a faith that will be obedient. Failure to obey signifies a failure to believe, (James 2:26 KJV) "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

Obeying the gospel is the way we come to the Lord for salvation: (Heb 5:9 KJV) "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him."

Obeying the Gospel involves Repenting. We cannot be saved from sin while continuing to live in sin. That means we much turn from sin, or Repent. (Acts 3:19 KJV) "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."

Obeying the Gospel involves submitting to Baptism in the name of the Lord. (Acts 2:37-41 KJV) "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? {38} 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. {39} 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. {40} And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. {41} Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."

And it is in Baptism that we are calling on the name of the Lord for salvation. (Acts 22:16 KJV) "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."

(Rev 3:20 KJV) "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."