HOW IS A PERSON SAVED?
What did Jesus and the apostles tell sinners to do?
This may be the most important question in our entire series.
We have asked:
Who is God?
Who is Jesus?
Did we exist before we were born?
What happened in Eden?
But now the question becomes personal.
HOW CAN I BE SAVED?
Different churches give different answers.
Some say:
Believe only.
Others emphasize:
Repentance.
Others:
Baptism.
Others speak of:
ordinances, covenants, priesthood authority, temple ceremonies and enduring faithfully.
Instead of beginning with any of those systems, let's do something simpler.
Let's ask:
WHAT DID JESUS AND THE APOSTLES ACTUALLY SAY?
1. FIRST, WHY DO WE NEED SAVING?
Paul begins with the problem:
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
— Romans 3:23
Not some.
ALL.
Our problem is not merely ignorance.
It is not simply mortality.
It is not that we haven't progressed far enough.
We have sinned against God.
And:
“The wages of sin is death.”
— Romans 6:23
That is the problem salvation must solve.
2. WE CANNOT SAVE OURSELVES
The gospel begins with something humbling.
We cannot erase our own sins.
We cannot perform enough good deeds to place God in our debt.
Paul says:
“For 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.”
— Ephesians 2:8–9
Salvation begins with:
GRACE.
God acts because we cannot rescue ourselves.
3. BUT DON'T STOP READING
Sometimes Ephesians 2:8–9 is quoted as though Paul finished speaking at verse 9.
He didn't.
Verse 10 says:
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works...”
Good works do not purchase salvation.
But the person saved by grace is recreated for a life of obedience.
So Scripture does not give us a choice between:
grace
and
obedience.
Grace saves us.
Grace also changes the way we live.
4. WHAT MADE SALVATION POSSIBLE?
Not our goodness.
Not our ceremonies.
Not our religious organization.
Not our ability to keep rules perfectly.
JESUS CHRIST.
Paul says:
“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;”
“And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day...”
— 1 Corinthians 15:3–4
That is the heart of the gospel.
Jesus did what we could never do for ourselves.
5. SO WHAT MUST A PERSON DO?
This is where we should be careful.
Instead of starting with a theological formula, let's watch people hear the gospel in the New Testament.
What were they told?
6. “BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST”
The Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas:
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
— Acts 16:30
Their answer:
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved...”
— Acts 16:31
There is no salvation without faith in Christ.
Jesus Himself said:
“He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
— John 6:47
So faith is essential.
But what kind of faith?
Keep reading Acts.
7. FAITH IS MORE THAN AGREEING WITH A FACT
James asks:
“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works?”
Then:
“Can faith save him?”
— James 2:14
James isn't attacking genuine faith.
He is attacking dead faith.
He later says:
“faith without works is dead.”
— James 2:26
Biblical faith trusts Christ enough to follow Him.
Works don't replace faith.
They reveal whether faith is alive.
8. JESUS SAID REPENT
Jesus began preaching:
“Repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
— Mark 1:15
After His resurrection He said:
“repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations.”
— Luke 24:47
Peter preached the same thing:
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.”
— Acts 3:19
Saving faith is not merely:
I believe Jesus exists.
It turns toward Christ and away from sin.
9. THEN CAME PENTECOST
Acts 2 gives us one of the clearest examples in the New Testament.
Peter preached Jesus.
He told the crowd that the Jesus they had crucified had been made:
“both Lord and Christ.”
— Acts 2:36
They believed what they heard.
They were:
“pricked in their heart.”
Then they asked:
“Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
— Acts 2:37
Peter didn't tell them:
Nothing. You already believe.
He answered:
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins...”
— Acts 2:38
And:
“ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
That passage deserves to be allowed to say exactly what it says.
10. WHY BAPTISM?
Jesus commanded it.
Before ascending He said:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
— Matthew 28:19
Peter commanded it.
Paul submitted to it.
Ananias told Saul:
“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
— Acts 22:16
The question should not be:
How little can I do and still be saved?
The question should be:
WHAT DID CHRIST COMMAND?
11. DOES BAPTISM EARN SALVATION?
No.
A sinner doesn't become his own savior by getting wet.
Baptism has meaning because of what Christ has done.
Paul explains:
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?”
— Romans 6:3
Then:
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death...”
— Romans 6:4
Baptism points away from ourselves and toward:
Christ's death
Christ's burial
Christ's resurrection.
The power isn't in the water.
The power is in Christ.
12. PETER EVEN SAYS BAPTISM SAVES
Peter writes:
“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us...”
— 1 Peter 3:21
But Peter immediately explains that he isn't talking about washing dirt from the body.
It is:
“the answer of a good conscience toward God”
and it saves:
“by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
Once again:
CHRIST IS THE SAVIOR.
Baptism is the faith-response He commanded.
13. WHAT ABOUT THE THIEF ON THE CROSS?
Someone will immediately ask:
What about the thief?
Good question.
The thief could not come down from his cross, join the church and live a Christian life.
Jesus told him:
“To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
— Luke 23:43
Jesus has authority to save.
The thief demonstrates that salvation ultimately depends upon Christ, not our ability to perform a ritual.
