What Must I Do To Be Saved?

In a typical lifetime, a man will ask thousands of questions. Some of those questions are of little, if any, lasting consequence. Some of those questions are very important because they regard matters that are life changing. However, the importance of all other questions pales in comparison to the importance of the question that is the title of this article: What must I do to be saved? That is the most important question that any man can ask. It is the paramount question of life, with eternal consequences.

When a man asks this question in sincerity, it indicates something significant about the person. It indicates that one realizes that he is spiritually lost, and that he is need of salvation. So, to ask this question is a sign of wisdom, and indicates sound judgment.

As I write this, I am keenly aware of the great responsibility that I have in dealing with such a serious matter. The correct answer can bring eternal salvation, but the incorrect answer can result in eternal damnation. God forbid that I give a false or misleading answer, and God forbid that I fail to teach the whole counsel of God regarding this matter (Acts 20:27).

Analysis of the Question

Let us begin our study by looking at the question word by word -- giving emphasis to what each word signifies. By doing so, some important lessons will be made clear.

“What”

The very first word in the question is “what.” This word implies that there is something to be done. But, what? What is there to be done?

If you were to try to determine what is to be done by asking man, you might receive the correct answer, but you might receive an answer that is not true. However, you can be sure that you know the truth by letting the Bible provide the answer, because the Bible is God’s Word, and his Word is true (Jn. 17:17; II Tim. 3:16-17).

“Must”

Note that the question is not, “What may I do to be saved?” Neither is the question, “What can I do to be saved?” instead, the question is “What must I do to be saved?”

The word “must” indicates that something is necessary; something is required in order to be saved. In other words, the things which the Bible reveals to be the conditions of salvation are not optional, but essential.

“I”

The question is not “What must my family do for me to be saved?’ And the question is not “What must my girlfriend (or boyfriend) do for me to be saved?” In other words, no one can do it for me. If I am to be saved by the Gospel, I must personally fulfill the conditions that are contained in the Gospel.

Again, the question is not “What must God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit do for me to be saved?” There is no need to be concerned about that. God is so concerned about your salvation that he gave his Son for you (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8). Jesus is so concerned that he gave his life and shed his blood for your salvation (Mat. 26:26-28). And the Holy Spirit came and, through the apostles and the writers of the New Testament, revealed God’s plan of salvation.

No one who understands the Bible would deny that we are saved by the Lord’s love. No one who believes the Bible would deny that the blood of Jesus Christ saves us. No one would deny that without the grace of God we would be helplessly lost, with “a certain fearful looking for of judgment (Heb. 10:27). All of these things enter into our salvation, and I would be wrong if I were to exclude these factors.

All three members of the Godhead have acted in your behalf, making salvation available to you and to all men (Acts 10:34-35). It is now up to you; you must now do your part.

“Do”

There are preachers who will tell you that you do not have to do anything to be saved; they contend that if you have to “do” something in order to be saved you “earn” your salvation. The will tell people to confess to the Lord their sinful condition, and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Well, make no mistake about it. You cannot “earn” your salvation. However, that which one does, by faith, in response to the Lord’s command, is not a work of merit. Instead, it is a work of righteousness.

When one repents from sin and is immersed in water for the remission of sins, as the Lord has commanded, his actions are works of righteousness, believing that the Lord will forgive his sins, as promised (Acts 2:38). The merit for his salvation belongs to the Lord, whose mercy and love makes his salvation possible (Jn. 3:16; Eph. 2:8-9).

Also, make no mistake about the fact that obedience to the Lord’s commands is essential to salvation. The Bible teaches that Jesus is the author of salvation to all them that obey him (Heb. 5:8-9). And, in the sermon of the mount, Jesus declared,

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven (Mt. 7:21). God gives us salvation, but not unconditionally. There are conditions to be met in order to obtain salvation. We must believe God in order to receive salvation, but we are not saved the moment we believe the promise of God. We must act upon our faith and do what God commands. Salvation is given to us by God’s grace, when we believe God, and express our faith in obedience to his commands.

