How Does One Become a Christian?

Do you really want to be a Christian? If so, it is a very simple procedure, and yet there is much confusion as to how in the world today. One popular church discipline says that the doctrine of Faith only is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort. But listen to what the Bible says, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). There’s quite a difference in the two. There is no question whatsoever that salvation is by faith, all admit that. The question is, IS SALVATION BY FAITH ONLY? To answer that question, we must define faith. What kind are you talking about? Are you saved by a vain faith? Are you saved by a dead faith? Are you saved by an active faith? Isn’t it noteworthy that in the book of conversions (Acts), that each person saved was saved when their faith led them to be baptized. There was never a saved person in the New Testament dispensation who had not been baptized. Baptism was then, and is now, the consummating act that puts one into Christ. In fact, the Galatian letter tells us just that. “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27).

How do we gain faith? The Bible answers that question in Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” For an example of grace, faith, and works read Joshua, chapter 6 and 2 Kings 5. You will gain a clear understanding of how these three ties together. The first two things that every soul must do is to hear about God and the gospel of Christ, and then believe God and the teaching of Christ and the inspired apostles as they direct us in what we must do in order to gain salvation.

Repent or Perish

Surely people do not think when they say that faith alone will save, that this is really true. If so, this would mean we would be saved while in sin, for it would mean they could be saved without repenting. Repentance is a change of heart, determining to change our life. Can a person be saved without a change of heart or mind? The very idea of conversion demands it. Then if repentance is necessary, then salvation is not by faith only. There are three specifics necessary to remission of sins and becoming a child of God. Faith is necessary. This is the mental assent of mind, or faith in the savior, a deep trust. Then there is repenting, or turning away from sin and turning to God. Jesus said, “unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). The process of salvation is climaxed by the faithful act of baptism which Paul says in Galatians 3:27 puts us INTO Christ. Therefore, faith alone is not enough. James said the demons believed (James 2:19). Will the demons be saved? We should all agree that the Bible says no!

Confession

If you came to me and demanded to be baptized, I would ask you a simple question. “Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?” I would not ask: “Do you believe that God for Christ’s sake has pardoned your sins?” I would not because I find no such command or example in the Bible. But over in Acts, chapter 8, I do note that the Eunuch demanded baptism after hearing Jesus preached to him. What did Philip say when the Eunuch asked? “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Then what happened? The next verse of scripture says, “So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.” An important point here is that Philip and the eunuch went down INTO the water. That eliminates sprinkling and pouring because Bible baptism is immersion.

The reason I would not ask if one believed that God for Christ’s sake had pardoned his sin, is that pardon comes, not when one believes, but when one is baptized unto the remission of sins (Read Acts 2:38). But if we confess Christ as Lord, we are saying that He is the Son of God and is the master of my life, and if one believes that, baptism is no problem. Confession of faith is outward profession of the inward trust one has in Christ.

Baptism

Believing in Christ is so very important because if one truly believes in Jesus, then they will have no problem keeping the commandments of Jesus. Baptism is a commandment of Jesus. It is a commandment not to the Christian to be baptized but to the alien sinner. Cornelius, an alien, though he was a good moral man, was commanded to be baptized in Acts 10:48.

Is baptism really commanded? Listen to what the Bible says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16); “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38); “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us" (1 Peter 3:21); “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19); “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:16). These scriptures are but a few from the Word of God that clearly shows that faith must be accompanied with action on our part. Baptism is necessary for remission of sins and the hope of everlasting life. Have you been baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of your sins?

The Gift of Pardon

When one is guilty of a crime that leads to punishment because of an offense committed – no sweeter words could be heard than the words “You’re Pardoned.” Pardon is defined as defined: “the action of forgiving or being forgiven for an error or offense.”

Every person is guilty of sin and unless we are pardoned from sin then we will end up in eternal punishment, with no hope of freedom! Therefore, it is important that we take advantage of God’s grace to man. God has promised us a full pardon for our sins IF we will simply do His will. His will is for us to be baptized and to live faithfully.

When we are baptized, only then can we be pardoned from sin and gain salvation. Remission of sins and Salvation is ALWAYS mentioned AFTER baptism. “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” Mark 1:4). ”And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Luke 3:3).

We should all be able to see from the Bible that baptism equals “pardon,” which equals salvation when one continues to be faithful until death (Revelation 2:10). Please seriously think about what God wants us to do in order to be pardoned and gain salvation from these passages of scripture:

Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

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.

Acts 22:16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'

1 Peter 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

The Bible is very plain in its instruction for us. It is up to us to obey God and accept His terms of “pardon” in order to have everlasting life with Him!