But should an exceptional situation involving a dying man be used to cancel what Jesus and His apostles later commanded people who could respond to the gospel?
That's a different question.
14. WHAT ABOUT ROMANS 10:9?
Paul writes:
“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.”
— Romans 10:9
Absolutely.
But does Paul mean repentance and baptism no longer matter?
The same Paul was baptized.
The same Paul taught Romans 6.
The same Paul preached:
“that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”
— Acts 26:20
We should allow Paul's statements to complement one another rather than use one verse to erase another.
15. SALVATION IS BY GRACE
We need to say this as clearly as possible.
No human being will stand before God and say:
I SAVED MYSELF.
Paul writes:
“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
— Romans 3:24
Titus says:
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us...”
— Titus 3:5
Salvation is God's gift.
Jesus paid the price.
We receive what we could never purchase.
16. GRACE DOES NOT MAKE OBEDIENCE UNNECESSARY
Hebrews says of Jesus:
“he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”
— Hebrews 5:9
Jesus Himself asked:
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
— Luke 6:46
Obedience doesn't compete with grace.
Obedience is the response of faith to grace.
We don't obey instead of trusting Christ.
We obey because we trust Christ.
17. MUST A CHRISTIAN CONTINUE IN FAITH?
Jesus said:
“he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”
— Matthew 10:22
Paul told Christians:
“if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled...”
— Colossians 1:23
And Hebrews warns Christians not to:
“depart from the living God.”
— Hebrews 3:12
Salvation is not permission to abandon Christ.
The Christian life begins in faith.
And it continues in faith.
18. WHAT DO LATTER-DAY SAINTS TEACH?
Again, let's be accurate.
It would be unfair to say:
“Mormons believe they save themselves by works.”
Current official LDS teaching explicitly says that salvation is possible only through the grace and Atonement of Jesus Christ. It says grace is God's gift and that human beings cannot merit or earn it. Church of Jesus Christ
Latter-day Saint teaching also uses the word salvation in several different senses.
For salvation from sin, official teaching includes:
faith in Jesus Christ
repentance
baptism
receiving the Holy Ghost
and
continuing faithfully. Church of Jesus Christ
Much of that language will sound very familiar to anyone reading Acts.
So where is the question?
19. THE QUESTION BECOMES AUTHORITY AND ORDINANCES
Official LDS teaching says baptism must be performed by someone possessing the proper restored priesthood authority. Confirmation and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost likewise require priesthood authority. Church of Jesus Christ
For exaltation—life in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom—official LDS teaching goes further.
It includes additional ordinances and covenants, including temple endowment and sealing; current LDS materials also identify Melchizedek Priesthood ordination for men among ordinances essential to exaltation. Church of Jesus Christ
Now we have a very precise question.
DID JESUS AND THE APOSTLES TEACH THESE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS?
That question can be investigated from Scripture.
20. WHAT DID PEOPLE DO IN ACTS?
Watch the pattern.
They heard the gospel.
They believed Jesus.
They repented.
They confessed their faith.
They were baptized.
They received the Holy Spirit.
Then:
“they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
— Acts 2:42
This wasn't a ladder by which they climbed high enough for God to save them.
It was their response to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
21. NOTICE WHAT ISN'T THERE
Read Acts carefully.
Where were converts told that eternal life required:
a temple endowment?
a marriage sealing?
secret or sacred temple ordinances?
a restored Aaronic priesthood?
a restored Melchizedek Priesthood organization?
Those are significant requirements.
If they are necessary for exaltation in God's presence, we should ask:
WHERE DID THE APOSTLES TEACH THEM TO THE CHURCH?
That is not an attack.
It is exactly the test we've been using throughout this series.
22. DON'T BUILD SALVATION FROM ONE VERSE
This is where Christians of every tradition need to be careful.
Someone quotes:
“Believe.”
Someone else quotes:
“Repent.”
Another quotes:
“Be baptized.”
Another quotes:
“By grace are ye saved.”
Another:
“Faith without works is dead.”
And each person may build an entire system around one verse.
Instead, put them together.
The New Testament picture is remarkably coherent.
HOW IS A PERSON SAVED?
God acts first.
GRACE.
Christ died for our sins and rose again.
GOSPEL.
We hear that message.
HEARING.
We trust Jesus Christ.
FAITH.
We turn from sin toward God.
REPENTANCE.
We acknowledge Christ.
CONFESSION.
We are united with Christ in baptism.
BAPTISM.
God gives new life through His Spirit.
NEW LIFE.
And we continue following Christ.
FAITHFULNESS.
None of those things makes us the Savior.
JESUS SAVES.
THE QUESTION IS NOT:
How much must I accomplish before God owes me salvation?
God owes us nothing.
Nor should the question be:
What is the smallest possible response I can make and still get into heaven?
The better question is:
WHAT RESPONSE DOES JESUS ASK FROM SOMEONE WHO TRUSTS HIM?
Read the Gospels.
Read Acts.
Read Romans.
Read Galatians.
Read Ephesians.
Read James.
Read Peter.
Then follow the text wherever it leads.
TEXT B4 TRADITION
Read First. Conclude Later.
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