In the last book of the Bible, John wrote,

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city (Rev. 22:14). Indeed, there is something that one must “do” in order to be saved.

“To Be”

Note that the question being considered is not “What must I do to save myself?” Instead, it is “What must I do to be saved?” The question involves a matter that is both active and passive. There is something that I must do, and at the same time I must be saved, if I am ever saved at all.

The Holy Scriptures teach us that salvation is available only through Jesus Christ. He said,

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (Jn. 14:6, emphasis supplied). Furthermore, the apostle Peter also made this truth unmistakably clear.

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:10-12, emphasis supplied). To ask “What must I do to be saved?” indicates one realizes that if he is ever saved, it will be only through Jesus Christ, the only Savior.

“Saved”

As stated earlier, the question “What must I do to be saved?” implies that one recognizes that he is lost and in great danger. He is spiritually lost and is danger of everlasting punishment in hell fire. At the judgment, Jesus will say to those who die in their sins,

Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt. 25:41).And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal (Mat. 25:46). The word “saved” refers to one receiving the forgiveness of sins. When one is guilty of sin, he is under the condemnation of God (Rom. 6:23), but when he is saved, he is no longer under that condemnation.

The Biblical Answer

Having briefly considered each word of the question, let us now turn our attention to what the Bible teaches that one must do in order to be saved.

1. In order to be saved, one must hear the gospel (Rom. 1:16, 10:17). The message of these two texts leads to the inescapable conclusion that in order to be saved by the gospel, one must hear the gospel. Note the hearing of the gospel in the Biblical examples of conversion, either specifically stated or implied, in Acts 2:36-37, 8:35-36, 10:33, and 16:30-33. However, hearing the gospel does not, within itself, save us from sin.

2. In order to be saved, one must believe that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 16:30-31). Jesus proclaimed that those who believe the gospel are the ones who shall be saved (Mk. 16:15-16), and the “golden text” of the Bible declares, “…whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16).

3. In order to be saved, one must repent from sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 17:30-31). The gospel brings the good news of the goodness of God in our behalf, and his goodness leads us to repent (II Cor. 7:10). However, let it be noted that repentance is far more than being sorry for sin; it is the turning away from sin. Repentance is the changing of one’s will that results in the changing of one’s life (e.g., Mt. 21:28-31).

4. In order to be saved, one must confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10). This confession, that is unto salvation, is not the confession that “God has, for Christ’s sake, forgiven me of my sins,” as is taught and practiced in some denominations. Such a confession is not taught in the scriptures by command or example, and it would be premature to make such a confession before being baptized, because our sins are not forgiven until we are baptized (see point 5). Instead, the confession that one makes unto salvation is the confession that “I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” The conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch provides a beautiful example of this confession (Acts 8:35-39).

5. In order to be saved, one must be baptized (Acts 2:38). In this scripture, Peter commanded two things — repent and be baptized. And they are both modified by the prepositional phrase, “for the remission of sins,” which means that the purpose of repenting and the purpose of being baptized is “for” (i.e., in order to obtain) the remission of sins.

In Matthew 26:28, Jesus said he shed his blood “for the remission of sins,” (meaning, obviously, that he shed his blood so that man could obtain the forgiveness of sins). And Peter used the same words to signify the purpose of baptism. Therefore, we must conclude that until one is baptized for the remission of sins that he does not obtain the remission of sins.

Jesus made the relationship of baptism to salvation crystal clear in Mark 16:16. He said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned,” which unmistakably establishes baptism as a prerequisite of salvation. Jesus could not have made it any clearer — the one who shall be saved is the one who believes and is baptized!

It should be noted that many religious groups teach and practice baptism in a way that is not according to the Scriptures. I shall cite three examples.

First, some teach and practice baptism as “an outward expression of an inward renewal.” In other words, they believe that one is saved before baptism. However, this is not what the Bible teaches. One is not saved, and then baptized! Instead, the Bible clearly and emphatically teaches that one is saved when he is baptized (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; I Pet. 3:21; et al).

