Salvation
What Must I Do To Be Saved?
Our salvation is by grace through faith, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). We cannot work our own way to heaven through good deeds; only through our faith in Jesus Christ alone can we receive the gift of salvation. While it is god alone who saves us by His grace, we need to respond to God’s calling through faith in order to be saved. This response of faith is expressed through belief, confession, repentance, and obedience.
Believe and Confess
“… if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the way to receive salvation. Faith is more than mental consent. It means complete acceptance, trust, and dedication of ourselves to Christ. Faith must also persist throughout our lives. If we make a life-long commitment to the Saviour, He will save us according to His promise.
Not only do we need to believe and confess that Jesus is our Saviour, we must also believe that the Bible, which is a testament of Christ, is true. Furthermore, we need to believe in His true church, the body of Christ, because Christ has send the church to preach the gospel of salvation and administer the necessary sacraments for salvation.
Repent and Obey
Repentance means turning back to God. It is a necessary act of faith. A repentant sinner must leave his sinful life and determine to obey God’s word. He must walk by the Holy Spirit and aim towards leading a life of purity and love.
Obediences is the practice of faith. Without it, confession of the Lord’s name would be a hollow statement. Although obedience itself is not the basis of salvation, through it, we demonstrate our faith in the Lord. The Lord Jesus said to a young man who asked how to receive eternal life, “if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17).
Receive the Sacrament
Faith in the Lord also means accepting the sacraments. The sacrament, which are baptism, footwashing and Holy Communion, are specific commands from our Lord that are necessary for salvation. Christ washes our sins away in baptism; He offers us a part with Him through footwashing; and He gives us His life through the Holy Communion.
The use of physical actions or elements for the salvation of the soul cannot be rationally explained. However, they are required according tot he Lord’s own word. If we have not received the sacraments, or have not done so in the manner taught in the Bible, we need to receive them in accordance with God’s word in order to be saved.
Salvation For Today
Salvation is not only an important subject, it is also an urgent issue. While taking your time to decide may seem harmless, waiting just means remaining under God’s wrath and condemnation. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, ow is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Do not wait until you complete your degree, finish enjoying life, or retire from your career. Time is not in your hands. What if today is your last day? God has given you today; so you are accountable for your decisions today.
Call on the Lord Jesus now, come into His church, and determine to walk in the way of salvation. God is ready to accept you. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knock it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).