Obtaining Salvation in Christ

In the book of Acts we read, “Repent you therefore, and be converted that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3: 19). The change in a person’s life resulting in his becoming a Christian is called in the Bible, conversion, and the Bible teaches that conversion is necessary for a person to be saved. Christ likened this change to a birth and taught Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Of the 27 books comprising the New Testament, there is one book which is particularly helpful in understanding the nature of conversion. This book is Acts of the Apostles which tells of the conversions of many different people. In Chapters 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 18, and 22 are 8 key examples of conversion and from these examples certain universal principles of conversion can be understood. Conversion is  dependent upon the acceptance of the Word of God by the sinner. Jesus said, “The seed is the Word”, and conversions mentioned in the book of Acts bear out the necessity of both the presentation of God’s word to the sinner and his acceptance of it (Romans 1:16). The presentation can be either public or private; through words either spoken or written, but their acceptance always results in belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Romans 10:17). We also read, “They believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God” (Acts 8:12), and in Acts 18:8, “And many of the Corinthians hearing, believed and were baptized.”

Faith in Jesus Christ, produced by the testimony of the Word of God leads to a change in a sinner’s attitude toward his own transgressions. With faith comes an understanding of God’s love to man. This, in turn, leads the sinner to determine to turn away from sin, for we read, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance” (Romans 2:4)? An example of this part of conversion is found in Acts 2 in response to Peter’s preaching of Christ. The Bible says, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 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” (Acts 2:36-38). This change in a person’s heart must lead to certain actions before conversion is complete. One of these actions is confession that Jesus is the Christ, for we read, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

Finally, a person must be baptized in the likeness of Christ’s death and burial (Romans 6:4), in order for God to forgive him of past sins. The Bible says, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). And we also must remember that in Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, he said that both repentance and baptism are necessary in order to receive the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Later, Peter echoed this same thought again when he said that “baptism doth also now save us” (1 Peter 3:21). When a person believes in Christ, repents of sin, confesses Christ, and is baptized into Christ for the remission of sins, he is converted. Only then has he been born of the water and of the Spirit as referred to in John 3:3-5. The Lord then adds him to the body, the Church, the Kingdom of God (Acts 2:47).

The Bible plainly teaches us that there are steps that we must take in order to obtain salvation in Jesus Christ. Hearing the word, believing in Christ, repenting of our sins, confessing Christ as being the Son of God, and being baptized for the forgiveness of our sins are the steps in which every accountable person must do in order to receive salvation. We then must be determined to live a life that is faithful to Christ, according to His teaching (Revelation 2:10; John 12:48).

 

Getting Rid of Sin

We know from the Bible that God truly hates sin. In fact, God hates sin so much that He was willing to let His Son die on the cross in order to get rid of sin. This is the love, or the mercy of God. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Without man’s faith and obedience one could never be saved. The Bible says, “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews5:8-9). We need to listen and understand that Jesus is the author of salvation TO THOSE WHO OBEY HIM. Without obedience, one cannot be saved.

If a worker comes home with dirty hands, there are several things that are needed in order to get them clean. First, he must recognize they are dirty. Without this realization he would not wash his hands. Secondly, he must have a cleansing agent. This probably is soap and water. Without this, he may never get the grease and dirt off. But then he must apply the cleansing agent. Having a whole bottle of soap, without application, he would never get his hands clean.

Christ shed His blood for sinful man. But first man must realize he is a sinner. This is the hard thing in preaching the gospel. Most people are defensive about it, saying they are pretty good folks. But in reality they know they are sinners. Next, they must have a cleansing agent, the blood of Christ. This has been provided for the taking. But without application of the blood, there is no cleansing that can take place. Wishing will not make it so. Listen to the word of God: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (Romans 6:3). Baptism is the means of application.

How does one take advantage of the sacrifice of Christ? Most Bible believers admit that it takes the blood of Christ to wash away sins, but how is this blood applied to the human heart? “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27). What does it mean to be baptized into Christ? One is baptized into the benefits of the death of Christ. What are the benefits? SALVATION. Christ died for our sins. To benefit from the blood, we must get into Christ, which means getting into a right relationship with Christ. Peter said, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). These individuals obtained forgiveness of their sins by repenting and being baptized into Christ. The same act that saves you also puts you into Christ. Baptism brings salvation, remission of sins, and puts one into Christ! Have you been baptized into Christ for the remission of sins?

Salvation

Most everyone wants to go to heaven. Most everyone thinks they are going to heaven. But the reality, based on the Bible, is that most people will NOT go to heaven and will be lost eternally. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." The word of God clearly says that only a few will gain eternal life with God. Therefore, we should be asking "what shall I do to be saved?" With that question we should also seek a truthful answer and be prepared to do God's will in response to that question according to His truth.

When we honestly consider this question, we need to understand that it is not a matter of what God, Christ, or the Holy Spirit must do. It is not a question of what others have done, what I feel, what experience must I have, what I think, or what do other religions think. Dear friend, it is a question of "what must I do?" Jesus said these words in 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” (See also Revelation 22:14; James 1:21-25). We can see from the Bible that there are certain things that must be done if we want to enjoy the salvation in Christ -- to be able to be among those "few" who really will go to heaven. Yes, the Bible clearly teaches there is something to do; and this must be done.