Second, some teach and practice the baptizing of babies. Such a practice is wholly of human origin, having no Scriptural authority, by command or example. Instead, the New Testament teaches that the one who is to be baptized is one who believes (Mk. 16:16), and repents (Acts 2:38). Obviously, a baby does not have the capacity to believe, or the need to repent (Mt. 18:3).

Third, some teach and practice the sprinkling or pouring of water upon a person as a “mode” of baptism. However, sprinkling or pouring water upon someone does not constitute Biblical baptism. Biblical baptism is set forth to be a burial, or immersion, in water (Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12). Therefore, sprinkling or pouring water as a form of baptism is of human origin, and not authorized by the Lord.

Conclusion

To summarize, the Biblical answer to “What must I do to be saved?” is: Hear the gospel of Christ, believe the gospel with all your heart, turn away from your sins, and be baptized in water, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in order to have your sins forgiven. God will save you and add you to the church (Acts 2:36-47).

When you do what the Bible teaches you to do in order to be saved, and live faithfully as a Christian for the remainder of your days on earth, eternal life in heaven awaits you.

Praise God for his marvelous scheme of redemption.

What Do the Scriptures Teach About Baptism?

PDF versionWhat Do the Scriptures Teach About Baptism?

David Sain

                        The church of our Lord is the grandest, most glorious institution on this earth. Yet, in my personal judgment, she is also the most misunderstood and maligned institution on the earth.

                        One of the most common misunderstandings about the Church of Christ is what we teach and believe about the relationship of baptism to salvation. For example, many are the people who think that “the Church of Christ believes in water salvation,” and that we do not believe in salvation by grace.

                        Most religious groups, that teach and believe that Jesus is the Lord and Savior, teach and practice baptism. Consequently, most people in these groups believe that being baptized is something that they ought to do. However, as a careful examination of their faith will show, most people in those religious groups do not believe that baptism is a requirement for salvation. Their conclusion is that baptism is important, but not essential to salvation. They believe that one is saved by grace when he accepts Jesus as his personal savior, and that the act of baptism is an outward expression of inward regeneration.

                        Such conclusions are indicative of two things. First, they indicate that many people draw conclusions from hearsay rather than from direct information. Second, they indicate a misunderstanding of what the scriptures teach about baptism.

                        My personal experiences convince me that many people who misunderstand the truth about baptism are honest and sincere in their beliefs. However, an honest heart and sincere belief do not, within themselves, mean that one is right. As Solomon stated, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). Saul of Tarsus was an example of this truth. He stated that he acted in good conscience in all that he did (Acts 23:1), even when he was a persecutor of Christians (Acts 22:4).

                        The purpose of this writing is to simply and carefully examine what the Bible teaches about baptism. The writer has no “agenda” in this effort other than to know the truth about this important subject, and to help the reader achieve the same knowledge.

What the Scriptures Teach About Baptism

The Bible Teaches That Baptism Is Immersion In Water.

                        The person who is Biblically “baptized” is immersed in water, as indicated by the Greek word, baptizo, of which baptism is a transliteration. Sprinkling or pouring water does not constitute immersion in water, and is, therefore, not baptism.

                        In teaching the saints in Rome, the apostle Paul taught that the

action that one takes in being baptized is in the likeness of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. In that context, he wrote,

“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

Also, in harmony with that, in his epistle to the Colossians, Paul said that we are “buried with him in baptism” (Col. 2:12).

                        From these definitive statements that baptism is a burial, we must conclude that the practice of sprinkling or pouring water upon the head of the baptismal candidate is not in harmony with what the Bible clearly teaches. In spite of the fact that sprinkling water upon the head of someone as an act of baptism is quite popular among many religious groups, it is done without Biblical authority or divine approval.

