What Must I Do to Be Saved

By Mark Swarbrick

Please Share My Article - Thanks!

What must I do to be saved? That question is as old as the church itself, yet many modern pulpits no longer preach it with urgency. Some churches teach that salvation comes through baptism, church membership, or belonging to the “right” denomination. Others suggest that simply being good or spiritual is enough. But the Bible is clear: none of these things can save a soul. The heart of the gospel is that salvation comes only through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, who died and rose again to give us eternal life. The Bible teaches that Jesus is the only way of salvation. Acts 4:12 says: “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Most certainly, life’s most urgent question is: What must I do to be saved? Yet many churches sidestep or obfuscate the matter with human traditions. Some suggest baptism or church membership brings salvation, others point to good works or belonging to the right denomination. But the Bible teaches that salvation is not about religion or self-effort—it is about being rescued from sin and from the eternal judgment of hell.

Saved From What?

In Mark 9:48 Jesus says that hell is a place “where the fire is not quenched.” Jesus said it is a place of “eternal weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The Bible also teaches that everyone needs to be saved. Romans 3:23 says: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” 1 John 1:8 says: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” In Luke 13:3 Jesus said: “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” We cannot save ourselves by being “good enough,” for no one is good enough. That is why people still ask the most important question of all: What must I do to be saved?

Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood to take the punishment for our sins. All that is required of us is to repent of our sins and invite Jesus Christ into our hearts and make him our Lord and God. That means surrendering your life to Him completely and determining to try to live your life in a way that is pleasing to God.

When you decide to repent and pray to Jesus to come into your heart, you are at that moment saved. At that very moment, you are saved from hell and assured of a place in Heaven. And you are changed into a new person. Jesus described this transformation as so radical that it is as if you are born again.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” You don’t have to do any religious works to earn this salvation. In fact, you cannot earn it, for it is a free gift. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Water baptism, reading your Bible, praying, and going to a Bible-believing church are all good things, but they do not save you. Rather, you want to do those things because you are saved.

Second Peter 3:9 tells us that God is “not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

What Must I Do to Be Saved?

The Scripture passages below explain how to be saved and directly answer the question: What must I do to be saved?

In Acts 16:30-31, the people asked the apostles: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” Acts 3:19 says: Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out.

Romans 10:9-10 says: “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

Salvation is not just a matter of intellectual assent concerning Jesus. It is a matter of surrendering your will and heart totally to Christ. It is a matter of faith, a matter of believing what God says in His word, the Holy Bible. You must genuinely believe and determine to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul.

Jesus is waiting for you. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says to all: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him.” Do you hear him knocking on the door of your heart? If you are sincere about truly repenting and coming to Christ, then pray this prayer and be saved, be a new person, and be destined for an eternity of joy in Heaven with Jesus.

Heavenly Father, please forgive me for all wrongdoing I have ever done. I am truly sorry and promise to do my best to obey your word. Thank you for sending your Son to die for my sins. I believe Jesus died on the cross for me and literally came back to life, just as the Bible says. Lord Jesus, I believe you and the Father are one, and I submit to you as my personal Lord and Savior. Lord Jesus, I open the door of my heart to you. I trust you alone to save me by your shed blood on the cross. Holy Spirit, please come into my heart. Change me into a new person and save me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, please leave a comment below and/or contact Pastor Mark at Pastor-Mark@ChristianAnswerMan.com

 



Please Share My Article - Thanks!