What Must I Do To Be Saved?

What is the answer to man's most vital question? This answer is more important than anything else in the world, “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).

It is distressing to ask that question to different people, and receive so many different answers. All those answers cannot be right!

We get confused and frustrated, wondering if there even is an answer, or wondering if we will ever be able to find it if there is. Let’s simply look at the Bible’s answer to the question “What must I do to be saved?”.

Hear The Gospel

“For whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?... So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:13-17).

Some might think this is such an obvious point we don’t even need to mention it.

But it does not seem obvious to those who baptize infants, or those who are baptized for the dead. God does not force a change of life on any man, but when men hear what Christ has done for them, men choose to make the change (James 1:21-25).

Believe On Jesus

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31).

Some people say it is hard to believe in something or someone they have never seen before... yet they believe in Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare, and George Washington.

Faith is essential to salvation (John 8:24, Hebrews 11:6), but faith alone is not enough, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” (James 2:24). The Lord requires more.

Repent Of Our Sins

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” (Acts 17:30).

If Jesus came into the world to forgive us of our sins, it is not surprising that He requires us to repent of them—namely expressing sorrow and then turning away from them “For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Repentance is vital. We cannot continue in the same sinful life (Acts 2:38, 3:19). If we are too proud, too stubborn, or too indifferent to leave sin, then we have no place with God!

Confess Christ As Lord

“That 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 10:9-10).

Jesus has no secret disciples. We must make a choice—to either confess or deny Him. He is willing to confess weak, sinful creatures like us (Hebrews 2:11-12). Should we not show the same loyalty to Him (1 Timothy 6:14-16)?

Be Baptized Into Christ

“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins...’” (Acts 2:38).

Men will gladly accept the other Scriptures we have read, yet adamantly oppose this one.

Some people say that nowhere does the Bible say baptism saves us—but it does “There is also an antitype which now saves us, namely baptism...” (1 Peter 3:21). Some people say that nowhere does the Bible command a person to be baptized— but it does “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” (Acts 10:48).

God sent His only Son to die for our sins. Is there any reason you should reject salvation? "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord..." (Hebrews 2:3).