                        A Biblical example of baptism (i.e., immersion) in water is recorded in Acts 8:35-39. There, it is written that the Ethiopian, after being taught about Jesus, saw water and requested that he be baptized. And Philip, the evangelist, who had taught him about Jesus, went down into the water with him and “baptized him.”

The Bible Teaches That Baptism Is An Action Taken By A Penitent Believer.

                        According to the Scriptures, the proper candidate for baptism is one who believes the Gospel (Mark 16:15-16), who has repented from his sins (Acts 2:36,38), and who has confessed that he believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Acts 8:35-39).

                        These truths require that the candidate be mentally capable, and mature enough, to understand and wilfully embrace the Gospel. These truths also require that repentance precede Biblical baptism. Furthermore, like the eunuch of Acts 8, the candidate for baptism must first confess with his mouth the Lord Jesus (Rom. 10:9-10).

                        Obviously, these divinely imposed requirements mean that the practice of baptizing infants is without Biblical authority or divine approval. Infants do not have the mental capability to comprehend and believe the gospel, which, in turn, also means that they are incapable of confessing faith in Jesus Christ, from the heart.

                        Furthermore, infants are not subject to the command to repent from sin, because infants are not guilty of sin, as Jesus taught in Matthew 18:3 and Matthew 19:14. Infants are not subject to the Biblical command to repent . . . for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). They have no sins from which to repent. They have no sins that need to be forgiven.

                        The Bible teaches that baptism is an action to be taken by one who has heard the gospel, believed the gospel, repented from sins, and confessed faith in Jesus Christ.

The Bible Teaches That Baptism Is To Be Done In The Name Of Jesus.

                        The apostle Peter proclaimed,

“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” (Acts 2:38).

Therefore, the candidate for baptism is instructed to have himself baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. But what does it mean to do something in the name of Jesus?

                        To do something in the name of Jesus is to do that which he has authorized, in the manner, and for the reasons, that are stipulated. And a careful study of the teaching of Jesus about baptism reveals two very important matters:

                        (1) He ordained that baptism be done “into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mat. 28:19). Biblical baptism puts one into a state of union and communion with all three members of the godhead: God, the Father, Christ, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

                        (2) He taught that baptism is a prerequisite of salvation (Mk. 16:16). Therefore, one is to be baptized because Jesus declared it to be essential to salvation, a matter that shall be discussed in a later point.

The Bible Teaches That Baptism Puts One Into Christ and the Church.

                        That baptism is a “requirement” for salvation is further understood by recognizing that salvation is in Christ (II Tim. 2:10), and that baptism is the act that puts one “into Christ” (Gal. 3:26-27).

                        When one, by faith in Jesus, is baptized, he is saved (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38), and the Bible informs us that the Lord adds the saved to the church (Acts 2:47). So, baptism is also that act that puts one into the church. Paul wrote to the Corinthian saints, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…” (I Cor. 12:13), which is the church (I Cor. 12:27; Eph. 1:22-23).

The Bible Teaches That the Purpose of Baptism is to Obtain the Forgiveness of Sins.

                        At this time, the reader is reminded of a point made in the beginning of this writing — that most people do not believe that baptism is a requirement for salvation. Most religious people believe that baptism is important, but not essential to salvation. They contend that one must be baptized to “obey God,” but they believe that one is saved before one is baptized.

                        In light of these things so commonly believed, this point that Biblical baptism is for the forgiveness of sins cannot be overemphasized.

The Biblical truth is that baptism is not something one does after he is saved. Instead, as the apostle Peter declared, it is something that one is to do in order to be saved.

“ . . . 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” (Acts 2:38).

                        The prepositional phrase “for the remission of sins” in this verse is identical (in the Greek and English) to the words that Jesus used when he said that he shed his blood “for the remission of sins” (Mat. 26:28). In other words, the purpose for which Jesus shed his blood and the purpose for which man is to be baptized are one and the same. Jesus shed his blood so that man could obtain the remission of sins, and, likewise, the purpose of baptism is so that man can obtain the remission of sins.