To Be Saved We Must.....

To be saved we must believe the gospel; we must believe in Christ (John 8:24). After believing, we must repent of all of our sins, which is a turning from the sinful things we have done in our past and be determined to live a life of godliness. “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins....” (Acts 2:38). We must then confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God as stated in Romans 10:9-10. Then we must be buried in baptism to have our sins forgiven (Acts 2:38) and to get INTO Christ (Galatians 3:26-27), where all spiritual blessings reside (see also Romans 6:1-5). Finally, we must live a life faithfully being obedient to God, making Him our first priority as we live our lives on earth. We must show others (and God) that we truly are devoted to Christ in order to receive the eternal reward (Revelation 2:10).

Simply having a knowledge of God’s Word does us absolutely no good unless we act upon that knowledge. Do we really want to go to heaven? Is it something we just talk about or are we really serious about wanting to go there? When one really is serious and has a desire to spend an eternity in comfort and joy with the Lord in heaven rather than suffer the consequences of hell's eternal fire, then one will make sure that they obey God's inspired teaching in the Bible and do what He says is required for salvation -- not what man says. The bottom line is this: When we are faced with taking our last breath on this earth -- all that matters is if we are in the right relationship with God. Today is the day we have to make sure we are ready -- we may not have a tomorrow. "For He says: "IN AN ACCEPTABLE TIME I HAVE HEARD YOU, AND IN THE DAY OF SALVATION I HAVE HELPED YOU." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2). God wants us to go to heaven. But whether we do or not is our choice. We must obey Christ now before it is everlastingly too late (Hebrews 5:9; 9:27).

 

Opportunities That Felix Had

Felix’s problem was sin; thus, his greatest need was the forgiveness of sin. Yet, he neglected God’s offer. When Felix died I am sure that he wished that he had taken his conversations with the Apostle Paul more seriously and did what was necessary in order for him to be saved. There are several things in which Felix neglected that caused him to be in a lost condition. Let's look at some.

Felix was in the right place at the right time, yet he still was not obedient to the word of God presented by Paul (Acts 24:24a).

Felix heard the Apostle Paul preach, yet he did not respond to the words that could have saved him if he would have truly listened and obeyed them (Acts 24:24b).

Felix heard a sermon adapted specifically to him, yet he did not give it the urgent need that was needed for him to gain salvation (Acts 24:25).

Felix had an emotional response to the gospel, yet as he heard Paul reason about about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, he became emotional (he was afraid). He then told Paul to "Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you." We don't have any indication that his "convenient time" ever came (Acts 24:25).

Felix had a second chance, yet still he did not obey the gospel message. Felix sent for Paul numerous times and conversed with him and did not become a Christian (Acts 24:26).

Felix neglected so many wonderful opportunities to be saved; he neglected them to remain lost. Dear friends, let that NEVER be said of us! "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him (Hebrews 2:3).

Is One Saved by Faith ONLY?

I have never met a religious person who would argue that we are not saved by faith. I believe completely that we are saved by faith. However, there is a real problem when people claim that we are saved by faith “only.” When you think about it, doesn’t it sound strange when some say that we are saved wholly by grace and then contradict themselves by saying that we are saved by faith only? That would beg the question “which way is it?” Well, the truth of the matter is that neither is true. The TRUTH is that we are saved both by God’s grace and by our faith which is fully demonstrated by our obedience to God’s Holy commands.

Our faith must not be a dead faith or a faith that is incomplete. God’s word says “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:20, 24). Some men teach that we are saved by faith only but God says we are not saved by faith only. Who will one believe — God or man?

It is also admitted that Naaman was saved from his leprosy by faith through obedience when he dipped seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman had faith and as a result of that faith he carried out the command to dip seven times in the water to be cleansed from his leprosy. Therefore, why not “by faith” obey the command of God to be baptized to be saved from our sins? Jesus said “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). In Acts 2:38 we are commanded by God to “repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.” Have you “by faith” obeyed Jesus for remission of your sins? He is your Savior only IF you obey Him (Hebrews 5:9).

Yes, based on God’s word, faith without works is dead. This is so because God said so! Only a living faith that causes us to obey God will save us. The Poudre Valley church of Christ in Fort Collins, CO believes God and teaches that one must have faith which leads them to obey all of what God has said.

Must I Be Baptized To Be Saved?

So often we hear people say that they don’t “feel” that baptism is essential for salvation. I am amazed when I hear this because it is so obvious that God clearly gave us many passages in the Bible that show that baptism is essential for salvation. Individuals that say “I don’t feel that it is necessary,” are often the ones that have never opened up the Word of God and taken the time to read what is required for their salvation. One of the greatest examples of proving that baptism is essential is found in the book of Acts, chapter eight. Here, starting in the 26th verse we can read where an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying: “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” The Lord had a mission for Philip to do and sent His angel to inform Philip on what He wanted Philip to do. Philip met an Ethiopian Eunuch who came to Jerusalem to worship (v27). When Philip joined the chariot, he noticed that the Eunuch was reading from the book of Isaiah. The Eunuch did not really understand what he was reading and Philip began from the passage that was being read and “preached Jesus to him” (v35).

