Category: GRACE-FAITH

Usually, for an individual to ask this question, they are in trouble, in need or lost. And the Philippian jailer who asked Paul and Silas this question, realized he was lost. And of course they gave him a direct answer.

Acts 16:31-32  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.

What exactly did they mean to Believe and be Saved? Let’s look into some writings of Paul. In his letter to the Church at Corinth he explained the Gospel:

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 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:

The Gospel which can save us is to believe Christ Jesus Died (on the cross) for our sins, according to the scripture

was buried,  according to the scripture

and on the third day rose alive, according to the scripture  

Victory over death!

⇛ continue reading What Must I Do to be Saved? Part 2
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There is (and always has been) a lot of confusion about what one must do to be saved in this age of grace. Then again there are those who don’t believe they have a need to be saved. But for the ones who want to be saved from an eternal damnation, which everyone faces after death (Hebrews 9:27), a study of God’s word, just looking at references of where SHALL BE SAVED are used will reveal just how one can (must) be saved.   

All references found in the Old Testament speak to the Jew (Israel):

Numbers 10:9 has to do with Israel under God’s protection in the time of WAR. And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.

In Psalm 80 it again appears this has to do with the physical protection of Israel as they serve God:
80:3  Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
80:7  Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
80:19 Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Proverbs 28:18 (read surrounding verses) also appears to be speaking of physical life on earth: Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.

Now in Isaiah the text appears to be speaking of eternal salvation:
45:17   But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
64:5  Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.

Then in Jeremiah SHALL BE SAVED speaks prophetically about the time of TRIBULATION (which is yet to come).
17:14   Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.
23:6   In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness.
30:7  Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.

Then in the New Testament (the Gospels) we find the words of Jesus speaking to JEWS:

Matthew 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Matthew 24:13   But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Mark 13:13  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Mark 16:16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
John 10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

After the resurrection Peter tells the Jews (Israel) how to be saved (Spiritually):
Acts 2:21  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

⇛ continue reading Shall Be Saved Part 2
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Confess is actually a very easy word to understand.
The Greek word is homologue which literally means
“to speak alike or the same, and referred to the idea of agreement or consent (especially in law courts).”
It means to confess, profess, proclaim, acknowledge, state openly, declare with a “sense of promise,” affirmation, commitment, public intention.

Matthew 3:6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Mark 1:5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
John 1:20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
Acts 19:18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done.
James 5:16  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

The above verses apply to the Nation (and individual Jew) of Israel. The below verses apply the age of Grace.

Romans 10:9 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.
2 Corinthians 9:13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.
1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you
2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

There is much said about confession of sins both to be saved before and also after salvation.

Let’s see what Paul taught his Gentile converts about confession:

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.

Looking at this passage (vs 9,10) it would appear that the confession is “Jesus is God” and when you believe that and speak (confess) it out loud (with your mouth) you will be saved.

Romans 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.   

Whether you do it in this life or not, you will do it after death.

Romans 15:9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

The door of salvation is open to Jews and Gentiles because God is now declaring it.
Philippians 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

See Romans 14:11. Now, in this life or Later in the after life. JESUS IS LORD (GOD)!

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James 1:21, 2:14, 5:15, 5:20, 1 Peter 3:20-21, 4:18, 2 Peter 2:5, Jude 1:5,1:23,
Revelation 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
The Apostle Paul, writing to the believing Hebrews reminded them of saved:
Hebrews 5:7, 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
And as the apostle went to the gentiles he made much of being saved, becoming a new creature and obtaining eternal life. And it’s interesting to look at it letter by letter.
Romans 5:9-10, 8:24, 9:27, 10:1, 10:9, 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 11:14, 11:26,
1 Corinthians 1:18, 1:21, 3:15, 5:5, 9:22, 10:33, 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
Ephesians 2:5 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
1 Thessalonians 2:16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
1 Timothy 1:15, 2:4, 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

It’s amazing that the term “Born Again” is only used three times in the scripture. But the need to be saved is stressed throughout the New Testament.

One final thought on saved (this is after the Great White Throne Judgement).

Revelation 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

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And then God sends Peter to a house of Gentiles (Jewish prostilites):
Acts 11:14  Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

Then in Acts 15 (read the whole chapter) the 12 Apostles agree with Paul (and Barnabs) that God has sent Paul to the Gentiles with the message of Salvation and they (the 12) were to go to the house of Israel (Jews):
Acts 15:11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Following Paul and his ministry to the Gentiles the way of being saved for eternal life is made very clear:
Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, in as much as I am the apostle of the Gentiles…
Romans 5:9-10  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Romans 9:27  Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
Romans 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Even though Paul was the apostle of the Gentile, he never forgot his Jewish brethren and their need of salvation:
Romans 2:10  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
Romans 3:22  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Romans 10:12  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

And after salvation, our service (works) for God will mean something (read all of 1 Corinthians 3:9-15):
3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Ephesians 2:8-10  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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

REMEMBER saved people do not become sinless… they just sin less…

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When we believe that, our next step is found in Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome:
Romans 10:9-13  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. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Confess (speak) with your mouth, tell someone that you believe the Gospel, (Christ died, was buried, and rose again) and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. Now, when you do that, it states YOU SHALL BE SAVED!!  Is that all there is to IT? Yes, it is that simple. As Paul wrote to the Church in Ephesus:
Ephesians 2:8-10  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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

SAVED THROUGH FAITH – GIFT OF GOD – that’s salvation! Saved from the wrath of God; Saved from an eternal separation from God for all eternity. Salvation is simple. The hard part is living as a Christian. But look at verse 10 again:
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

His workmanship, ordained, then we should walk,

God will do it for you, if you will let him.

As Paul wrote to the Thessalonian Church:
1 Thessalonians 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Yes, God, the Lord Jesus Christ, will live in you and perform what he wants in your life. One more thought as you read these verses: they are SCRIPTURE, the Word of God.