Salvation
How are we saved? What do the scriptures teach? Why is there such confusion about what we need to know and obey in order to be acceptable to God? Some people will tell you to pray to God that you'll be saved. Others tell you to simply believe and Jesus will save you. There are some who say that no matter what you do or don't do, you are saved. Which is it?
Paul wrote by inspiration in Ephesians 4:4-6 that "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." Does this mean that all faiths and doctrines are acceptable to God?
Jesus taught in John 14 that there is only one way to God, and that is through Him. When Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, he said in Acts 4:12 that "there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." The Bible clearly teaches how one is saved through Jesus Christ.
Hearing the word
Romans 10:17 - "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Matthew 13:9 - "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
Believing the word
John 8:24 - "for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins"
John 3:18 - "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Hebrews 11:6 - "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
Does belief guarantee salvation? James 2:19-20 - "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?" Belief leads to obedience to God's commandments! See Hebrews 11...
Repenting of our sins
Acts 17:30 - "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent"
Acts 3:19 - "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out"
Confessing Jesus Christ
Acts 8:36-37 - "Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" 37 Then Philip said, 'If you believe with all your heart, you may.' And he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'"
Matthew 10:32 - "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven."
Being Baptized into Jesus Christ
Mark 16:16 - "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."
John 3:5 - "Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.'"
Acts 2:38 - "Then Peter said to them, '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.'"
Romans 6:3-4 - "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
Being faithful unto death
Philippians 3:12-15 - "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Revelation 2:10 - "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."
Hebrews 4:11 - "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience."
Do you have questions about these or other subjects? Please let us know and we would be happy to discuss them with you at your convenience.
Some people have said, "You all from the church of Christ believe that you're the only ones that will be saved." To that we say that only those who obey the will of God will be saved.
Matthew 7:21 - "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."
