The most important question in life is, "What must I do to receive eternal life?"  Regarding the importance of this question, Jesus said, "For what profit is it to a man 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)  If ever there was a question that we had better get correct, this is it.

There are many different answers that men give to this question.  But since it is GOD to whom we will give an account (Romans 14:12), the only opinion that matters is GOD's.  Too often it seems that people have this idea that GOD will be pleased with whatever they do, as long as they feel that they're doing it "in service to Him".

But this does not make sense.  We do not apply this logic to any other relationship.  For example, if I were to buy my wife a new football for her birthday, I might have the best of intentions and I might fully believe she would view this gift as "acceptable", yet I would be totally wrong.  She would hate it.  She would not be pleased with me.

So, what does GOD say about this question?  The only way we can know is to refer to His Word, the Bible.

The Nature of GOD

In order to answer the question, "What must I do to be saved?" we must first understand the basic nature of GOD.  GOD tells us through His word that He is holy, just, and love. 

GOD is Holy

Leviticus 19:1-2 says, "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy."  The fact that GOD is holy means that He cannot, by His very nature, associate with unholiness.

When we are born into this world we are innocent -- holy; without sin (Ezekiel 18).  But all of us who are old enough and able to discern right from wrong have transgressed GOD's law (which is the definition of sin).  When we sin that makes us un-holy (and unlike GOD).  Isaiah 59:2 tells us that our sins have separated us from GOD.  Romans 3:23 says "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".  No one is exempt.

GOD is Just

GOD is also perfectly just.  He is The Righteous Judge.  Psalm 50:6 says, "Let the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is Judge."  As such He demands that all sin be punished.  The only adequate payment (atonement) for sin that can appease GOD's just-ness is blood, because life is in the blood (Leviticus 17:10-12).  But not just any blood will do.  It has to be the blood of an innocent man.  Hebrews 10:4 says, "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins."

The punishment for those who die without atonement for their sins is eternal torment in hell (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; Mark 9:42-48).  I hope you can see that at this stage you and I have a problem.  We're guilty before GOD and we have no way within our own power of producing adequate payment for our sins.

GOD is Love

Thankfully GOD is also love (1 John 4:8).  He saw our helpless state and stepped in and provided a Way -- Jesus Christ, the GOD-Man.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)  Although He was a man, Jesus lived a life of sinless perfection, yet the world hated Him and crucified Him (John 15:18; John 18-19).  Yet this was GOD's plan (Isaiah 53; Galatians 4:4-6).  Praise GOD for His greatness!!!  For His matchless love!!!

Jesus' innocent blood is able to provide the atonement that can cover the sins of those who seek Him (Hebrews 10:4-18).  So now the question becomes, "How do I receive atonement for my sins through the blood of Jesus?"  Thankfully GOD has revealed to us many examples and instructions to answer this question in His word.  Below there are a number of passages listed for your consideration.  Here is a summary of what you'll find, but don't take my word for it.  Read it for yourself!!!

Step 1:  You Must Believe

Once you've heard the word of GOD and you understand your lost condition before Him, the first step is to believe in GOD, that His word is true, and that Jesus is the Son of GOD (John 8:23-25).  If you believe, read on.  If you don't believe you can stop reading now.  The rest will do you no good.  As Jesus said in John 8:23-25, "you will die in your sins."

Step 2:  Repent of Your Sins

To repent means to feel sorrow over a behavior and to resolve not to repeat the same action.  When many people think repentance they think about the aspect of feeling sorry for something they've done, but repentance as used in the Scriptures is more than just feeling sorry.  It is make a firm decision not to repeat the same action.  In Acts 2, Peter preached the first gospel sermon, and once the people were convicted that they had crucified the Son of GOD they asked what could be done.  Peter's response was "Repent..." (more on this in a minute)

Step 3:  Confess Jesus as the Son of GOD

In Acts 8:26-40 we have the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch.  Philip preaches Jesus to the eunuch and the eunuch believes.  He asks to be saved and Philip's response is, "If you believe with all your heart, you may."  The eunuch responds, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." (Acts 8:37) 

Step 4:  Be Baptized (Emersed) for the Forgiveness of Your Sins

Here is where most people get off-track.  Stay with me on this and see what GOD has to say.

Jesus told His apostles after His resurrection, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16)  The English word "baptize" comes from the Greek word "baptizo", which means "to emerse; to make fully wet" (Strong's Concordance 907).  The Word shows us that it is when we are emersed in water (not sprinkled, mind you, but fully covered) for the forgiveness of our sins that we come into contact with the blood of Jesus and our sins are forgiven.

Our baptism is a symbol of death and rebirth (Colossians 2:11-13; Galatians 3:27; John 3:2-4).  When we are fully lowered into the water we are dying to the life we lived where in we were slaves of sin.  When we arise from the water we are "raised to walk in newness of life".  Consider the words of Paul:

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection" (Romans 6:1-5).

Consider the words of Peter in 1 Peter 3:18-22:

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him."

Don't Misunderstand Me: This is Not Salvation By Works!

Let me make this final point regarding baptism:  We are not saved by our works.  We are saved by grace through faith.  "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-10)  But true faith produces obedience.  Faith by itself is dead (James 2:14-26).  In fact, James says "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?"  Friend, the Bible does not contradict itself, for it is from GOD.  The only way both Ephesians 2:8-10 and James 2:14-26 can be true is if grace, faith, and obedience are all involved in our salvation.

Additional Scriptures to Consider

• Matthew 28:18-20
• Acts 8:9-13, 26-40
• Acts 9:1-19
• Acts 10:44-47
• Acts 22:1-16 (Ask yourself:  At what point was Paul saved?)
• Romans 5-8
• Romans 10:8-17
• Galatians 3
• Hebrews 9-10

Conclusion

GOD's word outlines a consistent pattern by which we can obtain forgiveness of our sins.  If we do not follow the pattern He has outlined then how can we expect to be received by Him, regardless of our sincerity?  There are so many answers that men give to the question, "What must I do to be saved?", but it is GOD's pattern that matters.

The greatest trajedy is that on the Day of Judgment when we stand before the Father there will be MANY believers who hear the words "depart from me...I never knew you." and it will be because they didn't submit to the will of GOD with regard to His plan of salvation.  I beg you...don't be one of those people!!!

If you recognize that you have not followed GOD's plan of salvation, I'd be happy to study with you or if you are convinced of your need to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, of course I'd be thrilled to help you with that too.

My desire is solely to please GOD, to receive salvation from my sins, and to help others obtain it also.  Have you reached a different conclusion based on your study of GOD's word?  If you think I'm misunderstanding the Scriptures, please show me agape love and help me understand the truth:  tiharr@gmail.com.