What Must I Do To Be Saved?
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What Must I Do To Be Saved?
I. INTRODUCTION.
A. The greatest question ever to be asked by a sinner is the title of this study.
1. It is not:
a. “How to cure cancer?”
b. “How to eliminate war completely?
c. “How can I live to be 150?”
2. The greatest question is: “What must I do to be saved?”
B. This query is a Bible question.
1. Acts 16:30: “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?“
2. Acts 2:37: “ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
3. Acts 9:6: “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”
C. The question is of little importance to the modern mind.
1. It is an important, but usually unasked, question for our skeptical generation.
2. Members of the Lord’s church need to be reminded of its importance.
a. A full understanding of the question will help us to better serve the Lord as soul-winners.
b. It will help us to appreciate more fully our own salvation.
3. A clear, honest answer to the question from the Bible will clarify the understanding of those who have been deceived into thinking they are saved, when they are not saved.
II. DISCUSSION.
A. The question implies the need for deliverance from impending danger.
1. If there is no danger, there is no need for salvation (deliverance).
a. Salvation implies danger; the term“salvation” is defined as “deliverance from destruction, danger,
or great calamity.”
b. One who is in no danger of drowning cannot be saved from drowning.
c. One who is standing with his feet firmly planted on the earth cannot be saved from the danger of falling since he is in no danger of falling.
2. The impending danger of any sinner is the “second death.”
a. We cannot be spared from physical death; this is the unconditional penalty of sin imposed on us by the past.
1) Romans 5:12: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."
2) Hebrews 9:27: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."
b. We can avoid the penalty of the second death.
1) Revelation 20:14: "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death."
2) Revelation 21:8: "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
3) 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9: "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power."
4) Revelation 2:11: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death."
5) Revelation 20:6 "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."
3. The place of the second death is Gehenna, the place prepared for the devil and his angels.
a. Matthew 25:41: "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."
b. Matthew 5:22: "But Isay unto you, That whosoever is angrywith his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."
c. Revelation 19:20: "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."
d. Revelation 21:8: "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
e. Matthew 25:46: "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
4. Deliverance from this place of eternal punishment is the most important and necessary salvation!
a. Mark 9:48: "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
b. Matthew 25:30: "And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
B. The sinner is lost, headed inexorably for this lake of fire.
1. He will most assuredly enter this awful place of punishment if he does not take proper action.
a. Ecclesiastes 7:20,29: "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.... Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions."
b. Romans 3:10-23: "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
c. Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
d. 1 John 5:19: "And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness."
2. The sinner is lost because of his own personal sins, not the sins of his ancestors.
a. Ezekiel 18:20: "The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."
b. Isaiah 59:1-2: "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."
c. 1 John 3:4: "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."
d. Exodus 32:30-33: "And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure Ishall make an atonement for your sin. And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book."
3. Sin is personal and prominent; it is seen on every hand.
a. The daily crime reports are reports of sin.
b. The annual statistics of abortion are listings of sin.
c. The staggering divorce statistics are reports of sin.
d. The lists of the dead and maimed from terrorists and warmongers are listings of sin.
e. The arrest list of police departments of drunks, of domestic abuse, of child-abusers, are reports of sin.
f. The ugly, unholy language that fills the air where the ungodly gather is the language of sin.
g. The torn bodies of the wounded and dead in war and violence are evidence of sin.
h. The false doctrines of men are examples of sin.
C. To answer the question of our study, we must rightly divide the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15).
1. The answer is not found in the Old Testament, for that law was given to the Jews only, and has been superseded by the gospel of Christ.
a. Matthew 5:17: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."
b. Ephesians 2:14-15: "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.”
c. Colossians 2:14: "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross."
d. Acts 13:38-39: "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."
e. Romans 7:1-7: "Know ye not, brethren, (for Ispeak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet."
f. Hebrews 10:9: "Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second."
2. The full answer is not found in the gospel accounts, prior to the Lord’s death on the cross. Before a man’s will takes effect, he can dispense his property and money as he wishes, but after his death, his will takes effect, and his estate can be dispensed only as he has dictated in his will.
a. Galatians 3:15: "Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto."
b. Hebrews 9:15-17: "And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth."
d. We are not to look to the penitent thief on the cross as an example of how to be saved (Luke 23:43). That man was saved prior to the death of Christ, and thus before his will took effect.
3. The book of Acts records the question of our study, and supplies the answer.
a. Acts 16:30-34: "And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to 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, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house."
b. Acts 2:37-38: “ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, 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."
c. Acts 9:6: “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” Acts 22:16: "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
4. The different answers are not contradictory; as we shall see, they harmonize perfectly.
a. Suppose you were to travel from Miami, Florida to Nashville, Tennessee. Were you to ask someone in Miami how far it was to Nashville, the answer might be 910 miles; if you were to ask someone in Atlanta, Georgia how far to Nashville, he might tell you 260 miles. If you were to ask someone in Chattanooga, he might tell you 120 miles. These answers are not contradictory, but indicate that the traveler is at different stages in his journey toward Nashville.
