What Must I Do to Be Saved?

“What Must I Do to Be Saved?”

Acts 16:30 ESV

30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Introduction:

 The Philippian Jailor asked Paul and Silas the most important question a man (or woman) can ever ask, “What must I do the be saved?” This question is what we will explore over the next few moments.

Discussion:

I. Why This Question is Important

a. We Have All Sinned –

Romans 3:9–20 ESV

9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

b. Sin Separated Us From God –

Isaiah 59:1–2 ESV

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

c. Sin’s Wages Are Eternal Death –

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

d. Only the Saved Are in the New Testament Church –

Acts 2:47 ESV

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

II. The Answer to the Question

a. Hear

1.  In Order for One to Be Saved, Thus Must First Hear –

Romans 10:17 ESV

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

2. Jesus Said, “He Who Has Ears to Hear, Let Him Hear.” –

Mark 4:9 ESV

9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

3. But We Cannot Hear Just Anything in Order to Be Saved.

4. Some Hear Teaching, But Not Truth in Order to Have Their Ears Scratched –

2 Timothy 4:1–4 ESV

1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

5. We Must Hear the Word of God, the Gospel –

Romans 10:13–17 ESV

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

b. Believe

1. This Belief (Faith) is Produced by Our Hearing –

Romans 10:17 ESV

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

2. We Must Believe in Order to Be Pleasing to God –

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

3. Those That Belief Have Everlasting Life –

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

4. Without Belief, We Will Have the Second Death –

Revelation 21:8 ESV

8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

5. Lack of Belief Can Hinder Us from Following the Rest of the Plan of Salvation –

Acts 8:36–37 ESV

36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

c. Repent

1. God commands All Men Everywhere to Repent –

Acts 17:30–31 ESV

30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

2. Without Repentance, We Will Perish –

Luke 13:3 ESV

3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

3. Repentance is “For the Remission of Sins” –

Acts 2:38 ESV

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

4. “to change one’s mind for the better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins” - Thayer, 405

5. The Two Sons Illustrated This Attitude –

Matthew 21:28–32 ESV

28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

d. Confess

1. This Confession is of Who Jesus is –

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

2. Same Confession the Eunuch Made –

Acts 8:37 NKJV

37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

3. The Confession of Our Sins is For Erring Christian, Not Alien Sinner –

1 John 1:9 ESV

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

4. If We Confess Christ, He Will Confess Us Before His Father –

Matthew 10:32 ESV

32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,

5. If We Do Not, He Will Deny Us Before His Father –

Matthew 10:33 ESV

33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

e. Be Baptized

1. Baptism Now Saves Us, Just as Noah Was Saved In the Ark By Water–

1 Peter 3:21 ESV

21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

2. Baptism Is “For the Remission of Sins” –

Acts 2:38 ESV

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

3.    Same Reason We Repent –

Acts 2:38 ESV

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

4.    Same Reason Christ Died –

Matthew 26:28 ESV

28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

5. We Are Saved by Baptism –

Mark 16:16 ESV

16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

6. We Are Baptized to Wash Away Our Sins –

Acts 22:16 ESV

16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

7. Baptism Is a Burial –

Romans 6:4 ESV

4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

8. It is Into Christ’s Death –

Romans 6:1–4 ESV

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

9. It is How We Put on Christ –

Galatians 3:27 ESV

27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

f. Remain Faithful

1. We Must Beware That We Do Not Have a Heart That Will Bring Us Away From the Living God –

Hebrews 3:12 ESV

12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

2. We Must Remain Steadfast –

1 Peter 5:9 ESV

9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

3. We Must Be Faithful Even to the Point We Will Die For Christ’s Sake –

3. But if We Fail to Do So, There is A Second Law of Pardon

4.    Confess Our Sins –

1 John 1:9 ESV

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

5.    Repent and Pray –

Acts 8:22 ESV

22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

Conclusion:

Now that you know what you must do, why would you wait. You do not know what tomorrow may bring, for our life is short or God could come back- ; . So, “Why do you wait?”