What must I do to be saved?
We all have our share of trouble and suffering. The root of all our misery is sin, because it separates us from God and brings upon us His displeasure. Moreover, Judgement Day is approaching and sinners are in danger of everlasting fire in Hell.
Various religions promise deliverance and life. However, we are not interested in human opinions, because Scripture warns us that: “the world by wisdom knew not God.†Rather, we should seek God's message, recorded for us in His book, the Holy Bible. We are convinced that by the Scripture we can arrive at a sound knowledge of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15).
This article briefly explains God's plan of salvation. Read it attentively and pray for illumination. Only the Lord Jesus is able to open your mind to understand His Word. Don't give rest to your soul before you are able to answer correctly this vital question: “What must I do to be saved?â€
Our Problem
Many people act as if they have no need of salvation. They seem satisfied as they are. This is utter folly. One may be healthy, intelligent, and have wealth and friends. All these things come to an end. Your heart will find no rest before you come to know God personally. In Him alone is the fullness of joy. We all need to be saved for the simple reason that we are all sinners. Every one of us is burdened with a double-edged problem: bad conduct, and a bad heart.
1. Bad Conduct
God is the Creator and Lord of all things. Since He created us and is keeping us alive, we are under obligation to love Him with all our hearts, to obey and worship Him. But from the beginning we have rebelled against His rule and acted according to our whims.
Offences such as lying and stealing are not directed merely against man. Above all, we defy God, saying, in effect: “Though I know what is right in Your sight, I willfully disregard You. I do whatever I want to do and I shall not submit to Your commandments!â€
We tend to minimize sin and imagine that we aren't so bad after all. Ultimately, though, we cannot mock God. “After thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.†(Romans 2:5)
Please be honest with yourself before God. Are you concerned about your evil moral record? You are guilty of every lewd word, every blasphemy, the gossip and deceit that came out of your mouth. Aren't you ashamed to draw near the Holy One besmirched with immorality and filthiness? Search your conscience thoroughly; remember your past evil and the sins that you continue to hold in your heart. You are accountable for all you've done and said. You are held responsible, not by me or any mere human being, but by God, the Judge of the world.
The sword of justice is hanging over your head. When God so desires, you will be summoned to appear before His tribunal to give an account of all your actions. And without His salvation, you will be condemned to everlasting punishment in Hell.
2. A Bad Heart
Besides our sinful conduct, we have to face another problem: we have a bad heart. We are miserable because of what we are as well as what we do. Adam, the first man, was created righteous and holy, but as soon as he fell into sin, he became a sinner. And just as a seed from a bad tree sprouts into a similar bad tree, even so we, the descendants of Adam, are conceived in sin. “By one man's disobedience many were made sinners.†(Romans 5:19)
The Lord Jesus referred to our corrupt heart. He said: “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.†(Mark 7:21-22) The human heart is the wellspring out of which is drawn out the filth that pollutes us. Note well that Jesus didn't say: “For from without, from the pressures of society and from a defective upbringing, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications and so forth.†Modern psychology assumes that man is basically good at heart, but our Master pinpoints the human heart as the source of our evil. “For from within, out of the heart of men,†come all sort of sins and iniquity.
We may congratulate ourselves for the “good†deeds that we do. But we need to realize that even the apparently noble actions of an unsaved person proceed from an evil heart. Scripture warns us: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.†(Jeremiah 17:9) What do you expect to come out of a corrupt heart? Good or bad deeds? Jesus answered: “Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?†Surely not!
Do not suppose then that you are able to please God. Do not imagine that you have the strength within yourself, if you will, to turn from your sin to obey God. Just as the earthworm hides away from the light and burrows deep in the darkness of the ground, even so the sinner flees from the brightness of the glory of God's majesty. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.†(Romans 3:10-11) You will never come to Christ for salvation unless God draws you by His grace. “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.†(John 6:44)
I won't be surprised if you reject these overwhelming truths. You may say: “I'm not that bad!†You may protest: “Admittedly, I make a few mistakes, but to say that I deserve Hell is ridiculous. Neither do I believe that I have a bad heart. I am a good person. If I will, I am able to obey God.†Such language verifies the darkness and deception of the heart. Whoever speaks that way is not refuting a human opinion, but the judgement of God upon him.