The Eunuch understood enough to KNOW that he needed to be baptized to be saved (v36). At this point Philip said: “If you believe with all your heart, you may” The Eunuch answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (v37). Then in verse 38 the action resulting from the Eunuch’s belief in Jesus was accomplished. It says: “And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.” The Eunuch never “felt” saved until he was baptized! And the fact of the matter is, he was not saved until he was baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:26-27). Have you been baptized into Christ? If not, you are not saved in accordance with God’s New Testament teaching. Jesus is “the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). Have you obeyed Jesus?

Faith or Baptism Alone Does Not Save Us

It is very interesting to note that the Bible mentions several things that man is saved by. We not are saved by faith or even baptism alone. Faith and Baptism are pieces to the overall puzzle of those things which God says saves us. The Bible teaches that man is saved by:

hope (Romans 8:24
grace (Ephesians 2:8)
faith (Acts 16:31)
mercy (Titus 3:5)
words Acts 11:14)
baptism (1 Peter 3:21)
the word (James 1:21)
the truth (John 8:32)
hearing (John 5:24)
obedience (Hebrews 5:9)
the gospel (Romans 1:16-17)
knowledge (1 Timothy 2:4)
belief and baptism (Mark 16:16)
repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38)
calling on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13)
the washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5)
being born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5)
faithfulness (Revelation 2:10
God (1 Timothy 2:3-4)
Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:21)
the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14)
the blood of Jesus (Matthew 26:28)

Jesus stated very plainly “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” (Matthew 7:21). All of the things above “saves us.” Are we ready to accept what Jesus said and do the will of the Father? Our eternity (heaven or hell) will be determined by Christ (John 12:48). It is important that we make the right choice and listen to and then obey the words of God!

Christ's Church

We only have to open the telephone directory and look at all the different churches that are listed to wonder “what church is the right church?” There are books that are written about various churches, most claiming to be spiritually and doctrinally correct. We can read where all kinds of things are taught such as praying to Mary, baptizing babies, some priests can marry, others can’t, the social work of the church, no life after death or there is life after death! How can we know which church is the church that Jesus built?

I Will Build MY Church

Jesus said: “...I will build my church…” (Matthew 16:18). Jesus said this way back in 30 A.D. Therefore, the church that Christ built was built long ago. Every denomination that is in existence today was built long after Jesus said “I will build my church.” Most are proud to tell you the exact date that their church was established and the creed in which it was established on. Since Jesus said “I will build my church”, that must mean that the church in which Jesus built belongs to Him. Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:22-23: “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” Here we can clearly see that HIS BODY = HIS CHURCH. In Colossians 1:18 it is pointed out that Christ is “the head of the body, the church”. Since Christ is the head, He decides, controls, and guides His church.

There Is ONE

The word ONE is mentioned several times in the New Testament. Let’s look at a few references to this. In Ephesians 4:4-6 we can read where “there is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Here we can plainly read where there is just ONE of each. Yet while most will acknowledge there is ONE God, they recognize several churches. Paul said that we should be unified (1 Corinthians 1:10). Only when we’re doing all things exactly as God has stipulated can we truly be ONE, which is to be unified.

Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” (John 10:27). In John 10:16 we can read where there is ONE fold and ONE shepherd. Therefore, in the New Testament (the testament we are under today), we see that there was only ONE CHURCH!

Doctrines Of Men

The Bible is very plain on Christ’s teaching about His church. Yet many still want to preach and teach more than ONE church and various other ways of doing things that are in direct violation of God’s teaching in His Word! Jesus condemned man for teaching his own ideas and doctrines (Mark 7:7-9). Because man did change the teachings of Jesus, we now have denominations. Some denominationalists teach that denominations are simply branches of Jesus’ church. This cannot be so, for in the Bible we read “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:5-6). Disciples are the branches, not churches! 

In Mark 16:16, Jesus said: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Some say “He that believeth and is not baptized shall be saved.” Who shall we believe, Jesus, or doctrines of men? We cannot pollute the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9-11). When Christ’s doctrine is polluted with the doctrine of men, it makes man’s worship of God empty of any value, it is vain! 

Are you simply following the traditions and doctrines of men or are you striving to abide in the doctrine of Jesus Christ?

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

In Acts 16:16-34 we can read about what led to and the conversion of the Philippian Jailer. Paul and Silas were cast into prison for preaching the truth and for casting out a "spirit of divination" from a fortune telling slave girl. It is interesting to note in verse 18 after Paul had commanded the spirit to come out of her, that her masters only saw that their way of making money had disappeared instead of seeing the work of God. In a rage, they brought Paul and Silas before the magistrates and falsely accused them. As a result they were stripped of their clothes, beaten, and cast into prison where this jailer was charged to keep them safely.

