What Must I Do to be Saved?

The Philippian jailer posed this very question to Paul and Silas. Their answer was simple but is packed with truth.

Acts 16:30–32 “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.”

We often hear verses 30-31 quoted, but very seldom do we hear quoted verse 32. Obviously, one can’t believe on Jesus Christ as Lord without knowing who He is and what He teaches according to His word.

We can be very sure that Paul would have been very careful to explain the gospel message to this man and his family. Paul actually identifies the gospel in his letter to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures….”

Those scriptures would certainly have included the message of the prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah 53:5–6 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

In light of these scriptures, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ requires that one acknowledge his/her sin before the Lord. It requires that one believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. It requires that one understand that Jesus served as the only acceptable sacrifice for our sin before YHWH, the self-existent eternal God.

I am sure that Paul would have explained that salvation is a gift that cannot be earned as he so clearly told the Ephesians.

Ephesians 2:8–9 “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.”

Paul would surely have explained that belief would be evidenced by not being afraid to declare one’s faith before other men. This is according to the words of Jesus as recorded by His disciples.

Luke 12:8–9 “Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.”

Matthew 10:32 “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.”

Paul summarized these truths clearly in his letter to the Romans.

Romans 10:9–10 “That 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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

That again brings us back to an important point that was included in Paul’s original answer to the Philippian jailer. One must confess Jesus as “Lord.” In other words, one’s sincere belief in Jesus requires that he/she submit to Him as the ruling authority in one’s life according to the Word of God. This is really the point that causes so many to accept false teaching. For some reason it seems that men would rather trust in their own efforts rather than simply submit to God as Lord and accept the gift of salvation on His terms as revealed in scripture. The words of Jesus are very clear on this truth. Those who declare their faith in God while honoring the teachings of men more than the teaching of His word are not true believers. Those who truly love Him will evidence that love by their obedience to His word.

Matthew 15:8–9 “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

Mark 7:7–9 “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”

John 14:21 “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

The Apostle John’s first letter focuses on this truth. He is very bold in his declaration of the truth without regard for political correctness.

1 John 2:3–5 “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”

I am sure that Paul taught this family much more about how to live to honor God in obedience to His word. In this short post I have faithfully explained as clearly as I know how from God’s word what it means to be saved. In light of this truth, I ask you to consider these words of Paul to the Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.”

When making this examination, also remember that one who has truly accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior receives the indwelling Holy Spirit Who will give evidence of His presence.

1 Corinthians 3:16 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”

Romans 8:9 “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

Galatians 5:22–23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance:”

Ephesians 5:9–10 “(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.”