5. Why were the different audiences in our texts told different things?
a. Why was the jailer told to believe? This was the beginning point for him; he knew virtually nothing about the gospel Paul and Silas preached. He needed to learn and believe that Christ is the Savior. It would have been useless to tell this Gentile jailer to be baptized if he knew nothing of the gospel or of the purpose of baptism.
b. Whywere the Pentecostians told to repent and be baptized? This was their present need; they were believers for they had already been taught about Christ being the Savior; they believed he was the Savior, which moved them to ask what to do to be saved. Peter told them what they needed to do. Believers do not need to be told to believe.
c. Why was Saul only told to be baptized? It is clear from the facts of the case that he was a believer in Christ and that he had repented from his sins. He had asked the Lord what he should do; the Lord told him to enter Damascus and he would be told what he must do. During the three days before the preacher came to him, he fasted and prayed. His faith in Christ and his repentance are clearly evident. Therefore, he was told to arise and be baptized (Acts 22:16); he did not need to be told to do what he had already done..
D. An analysis of the question is very revealing.
1. What.
a. Since this is a spiritual question, what is to be done is not to sing, whistle, run, jump, clap hands,
climb a mountain, dance, laugh, or eat a meal.
b. Since it is a logical question, it follows that we are not to do everything that is possible to be done
in this world.
c. The question calls for a logical, spiritual, and therefore a scriptural response.
2. Must.
a. The question calls for a definite and required response. The response is not a mere good thing to
do; it is not a recommendation, but a requirement.
b. Saul was told to enter Damascus, where he would be told what he must do.
3. I.
a. The action that is to be done must be done by the individual; it is an individual, personal
obligation. Saul was to be told what he must do, not what his mother or father or friend must do.
b. The nature of the salvation of the soul is such that no one else can be saved in our stead. It is he that believeth and is baptized who shall be saved (Mark 16:16).
c. God took action to send his Son into the world; the Son came and died on the cross; the Holy
Spirit came to reveal and confirm the gospel; now it is the individual sinner’s turn to take action.
4. Do.
a. An action is required. The question does not ask what we should feel, or imagine, or dream; it
asks what must be done.
b. What is to be done is the will of God, not the decree of some man or council of men.
c. Matthew 7:21: "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."
d. Luke 6:46: "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"
e. Revelation 22:14: "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."
5. To Be Saved.
a. The question does not ask how to live 150 years, or how to obtain wealth, or how to have good
physical health; it points to the greatest need of every sinner—the salvation of his soul.
b. Romans 5:8-9: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from
wrath through him."
c. 1 Timothy 1:13-15: "Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained
mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant
with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all
acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."
d. Acts 26:28-29: "Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And
Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost,
and altogether such as I am, except these bonds."
e. 2 Corinthians 5:10-11: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one
may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God;
and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences."
E. An examination of the prominent conversion accounts in Acts reveals the following:
Cases of Conversion
CASE- GOSPEL- ACTION- ACTION -ACTION- RESULT
Acts 2 Spoke Heard Pricked Baptized Added, Saved
Acts 8:1-13 Preached Heard Believed Baptized Great Joy
Acts 8:26-40 Preached Heard Believed Baptized Rejoiced
Acts 10 & 11 Spoke [Heard] Believed Baptized [Saved]
Acts 16:12-15 Spoke Heart Opened Attended Baptized [Saved]
Acts 16:19-34 Spoke [Heard] [Believed] Baptized Washed Stripes
Acts 18:1-8 Reasoned Heard Believed Baptized [Saved]
Acts 9, 22, 26 Spoke Heard Believed Baptized Sins Washed
Cases of Non-conversion
CASE- GOSPEL- ACTION -ACTION- RESULT
Acts 5:29-33 Spoke Heard Cut to the Heart Wanted to Kill Them
Acts 7 Spoke Heard Cut to the Heart Resisted, Stoned
Acts 13:14-46 Spoke Heard Contradicted & Blasphemed Rejected
Acts 17:16-33 Spoke Heard Mocked Rejected
Acts 24:24f Reasoned [Heard] Trembled Put Off
Acts 26 Spoke [Heard] Believed Rejected
Acts 28:23-29 Expounded & Testified [Heard] Did Not Believe Disputed
III. CONCLUSION.
A. The New Testament gives us a picture of the awfulness of hell.
1. It is a place of outer darkness and wailing (Matt. 25:30
And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
2. It is a place of fire (Mark 9:42-48
“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’ And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’ And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire—where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’
4. Those consigned to this place are separated from God (Matt. 25:31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
5. The condition of those in Gehenna is described as being destroyed (2 Thess. 1:7-9
and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
means “loss of well-being, not loss of being”).
b. Luke 12:4-5: "And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him."
6. To enter this dreadful place is to be separated from all who are holy and all that is holy. "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life" (Rev. 21:27).
B. We are very familiar with the usual events surrounding the death and burial of a loved one.
1. The individual dies, unexpectedly or expectantly.
a. The body is prepared for burial.
b. The funeral service is conducted, during which the proper words are spoken.
c. The hearse leaves the funeral home, leading the procession of cars to the cemetery.
d. The internment ceremony is conducted.
e. Flowers and tears are evident.
2. The loved one is no longer with us; even the body is hidden from our view. We will not see this person again under the sun, on this side of eternity.
3. But the Resurrection Day will come!
a. 2 Peter 3:10: "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."
b. John 5:28-28: "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."
c. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
d. Matthew 25:31-32, 46. "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats....And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
C. God, Christ, your redeemed loved ones living and dead, all want you to be with them in eternity.
1. But without obeying the gospel and living a faithful Christian life you cannot be redeemed to be with them.
2. There will never be a better, more convenient time to obey the gospel than at this hour!