The Earthquake

While in prison, Paul and Silas stayed true to God and were singing and praying to Him. When the earthquake hit, the record says that the doors were opened, and their bands were loosed. The jailer being awakened by the earthquake thought that all the prisoners had escaped and was getting ready to kill himself when Paul exclaimed "Do thyself no harm: for we are all here"(Acts 16:28). Quite opposite of the slave-girl's masters reaction, the jailer realized this was an act of God and fell down before Paul and Silas and said Sirs, "what must I do to be saved?"This is incredible when you think about it. Here is a pagan soldier, who just moments before was unaware of his need to be saved, and now was eager to know the truth and how he could be saved. How good it would be if everyone had the heart of this jailer, who was ready and willing to do whatever it took to be saved.

The Jailer and You

Do you realize that you and I are in the very same situation? We live perched on the edge of forever everyday (James 4:14; Hebrews 9:27). Do you continue to conduct your life as though you will never have to stand before God and answer for your deeds? You will (2 Corinthians 5:10). Do you think God will overlook your rebellion to obey Him? He won't (Revelation 1:8). Our life is short and therefore we should strive to do whatever we can to ensure that we are saved. We should ask "What must I do to be saved?"

Paul's Answer

Paul spoke the word of the Lord to the jailer (Acts 16:31-32). It is only God's word that can take away guilt and remove the barrier of sin that separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 1:16). The word of the Lord told the jailer that he had to believe (Hebrews 11:6), but that is not all because belief alone will not save us (James 2:19-24). Paul's answer to the jailer led the jailer to DO what was necessary unto salvation. In verses 33-34, we can see that the jailer's faith in God was not a dead faith, but an active, living, obeying, saving faith. As a result he was baptized for the forgiveness of sins. The burden of guilt was removed and he received God's gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8). This very same gift is available to you today!

The Jailer Did Not Wait

Unlike many people today, the jailer did not wait to be saved. Once he knew what he needed to do, "the same hour" he was baptized. Are you waiting? If your life is not right with God, why are you waiting? It is a terrible thing to put off a chance for eternal salvation. Won't you make your life right with God, who loves you so much that He sent His only Son Jesus to die for you (John 3:16)? Have you heard the WORD OF THE LORD? If so, what are you WAITING for?

Our Spiritual Needs

We were not born in sin, but men of accountable age do sin. We do not inherit our sins as we do the color of our hair. Yet, being sinners, our greatest need is salvation. Since we cannot save ourselves, we must have a Savior. God in His infinite love and grace has provided our salvation through Jesus Christ. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Why did God send Jesus to die on the cross? Because He was not willing that we should perish, but instead, have eternal life. At great expense God fulfilled His promise to send Christ into the world as our Savior. Over 2,000 years ago, Christ died on the cross for our sins. We thank God for His love and mercy!

God makes two dispositions of sin: 1) If not forgiven, sin brings forth death to the sinner. This is justice. "The soul that sins shall die" (Ezekiel 18:20) and "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). 2) God can and does forgive sins. We cannot live above sin, and we cannot save ourselves, so we are entirely at the mercy of God for forgiveness. Christ died on the cross for our sins, and had He not done this, we would all be doomed to death, for no other person could have died for our sins. However, God has not provided salvation for any of us unconditionally. Salvation is conditional. Jesus said, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16). Why is it important that we are baptized into Christ? "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 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" (Romans 6:3-4).

We should be so very thankful to our heavenly Father that He sent His only Son to die for us so that we can be saved. God did His part, we must do our part. 

What Religious Standard Do I Use?

I want to encourage all of us to think seriously about what our standard of authority is in religious matters. There is no way that we can unite religiously unless we use the same standard. If our standards are different, then our religious practice will be different. The fact is, God is not a god of confusion. "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1 Corinthians 1:10).

While most people claim that the Bible is their guide, in reality it is not. For example if someone says "I am saved, because I feel like I am" then it is their inner feelings that have become their source of authority because the evidence of salvation is their own feelings or conscience. The Bible has got to be our source of divine authority, not our own feelings. People have all sorts of different feelings, but there is only one God and one inspired word that He gave to us. Feelings are literally a dime a dozen. One says "I feel I'm saved when I believe," another says "I feel I'm saved when I repent." Another says they are saved in another way, and so on. Can "feelings" really tell us when we are saved?