Friend, what do you think about yourself? Are you guilty or not? Are you good or evil? I hope that God will give you the grace to be honest with yourself. You are completely dependent on God to give you a new heart and to forgive you your debt.
False Hopes
The Gospel is good news for the sinner: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.†(1 Timothy 1:15) But before we speak of Christ's redemption, we need to be warned about certain alleys that promise life, but in fact lead to perdition.
1. Not by the Law
A good number of people expect to be saved because they do their utmost to obey God's commandments and perform good works. I have asked several persons the following question: “When you appear before God, why do you think He should allow you to enter Heaven?†In almost every case, I got the same answer: “Because I try to obey the commandments and help my neighbour. The important thing is that you live a good life.â€
If it were possible for us to be saved by our own efforts, why did Christ come into the world? Why did He suffer and die? If it were possible for us to become righteous by our personal obedience to God's Law, then Christ died in vain!
The commandments cannot save us for the simple reason that we do not obey them as we should. On the contrary, the broken commandments testify that we are guilty sinners. Scripture warns us that nobody will be accounted as righteous in God's sight by the deeds of the Law. The Law only makes us aware of our sinfulness. (Galatians 3:21-22) Like a mirror, the Law reveals the dirty face, but it cannot clean it. If you desire cleansing from your sins, you must look elsewhere. Redemption cannot be obtained from mount Sinai. Forgiveness is only found on Calvary.
2. Not by Works
Our good works cannot qualify us for salvation. We cannot make amends for our evildoing by trying to balance it with good deeds. Our moral debt cannot be paid by doing good works, by penances or by performing religious rituals. Scripture teaches that the wages of sin is death, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. ((Romans 6:23; Hebrews 9:22)
Besides, Scripture states that the children of God are saved by His grace and not by their own good deeds. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8)
Many people entertain wrong ideas about the grace of God. They think that they merit grace by something they do.
Now, if we can obtain salvation by the merit of our own moral attainments, God would be indebted to us, for “to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.†(Romans 4:4) But God is indebted to nobody. God saves the sinner, not on account of human merit, but simply because He chooses to be good and kind. Salvation is a free gift. If you had to pay for a gift, it would not be a gift at all. Thank God, salvation is a gift of grace, and the Christian is always boasting about the goodness of God.
I often encounter this objection: “If this is so, then I need not do any good and I can be saved just the same.†But such reasoning is fallacious. It only shows that the Gospel is not yet understood as it should be. The children of the heavenly kingdom are saved “not by works,†but “for good works.†(See Ephesians 2:8-10) Good works are the purpose, and not the cause, of salvation. God first saves a person and gives him a new heart that naturally produces much fruit for His glory.
To illustrate: two men give ten dollars to charity. It appears that both did the same deed, but their motives were totally different. The first did so, thinking he would obtain merit for salvation. The second knew how much God loves him and therefore he willingly helps others. The first one is a Pharisee; the second one is a child of God.
3. No Other Name
Without hesitation the apostle Peter claims that Jesus Christ is the only Savior: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.†(Acts 4:12)
Sadly, many Catholics behave as if they are not content with Christ alone. They also call upon the name of Mary or one of the saints. Now Mary is the mother of our Lord according to the flesh, and all generations will call her blessed. But Mary is not the savior or the mediator. Mary did not die on the cross in atonement for our sins. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all.†(1 Timothy 2:5-6).
I appeal to all the devotees of Mary to take heed to the Word of God. You cannot invoke the name of Jesus and the name of Mary for your soul's salvation. There is only one name through which we may be saved: the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Certainly we are meant to follow Mary's example, and like her to trust in the Lord God for our salvation. Then with her we will be able to sing: “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.†(Luke 1:46-47)]
The Lord Jesus Christ
“What must I do to be saved?†Scripture gives this answer: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.†(Acts 16:30-31) Christ invites sinners: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.†(Matthew 11:28)
Who is Jesus? What special work has he accomplished so that I should entrust myself to Him for my salvation? Why should the sinner flee unto Him? Scripture gives us a number of valid reasons.