From these scriptures the following conclusion is logically inescapable — baptism is a command of God that one must obey in order to be saved, and one is not saved until he is baptized for that purpose! And a study of four related scriptures verifies this conclusion.

1.     In Acts 22:16, the instruction from Ananias to Saul of Tarsus was, “…be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” No honest reader of this divine record can ignore the connection of baptism to the washing away of sins.

2.     Twice in Romans, chapter six, the inspired words of Paul, the apostle, illustrate the importance of baptism. First, he told the Roman Christians that, when they were raised from the waters of baptism, they were to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-5). Second, later in the chapter, he thanked God that they had “obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine,” adding that it was “then,” i.e., when they obeyed that form of doctrine, that they were made “free from sin” (Rom. 6:17-18). When they heard and believed the gospel, and were baptized in the likeness of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (Rom. 6:3-5), their sins were forgiven.

These two texts from the epistle to the Romans clearly show that one is “free” from the guilt of sin and walks in “newness of life” at the moment that one is baptized,

3.     In I Peter 3:21, Peter declared that Noah and his family were “saved by water,” referring to the fact that the waters of the flood saved those in the ark from the destruction that came upon those who were outside of the ark. Then he added that baptism, in a true likeness, “doth also now save us.” The meaning of that last phrase is obvious:  the waters of baptism save us from the eternal destruction that is sure to come upon those who are outside of Christ and the church, at the end of time (II Thes. 1:7-9).

4.     Another significant scripture that verifies the conclusion that baptism is a command of God that one must obey in order to be saved is Mark 16:15-16. In this text, Jesus decreed,

“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:15-16). 

Considering the words of this text without any preconceived ideas, let us ask, where did Jesus place being “baptized” — before or after salvation?

It is undeniable that, according to Mark 16:16, Jesus placed being baptized before salvation, which means that being baptized is required in order for the believer to be saved. In order to say that one can be saved without being baptized or before being baptized, one would have to change the words of Jesus. And surely no one would contend that a doctrine is correct when it changes what Jesus taught.

Indeed, a careful examination of these texts solidifies the conclusion that baptism is essential to salvation!

Does This Mean That, In Baptism, We Earn Our Salvation?

                        When we contend that baptism is essential to salvation, a common objection to such teaching is that it means that we earn our salvation. The objection might be worded like this, “Baptism is a work. If we are saved by baptism, then we are saved by works, but the Bible teaches that we are saved by grace, not works!”

Indeed, the Bible teaches that “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” (Eph. 2:8-9). Make no mistake about it. We do not, and cannot, earn our salvation. God owes us nothing! Salvation is by grace. However, that does not mean that our salvation is unconditional. Instead, the Scriptures clearly teach that obedience is essential to salvation.

Note three examples of such teaching. (1) Jesus taught that the one who shall enter the kingdom of heaven is the one who does the will of the Father which is in heaven (Mat. 7:21).   (2) The author of Hebrews identified the one whom Jesus saves as the one who obeys him (Heb. 5:8-9). (3) The apostle Paul gave the sobering warning that the Lord will take vengeance upon all who do not obey the gospel (II Thes. 1:7-9).

However, when we obey the gospel, including our obedience to the command to be baptized, we do not earn our salvation! 

                        The “work” that we do in response to a promise or command of God is a work of righteousness, not a work of merit.  The merit is in the Lord who commanded the work, and in whom we place our trust as we obey him! To illustrate, repentance is an act of faith, relying on the Lord to save (Acts 17:30), and confession is an act of faith, relying on the Lord to save (Romans 10:10). Likewise, baptism is an act of faith, relying on the Lord to save (Acts 2:38).

The truth is that the grace of God is appropriated to us when we, by trust in the Lord, do the works that God has commanded!

Conclusion

                        An objective consideration of what the New Testament teaches about baptism leads one to the conclusion that the penitent believer in Jesus Christ, must be immersed in water, in the name of Jesus Christ, in order to be saved!