Many religious people believe deeply on "tradition." They may not all claim that they base their religious beliefs on "tradition," but in reality that is exactly what they are doing. If their religion was good enough for their father or mother, then it is good enough for them. Could it be that one's father and mother did not learn all about the TRUTH from God's Holy word? The apostle Paul thought that he had the truth, being raised a Jew, but when he found out that the law of Moses had been abolished, he gladly accepted Christ. He even admitted that he was doing all things in "good conscience" (Acts 23:1). In the judgment, will God do the judging, or will I be my own judge? Will God be the one that decides whether I go to heaven or hell? I think that we all know that the answer is obvious. Unfortunately, many today think that they will be the judge -- or whether or not they are now saved. You and I will have to meet with God's approval then, and we must also meet with His approval now.

Yet, we still hear many religious people say "I think I am saved." Or they may say, "I'm satisfied with my baptism or the church of which I am a member." Please do not miss the point here. The questions are these and we must be honest before God with our answers: 1) Will God find me righteous at the judgement? 2) Do I have God's assurance that I am now saved? 3) Can I read from the Bible the evidence that my church is really the Bible church? 4) Is God satisfied with my baptism? Remember - God is the one who tells us what we must do in order to receive eternal life with Him.

The bottom line is that we are no more the judge of present righteousness than of future righteousness in order to enter heaven. God is the one that we must satisfy in all matters religious --- not me or someone else. Please take this seriously and think on these things. Our eternal destiny depends on it.
    

Why Is There Religious Division?

A question that every religious person should be asking is "why are people divided religiously?" There are many, many churches that exist today. Most all of these churches have conflicting doctrines and practices, and as a result, do not have fellowship with one another. Most of the time we just cast aside such thoughts by saying "we cannot understand the Bible alike." However, when you come to think of it, we understand and are pretty well united on what the Bible actually does say; but we become divided on what it doesn't say. Let's look at a few examples of what I am talking about.

Most everyone agrees that we are saved by faith. Division comes because of what the Bible does not say. There is no passage in the Bible that says that we are saved by "faith only." We all agree that we are saved by faith (James 2:24). However, have you really tried to find the Bible passage that teaches that we are saved by faith only?

Have you ever heard that Adam and Eve ate an "apple?" Does the Bible really say that? The Bible actually says "fruit" not "apple." Did Adam and Eve eat of the "forbidden fruit?" We all unanimously agree that they did (Genesis 3:1-2). But what kind of fruit was it? Well, here is where the division comes. It comes because we begin to speculate on what the Bible does not say. We can have Bible unity when we stick with just what the Bible does say. When we begin to inject our own ideas where the Bible does not specify, then everyone has a right to his own opinion as the other. We do not have the right to our own opinion when the Bible clearly affirms something. It is a fact that everyone knows that they ate the forbidden fruit; division results when we speculate what kind it was.

Many religious people think it is strange that most all churches of Christ, and some others, do not use mechanical instruments of music in our worship to God. But, why are mechanical instruments not used? For the same reason we do not believe that the Pope is the head of the church on earth. There simply is no Bible passage that states it or authorizes it. What does the Bible really say about music in worship? There are nine New Testament passages of scripture that mentions music, and every one of these nine times it mentions vocal, but not once instrumental (Acts 16:24-25; Romans 15:8-9; 1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 2:12; Hebrews 13:15; James 5:13; Matthew 26:30). So let's ask the question: Is vocal music scriptural (authorized in the Bible)? I believe everyone would agree that it is. Is mechanical instrumental music scriptural? Now here comes the division. The division occurs because we are now speaking of something which the Bible does not mention. There is no Bible authority in the New Testament that authorizes it in our worship to God. Once again, division comes when we inject our own ideas into our worship to God.

Finally, do you believe in baptism? Most every religious person believes in baptism in one way or another. Why are we united on that? Because the Bible plainly says that we should be. Now let's ask another question: How should one be baptized? Someone may reply "sprinkling" or "pouring" and others "immersion." Why would there be division on this question? Because the Bible mentions nothing about sprinkling or pouring. Is immersion right? Most everyone will answer yes. We are unified on this because the Bible says baptism is a burial (Romans 6:3-4). The Bible is plain and we can understand that and agree. Division comes when we hear someone say that "sprinkling" or "pouring" is right. But where does the Bible authorize sprinkling or pouring?

I hope that we can all see that the principle has been established. We can really understand and agree with the Bible if we want to. The disagreement (division) comes when we begin to teach and do what it DOES NOT SAY. "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (Colossians 3:17). Are we really striving to do all things religiously in accordance with what God has instructed of us in His Holy Word -- the Bible?

We Are Not Saved By Faith Only

The doctrine most commonly taught in the world is that a person is saved at the very moment that they believe in Jesus Christ, without any further acts of obedience. However, the Bible says, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). In addition to this, there is a general misunderstanding of the essentiality of good works to salvation. People often confuse the good works of the gospel of Christ, which the Bible defines as essential, with the works of the law of Moses, or the meritorious works of men in an effort to earn salvation. 

The Bible does not teach that people are saved by works of the Old Testament law of Moses. In Romans 3:20, it says “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” In Colossians 2:14 it says, “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” We know that the only hope for salvation for everyone today is through the gospel of Christ. We are not saved by the works of the law, but through the works of faith, through love, in obedience to Christ.