1. Come to Jesus Because He Is the Christ
When man rebelled against the Creator, God promised him the Deliverer (the Messiah, or the Christ) and at the appointed time, He sent His only-begotten Son to this earth. Jesus fulfilled the prophecies that were written about Him centuries before His birth. He came from the seed of Abraham and king David; He was born of a virgin in the town of Bethlehem; at His crucifixion, His hands and feet were pierced; He was buried in a rich man's grave; and He was resurrected from the dead. To confirm His mission, Jesus performed countless miracles. He healed all types of diseases. He restored sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and health to paralytics. He even called the dead back to life. When asked if He were the Christ, Jesus responded: “The works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.â€( John 5:36) Jesus of Nazareth is definitely and doubtlessly the Christ, the Savior sent down from Heaven.
2. Come to Jesus Because He Is the Eternal Son of God, the Lord of Glory
He was with the Father and the Holy Spirit from all eternity, and like the other two persons of the Trinity, Jesus has all authority, knows all things, is everywhere present, and gives life to whom He desires. Everything was made by Him, and He holds all things by His powerful word. The Lord Jesus rules over all creation as Lord of lords, and King of kings.
When He walked among us, Jesus confessed: “I and the Father are one.†His hearers understood Him perfectly. They retorted: “Thou, being a man, makest thyself God.†(John 10:29-39) They supposed He was blaspheming and accordingly pursued Him to His death. Others believed Him and worshiped Him. They lived and died for Him. Come to Him, then, to adore and obey Him forever.
3. Come to Jesus Because He Is the Lamb of God Who Takes Away the Sin of the World
For long centuries God taught His people that the way of reconciliation is bespattered with blood. The thousands and thousands of animals slain during the Old Testament are a vivid testimony that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.
Obviously these sacrifices of lambs and calves were a picture of Christ, the Lamb of God, who for us, and for our salvation, became man by the power of the Holy Spirit and was born of the virgin Mary. He came to give His life as a ransom for many. Jesus became personally responsible for the sins of His people. He paid for their sins once for all on the cross of Calvary.
“He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.†(Isaiah 53:5-6)
Can you claim with conviction that “Christ died for me� It would be nonsense to say that Christ died for your benefit and at the same time continue in bondage to a sinful lifestyle. Again, it would be illogical to say that Christ died for your salvation and at the same time not to trust in Him alone. Jesus came to give His life for His sheep, that is, for those who hear His voice and follow Him. He died for their sake alone; to them alone He grants eternal life.
4. Come to Jesus Because He Is the High Priest Appointed by God
During the Old Testament, the Jewish people had the temple in their midst, yet they were not allowed to come into the holy presence of God. They were in need of the priests who served as intermediaries between them and God.
This also is a picture of spiritual truth. God does not dwell in temples made with hands; His throne is in Heaven. Neither can a human priest, who is himself a sinner, intercede for us before God. But Christ is the perfect priest who entered Heaven to intercede for His people on the merits of His shed blood.
“This man [Jesus], because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.†(Hebrews 7:24-25)
Again, Christ does not intercede for all and sundry. Christ prays only for those given to Him by the Father. “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.†(John 17:9) I do not point this out to discourage you, but to have you surrender every false hope. Come to God through this unique Priest; then you will know that you have an Advocate before the Father in Heaven.
5. Come to Jesus, Because He Who Once Humbled Himself unto the Death of a Cross, Is Now Risen from the Dead
If He were a fake and a liar, death would have sealed His end. But Christ rose from the grave, victorious over Satan, sin and death. The apostles and many others testify that they saw Him alive after His passion. The Holy Spirit confirmed their witness by granting them the power to perform signs and wonders, as recorded in the pages of the New Testament. Everything He had taught is true: He is the Christ, the Deliverer sent down from Heaven, the only begotten of the Father, and therefore equal with the Father. The redemption wrought on Calvary is complete and finished; His sacrifice is accepted by God the Father.
