Chapter 10
WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
Q. Does GOD'S WORD teach that God is sovereign and that He controls and rules over all the affairs of men?
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Gen. 1:1
"Jehovah hath established his throne in the heavens; And his kingdom ruleth over all." Psalm 103:19
"Jehovah shall reign for ever and ever." Ex. 15:18
"Thine, O Jehovah, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Jehovah, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou rulest over all; and in thy hand is power and might; and in thy hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all." 1 Chron. 29:11-12
"And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" Dan. 4:34-35
Q. If God is sovereign, does man have the right to make and to choose the conditions for his own salvation from sin?
Q. If God is sovereign, must man to be saved, subject himself to the conditions plainly outlined by this sovereign God in His WORD?
Q. Does man have the right to teach that man is born too totally depraved to obey the conditions of salvation given by the sovereign God in His WORD?
Q. What are the conditions of salvation given by the sovereign God in His WORD?
"Moses indeed said, A prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me. To him shall ye hearken in all things whatsoever he shall speak unto you. And it shall be, that every soul that shall not hearken to that prophet, shall be utterly destroyed from among the people." Acts 3:22-23
"God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son." Heb. 1:1-2
"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." Matt. 17:5
"And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Matt. 28:18-19
"And he (Jesus) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned." Mark 16:15-16
"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:5
"He (Jesus) became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation." Heb. 5:9
| "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31 | ||
| "Repent ye therefore ... that your sins may be blotted out." Acts 3:19 | ||
| "With the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Rom. 10:10b | ||
| "Be baptized, and wash away thy sins." Acts 22:16 | ||
| "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life." Rev. 2:10 |
Q. Can we understand from these five scriptures that there are five ways for man to be saved?
Q. Is the way of salvation "multiple choice"?
Q. Does man have the right to choose one of these or any combination of these, as the way in which he wishes to be saved?
Q. Is any one of these more important than any other?
Q. Is the person who says that he is saved by "faith only", any more saved than a person who would say that he is saved by "baptism only"?
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"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matt. 4:4
"Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son." II John 9
Q. Does GOD'S WORD teach that a man, to be saved, must have a good and honest heart and a love for truth?
"The seed is the word of God...
And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience." Luke 8:11, 15
And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience." Luke 8:11, 15
"Them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." II Thess. 2:10
"Jesus therefore said...
ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 3:31, 32
ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 3:31, 32
"Thy word is truth..." John 17:17
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Q. How many times in GOD'S WORD is the all important question, "What must I do to be saved?" asked and answered?
"What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" (the rich young ruler) Matt. 19:16
"What must I do to be saved?" (the Philippian jailor) Acts 16:30
"What shall we do?" (the men on Pentecost) Acts 2:37
"What shall I do, Lord?" (Saul of Tarsus) Acts 22:10
Q. According to GOD'S WORD, when persons living under the law of Moses asked, What must I do to be saved?, what answer were they given?
"And behold, one came to him and said, Teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he (Jesus) said unto him ... if thou wouldest enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? And Jesus said, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honor thy father and mother; and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Matt. 19:16-19
Q. Did Jesus himself also live under and keep the law of Moses?
"But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law." Gal. 4:4
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Q. According to GOD'S WORD, when a heathen unbeliever who had never before heard of Jesus and His gospel, asked, What must I do to be saved?, what answer was he given?
"And he (the Philippian jailor) called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house. And they spake the word of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately. And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having believed in God. Acts 16:29-34
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house. And they spake the word of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately. And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having believed in God. Acts 16:29-34
Q. According to GOD'S WORD, when men who had been made believers by hearing the gospel preached, asked, What must we do to be saved?, what answer were they given?
"Now when they (the men on Pentecost) heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?
And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:37-38
And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:37-38
"They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls ... And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved." Acts 2:41, 47
"But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name." John 1:12
Q. According to GOD'S WORD, when a man who had been made a repentant believer asked, What must I do to be saved?, what answer was he given?
"And I (Saul) said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do." Acts 22:10
"And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: but rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. ...
And he was three days without sight, and did neither eat nor drink. ...
And the Lord said unto him (Ananias), Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth." Acts 9:5-6, 9, 11
"And he (Ananias) said ... And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name." Acts 22:14,16
And he was three days without sight, and did neither eat nor drink. ...
And the Lord said unto him (Ananias), Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth." Acts 9:5-6, 9, 11
"And he (Ananias) said ... And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name." Acts 22:14,16
Examples of Conversion from GOD'S WORD
| Preaching | Believed | Repented | Confessed | Baptized | Saved |
| Pentecost Acts 2:14-41 | repent v 37-38 | baptized v 38, 41 | remission of sins, saved v 38, 47 | ||
| Samaritans Acts 8:5-13 | believed 12 | baptized 12-13 | |||
| The eunuch Acts 8:35-39 | believed 36-37 | confessed 37 | baptized 38-39 | rejoiced 39 | |
| Saul Acts 22:14-16 | baptized 9:18 | sins washed away 22:16 | |||
| Cornelius Acts 10:34-48 | believed 43 | baptized 48 | remissions of sins 43 | ||
| The jailor Acts 16:30-34 | believed 31 | baptized 33 | rejoiced 34 | ||
| Lydia Acts 16:13-15 | baptized 15 | ||||
| Corinthians Acts 18:8 | believed 8 | baptized 8 | |||
| Hearing Rom. 10:14, 17 | Faith Heb. 11:6 | Repentance Lk. 13:4 | Confession Rom. 10:10 | Baptism Gal. 3:27 | Salvation II Tim. 2:10 |
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