While the Bible says: "by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified,” it also says in James 2:24, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” These works that James is talking about are not the works of the law of Moses, but the works of faith revealed in the gospel of Christ. The law of Moses is dead and its works mean nothing today, but the works of the gospel mean everything!

A person is saved by the blood of Christ, through the grace of God. One is not saved by faith alone, but through obedience to the commandments of Christ. Jesus “....became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). This does not mean that the obedient soul earns, merits, or deserves salvation, but that he qualifies for the mercy and the grace of the Lord, “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). The Bible makes it clear in that same passage that while we are being saved through the washing of regeneration (or baptism) and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, that it is not by works done in righteousness which we have done ourselves. But if we do not submit ourselves to the righteousness of God in obedience to his word, we cannot be saved.

There are many Bible passages that show that faith is essential and that we are saved by faith and justified by it. Every one of these passages is to be believed and accepted. But there is one similar thing about all these passages on faith and that is that not one single passage ever says we are saved by faith only. There is no such passage in the Bible.

Here is a point that we need to remember: Never in any age or dispensation in human history has God saved man by faith alone. God has always required faith and obedience. No other formula for salvation has ever worked. None ever will. Jesus said: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). It must be faith plus obedience. This is the embodiment of the principle under which God has always worked in saving man. It is foolish to expect God to make an exception to the rule now and to save anyone by faith only and without obedience to His word. May we all have a soft and understanding heart that will motivate us to ensure that we are striving to please our heavenly Father in all things so that we can look forward to a home with Him forever.

The Plan of Salvation

There are many souls in the world that need to be saved today. The gospel plan of salvation to save man is not difficult but it MUST be followed in order for one to be saved. God loved man so much that he gave His only Son to die for all of us. In John 3:16 it says; “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life”. We can also see this in Romans 5:8-11. God did his part for man by giving His Son and then he ensured that all men would be able to come to the knowledge of the truth by sending the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, guiding them into all truth “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come” (John 16:13). Therefore, it is now up to each one of us to do our part if we really desire eternal salvation. Man must hear the gospel (Romans 10:17; Acts 7:37), Believe it (Acts 16:31; Hebrews 11:6), Repent from past sins and make a determination to serve Christ from this time forward (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30), Confess Jesus as the Son of God (Romans 10:10; Matthew 10:32), and be Baptized (Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21; Acts 22:16; Mark 16:16). Once this has been done then one must continue to live the Christian life and grow in the Christian characteristics (2 Peter 1:5-7). God has given us the opportunity to be saved, now you and I must do our part to obey the commands of God. What man can do, he MUST do!

How Do You Know You Have Been Saved?

This question often disturbs many people. The Lord has not left us to wonder about this crucial and important subject. Just as He has revealed to us in the Bible the importance of the soul and of salvation, He has also revealed the answer to this question. In 1 John 5:13, we find these words, "These  things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God".

We should point out here that the Christian possesses eternal life IN PROMISE. Paul spoke of being "In hope of eternal life ..." in Titus 1:2. John said that God had "promised us - eternal life" in 1 John 2:25. Jesus himself spoke of eternal life in the world to come in Mark 10:30.

How can one know today that he has the assurance of that hope and promise? Let us take an example from the New Testament. The Apostle Peter had been personally associated with Jesus. He, Peter, had been baptized in the Holy Spirit, Acts 2:1-4. He had the power to heal the sick and raise the dead (Acts 3:6-10, and Acts 9:32-41). What was the proof of salvation for this great spiritual leader? Listen as he expressed it in Acts 15:11. "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they". His proof of salvation stood in his faith in the Lord's promise.

A great passage where God provides encouragement or consolation to the Christian is in Hebrews 6:13-20: "For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have a STRONG CONSOLATION, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Wither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest after the order of Melchisedec". This passage in Hebrews 6, provides consolation and encouragement to the Christian because it shows that: God made a promise to Abraham and kept that promise, verses 13-15. God promised the saints eternal life, verse 16, and further God's promise and his oath backing that promise are immutable, verse 18. In order to have the assurance of this passage applied to our own lives, we must have faith that obeys God's will, Hebrews 6:12, and be patient and faithful, verse 15.

We CAN KNOW if we are in Christ where salvation is, 1 John 5:11. We CAN KNOW if we have repented and have been baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21; Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:26-27). We CAN KNOW whether or not we are "standing on the promises" of God.

The New Birth

The New Birth is a very important doctrine of the Bible. Long before Jesus walked on earth God's prophets pointed to it (I Peter 1:10-12). It was the theme of Christ's preaching. He said to Nicodemus, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). That should settle the importance of the subject. What, then is involved in the new birth?

First, there is a cleansing from sin. Paul wrote, "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" (Titus 3:5). The word "regeneration" means "new birth" (Vine, P.267). This cleansing occurs when a penitent believer is immersed in water, as may be seen in Paul's own conversion. The instruction he received was, "arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins....” (Acts 22:16).