Christ died once, and now He lives forever and ever. I am not urging you to believe in an ideal, a philosophical system, or a religion. I'm extending an earnest invitation: “Come to a living Savior!â€
6. Come To Jesus Because He Is Good And Merciful
When He lived among us, He welcomed all who came to Him: children, old men, women, the rich and poor, the wise and the ignorant. He warmly received the rejected sinner, the outcast of society. They all came to Him, and He didn't turn them away. The thrilling story began to be written in the Gospel and continues to this day. Millions still come to Him and they testify that the Lord Jesus embraced them in his loving arms. His promise is true to you as well: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.†(John 6:37)
7. Come to Jesus…Because He Is Coming Again
The first time He came in humility, in poverty and weakness. Christ will one day come back to earth in power and great glory. When He is revealed from Heaven, who will He be for you? Will He be the angry Judge who will condemn you to go away from Him to suffer everlasting punishment in Hell? Or will He be your Savior and your everlasting joy? It depends on whether you had responded to His call to turn to Him.
Coming to Christ
To receive forgiveness and eternal life from the Lord Jesus, you need to repent and trust in Him. It would be vain to simply admit your guilt if you do not repent. Again, it would be pointless to know about the love and power of Christ if you do not rely on Him. The message of the Gospel is: “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.†(Acts 20:21)
Genuine repentance is conceived in a broken heart. You have every reason to be sorrowful considering how often you have challenged God by your sinful deeds. You ought to admit before Him that He is right to condemn you, and that you deserve the punishment of Hell. Yet repentance is much more than sorrow. Repentance is forsaking your sinful will and committing yourself to follow Christ as your Lord. The prodigal son arose and abandoned his reckless, sinful life. He wended his way back to his father. Like him, come back home to serve the Lord God all the days of your life. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.†(Isaiah 55:7)
Repent, and believe in Christ. True faith is a wholehearted trust in the Lord Jesus. Take heart and go to Him, now. Don't try to present your own merits. Instead, go to Him just as you are, with all your guilt and shame. Call upon His name and ask for mercy. Ask Him to forgive you on account of the blood that He shed on the cross. If you genuinely trust in Him alone, you will be able to pray: “Lord Jesus, you, and you alone, are my Savior. I have no faith in myself or in anyone else. You alone are my only hope.â€
Are you burdened by your sins? Do you realize that you can never find deliverance by your own strength? Abandon, then, all hope in yourself; but do not turn away from the God of mercy. Come to Christ. Come with a repentant heart, trusting in Him exclusively. As you do so, you will find rest for your soul. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart any more.
Jesus is calling to you: “Come to Me!â€
A Personal Word to the Reader
You may still have doubts and questions about the way of salvation. I encourage you to keep praying and searching the Scriptures. I am willing to help you the best way I can. So please don't hesitate to write and discuss any questions.
Perhaps, you now understand the Gospel, and the Lord has granted you repentance and faith in Christ Jesus. Now you don't depend on anything you do, your own goodness, any saint or religion. Now you rely by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is your one and only Savior. I rejoice with you and praise God for his grace.
This is the beginning of an exciting journey, and the end is even better: Heaven! Your desire is to follow the Lord and to glorify Him. The Christian life is not a bed of roses. Yes, He gives joy unspeakable, but His wise providence will also lead you through much sorrow and pain. That is the way we mature.
May I encourage you to daily read the Bible with an attitude of reverence. God is speaking to you! Listen well!
And pray to our heavenly Father. Go to a private place, and open your heart to God. Thank and praise Him. Confess your sins and pray for yourself and others.
Also, you want to join with a Bible-believing local assembly of Christians. We are members of a body, the church, and we need each other. The Lord wants you to be baptized in the name the Triune God, and thereafter to partake of the bread and wine to remember his sacrifice for us. The teaching and preaching of the Word is invaluable for every Christian to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon you, and give you peace.