WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?", this was exactly the question raised by a certain jailguard in a Philippian jail to Paul and Silas after the Lord sent a mighty earthquake which opened the doors and loosened the stocks that held their feet (Acts 16:19-31).

This is the same question that every person who is concerned for the fate of his soul must care to ask. One of the most terrifying thoughts that sin has brought into the human life is the thought of dying without the assurance of heaven.

"What must I do to be saved?" Surprisingly enough, the Word of God provides the answer to this short, but very essential question that can only come from a person convicted of his sin and frigthened over its consequences before the holy God.

The Bible says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved". This is the one and only plan that God has for the salvation of His people and most assuredly, there is no other way. A plan, conceived in the eternal mind of God even before the foundation of the world, which He fulfilled at the giving of His only begotten Son to be the propitiation for our sins..

The following are Biblical steps you must take in order for this God's plan of salvation be applied in your life:

STEP 1: ADMIT THAT YOU ARE A SINNER

Our need for God's salvation reveals our true spiritual condition -- that each of us is a SINNER before the Lord. The Bible says "for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). That because of sin, we are separated from God and fall short of His requirement for holiness. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the inquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6).

This humble acknowledgement of sin is a necessary step to approaching God for salvation. Unless a person will come to realize his true sinful condition before God, he cannot truly believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.

STEP 2: ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE A PENALTY TO PAY BECAUSE OF YOUR SIN

"For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Some people think that our eternal destiny shall be decided by God the moment we die physically. The Bible, however, emphasizes that "as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Romans 5:12). Because of sin, we are condemned to death. This death includes eternal separation from God.

STEP 3: ACCEPT THAT CHRIST DIED IN YOUR PLACE TO PAY THE PENALTY OF YOUR SIN

In God's great love to you, He provided a way for you to get out of sin's penalty and condemnation. "But God commendeth (demonstrated) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Instead of you dying for your own sin, Christ took and bore our sins, died in our place on the cross of Calvary, was buried and resurrected to assure us of everlasting life if we call on Him as our Lord and Savior. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

STEP 4: ASK FOR GOD'S FORGIVENESS AND RECEIVE CHRIST AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9-10). The Bible says that "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21) are inseparable requirements for a person to truly receive salvation in the name of God's only begotten Son.

Repentance is more than feeling sorry or being remorseful for your sins. True repentance is (1) fully accepting our guilt, (2) renouncing all claims to righteousness on our own, (3) humbly coming to God for mercy and (4) committing ourselves to abandon sin and pursue God.

The Lord Jesus Christ said "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" (Revelation 3:20). Will you open your heart to Christ and receive Him as your Lord and personal Savior?

If you understand that you are a sinner and you believe in your heart that Christ came to save your dying soul, just pray this prayer of repentance and faith:

"Father, I acknowledge that I am a sinner because I have disobeyed your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I repent of my sins and asking you to forgive me and help me to keep away from sin. I understand that your Son Jesus Christ died for my sins. I am now opening my heart and inviting the Lord Jesus to come into my life and rule in my heart from this day forward. I am receiving Him as my Lord and personal Savior. Thank you for your gift of eternal life. Help me to do your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."

If you truly prayed this prayer in your heart today, welcome to the family of God because you've just been born into it. The Bible says "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13). "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 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 ye may believe on the name of the Son of God" (1 John 5:11-13).

As a new member of the family of God, His desire for you is to "grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:2).

Let us know of you decision to receive Christ today by writing to us at planofsalvation@pilgrimmsbbc.com and we will surely pray for your continued growth in the Lord. We are also more than willing to send to you some information on basic areas of growth in the Christian life such as believer's baptism, church membership, prayer, fellowship, witnessing, etc.

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