A clear example of the new birth is seen in the conversions which occurred on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. Spirit-filled men preached a Spirit-given message. Believers were told to "repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remissions of sins....” (Acts 2:38). Eager listeners responded by being baptized and "the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41). Remember how Jesus had promised that those who were born again would enter the kingdom? With these first converts on Pentecost that promise was fulfilled.

The Spirit's work in conversion is not in stimulating a feeling of ecstasy, but in providing men a knowledge of the truth. The Bible says, "Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth....” (James 1:18). And Peter declared, “Being born again, not of corruptible, by the word of God . . . And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you" (1 Peter 1:23, 25).

If you have not believed in Christ, repented of your sins, confessed your faith in Christ before men, and been buried with the Lord in baptism for the remission of sins, then you need to also be born in to His family today.

Why Be Baptized?

There are two main points of view about why a person should be baptized. One view holds that baptism is a purely symbolic act which should be done in order to show that we have recently been saved.

The other view says that, while baptism is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, that it is more than just a symbol. This view holds that baptism is a direct and vital command of the Lord which must be obeyed in order to receive salvation.

If you have been baptized, think back for a moment about why you were you baptized. Was it because you felt that you had recently been saved, or were you baptized in order to be saved? And now with this question in mind, let’s turn to the Bible to see what God really says about why a person should be baptized. In Acts Chapter 2, verse 38, the Apostle Peter in his great sermon on the day of Pentecost said, “Repent and  be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”. The Bible says in this passage that both repentance and baptism are equally necessary for the remission of sins. When we remember that Peter was speaking by the inspiration of God, this verse should forever settle this question in our own minds. Baptism, according to the Bible, is not  because we have already been saved, but in order to save us by washing away our sins. Does baptism really wash away sins? Some say no. The Bible says yes!

In other related scriptures we read that “Baptism doth also now save us” (1 Peter 3: 21). The Apostle Paul adds that we are not even in Christ until we have been scripturally baptized. We read this in Galatians 3:27, and in Romans 6:3-4.

If you have never obeyed the Lord by being baptized for the remission of sins as the Bible requires, I encourage you to do so today before it is everlastingly too late.

What Must I Do to Be Saved?

In the book of Acts we read, "Repent you therefore, and be converted that your sins may be blotted out,  when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3: 19). The change in a person’s life resulting in his becoming a Christian is called in the Bible, conversion, and the Bible teaches that conversion is necessary for a person to be saved. Christ likened this change to a birth and taught Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God"  (John 3:5). Of the 27 books comprising the New Testament, there is one book which is particularly helpful in understanding the nature of conversion. This book is Acts of the Apostles which tells of the conversions of many different people. In Chapters 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 18, and 22 are 8 key examples of conversion and from these examples certain universal principles of conversion can be understood.

Conversion is dependent upon the acceptance of the Word of God by the sinner. Jesus said, "The seed is the Word", and conversions mentioned in the book of Acts bear out the necessity of both the presentation of God’s word to the sinner and his acceptance of it (Romans 1:16). The presentation can be either public or private; through words either spoken or written, but their acceptance always results in belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Romans 10:17). We also read, "They believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God" (Acts 8:12), and in Acts 18:8, "And many of the Corinthians hearing, believed and were baptized".

Faith in Jesus Christ, produced by the testimony of the Word of God leads to a change in a sinner’s attitude toward his own transgressions. With faith comes an understanding of God’s love to man. This, in turn, leads the sinner to determine to turn away from sin, for we read, "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance” (Romans 2:4)? An example of this part of conversion is found in Acts 2 in response to Peter’s preaching of Christ. The Bible says, ”Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 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” (Acts 2:36-38). This change in a person’s heart must lead to certain actions before conversion is complete. One of these actions is confession that Jesus is the Christ, for we read, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

Finally, a person must be baptized in the likeness of Christ’s death and burial (Romans 6:4), in order for God to forgive him of past sins. The Bible says, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). And we also must remember that in Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, he said that both repentance and baptism are necessary in order to receive the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Later, Peter echoed this same thought again when he said that “baptism doth also now save us” (1 Peter 3:21). When a person believes in Christ, repents of sin, confesses Christ, and is baptized into Christ for the remission of sins, he is converted. Only then has he been born of the water and of the Spirit as referred to in John 3:3-5. The Lord then adds him to the body, the Church, the Kingdom of God (Acts 2:47).

The Bible plainly teaches us that there are steps that we must take in order to obtain salvation in Jesus Christ. Hearing the word, believing in Christ, repenting of our sins, confessing Christ as being the Son of God, and being baptized for the forgiveness of our sins are the steps in which every accountable person must do in order to receive salvation. We then must be determined to live a life that is faithful to Christ, according to His teaching (Revelation 2:10; John 12:48).