The greatest question ever to be considered is, "What must I do to be saved?" Where will your soul spend eternity?
Man is lost by reason of the fact that he is guilty of sin, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Yet, God is not willing that any should perish but that all should be saved (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9).
God will send no one to hell. If you go there it will be by reason of your own choice and volition.
If one wants to go to hell, there are plenty of ways to go there. There is only one way to go to heaven, but many ways to go to hell! (Matt. 7:13,14). Also, one may be sure of another thing -- he will have plenty of company on his way. There will be millions to spend eternity in hell. Furthermore, one may have a "big time" reveling in worldly pleasures on his way to hell. But, remember this fact: eternal punishment in hell is a long, long time for sorrow and punishment compared to a few moments of enjoyment of worldly pleasure. Honestly, do you want to be saved? Do you ask, "What must I do to be saved?" The question is both asked and answered in the New Testament. A good example may be found in Acts 16:25-34:
"And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's hands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and cam trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 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. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house."
Notice the importance of this question of destiny.
1. "WHAT?"
"What must I do to be saved?" The word "what" is important. There is something one must do to be saved. Some religionists declare that there is nothing a man can do to be saved and there is nothing one can do to be lost, once he is saved. The Bible declares: "Save yourselves from this untoward generation" (Acts 2:40), and "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12). The apostle Paul declared, "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" (Eph. 2:8,9). God's part is by grace, but man's part is by faith in action.
2. "MUST"!
"What must I do?" he inquired. The question implies something MUST be done. It is imperative! One must do something, or be lost!
3. "I"
"What must I do to be saved?" This is a personal matter. No one else can resolve this question for you. Not your mother, not your father, not your wife, not your husband. Indeed, it is what must I do to be saved!
Let us observe this case of conversion, revealed in Acts 16:25-34, to ascertain the answer to this Bible question of life and destiny.
Many honest souls have been led to believe that peculiar circumstances experienced by one may be the answer to this question of destiny. Many testimonies of unusual experiences have been offered as evidences of salvation. But this is a serious mistake. There is a great difference in circumstances attending one's conversion to Christ and the actual conditions of salvation. Circumstances are not the answer. Circumstances may be varied, but the conditions of salvation are always the same.
Paul and Silas were preachers of the gospel. They had been placed in prison, having been beaten with rods, receiving many stripes because they did preach the gospel. While in prison they prayed and sang praises unto God at the hour of midnight. What a wonderful spirit! Truly, great men of God.
Suddenly there was a great earthquake. The foundations of the prison were shaken, the doors were opened, and all the prisoners' bands were loosed. The jailor, waking out of his sleep, seeing the doors open, drew his sword and would have killed himself, supposing his prisoners had escaped, but Paul cried with a loud voice saying, "Do thyself no harm for we are all here." What unusual circumstances! It was then the jailor fell down before Paul and Silas and brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
If we should mistake the peculiar circumstances attending the conversion of the jailor, for the conditions of salvation, then every time one is converted to the Lord, the preacher would be beaten and put in jail and there would be an earthquake with every conversion! Circumstances attending conversions do not affect the conditions of salvation.
"What must I do to be saved?" The answer came from the men of God immediately. They said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
No responsible person can be saved without believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 11:6, we are told it is impossible to please God without faith; while in John 8:24 we are told, "If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins."
The questions to be resolved are: What does it mean to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? Does believing on Christ merely mean giving mental assent of the mind that Christ is the Son of God? According to the Bible, belief in Christ is much more than that.
Hear the apostle Paul, in Romans 10:13-17, as he quoted the prophet: "For whosoever shall call upon 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?" Now, hear the conclusion: "So then faith (belief) cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Notice, the apostle wrote: "How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?" They could not believe until they heard. It is, therefore, very obvious that when Paul told the jailor to believe on the Lord, it was necessary that the jailor be told WHAT to believe before he could believe. He was not told to believe only. Many preachers today may be heard to say: "Just believe only and be saved." Or, "Just lay your hand on the radio and believe on the Lord and be saved right where you are." Or, "Just hold up your hand." Not so in the Bible, however.
Does faith alone save? Faith alone is dead! The Spirit concluded: "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not be faith only" (James 2:17-24). There is something one MUST DO to be saved. Believing only never saved anyone. The apostle concluded that salvation is "NOT BY FAITH ONLY." In all the records of the conversions, found in the book of Acts, we never read of a person being saved by faith only.
Having told the jailor to believe on the Lord, verse 31, the very next verse states, "and they spoke unto him the word of the Lord." Why did they speak the word of the Lord after having told them to believe on the Lord? Because they could not believe unless they heard, for belief comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). It was necessary for the jailor and those of his company to hear the word of God; then, after hearing the gospel, it was necessary for them to believe and obey in order to be saved. Christ is the author of salvation unto all who obey Him (Heb. 5:9).
Obedience to the gospel is essential to salvation. Paul and Silas preached the "word of the Lord" and the jailor believed and obeyed the word of the Lord. Those who do not obey the gospel of Christ will be lost. Paul declared that when Christ comes again, He is coming in "flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. 1:7,8).
What did they preach when they "spake unto him the word of the Lord?"
Jesus commanded, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish (Luke 13:5).
That they repented of their sins, as commanded by the Lord, is evidenced by the fact that they "washed their stripes," indicative of a penitent heart. They didn't wash the lacerated bodies of these men when they placed them in jail. The change of heart was the result of hearing the "word of the Lord" and believing what was heard.
Paul commanded the jailor to be baptized into Christ when he "spoke the word of the Lord."
Jesus commanded, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mk. 16:15,16). Did Paul and Silas preach this gospel to the jailor? There can be no doubt about it; if he preached the "word of the Lord," this is what he preached because this is the word of the Lord. Don't you know that when it was said that "they spake unto him the word of the Lord," as faithful gospel messengers, they told the jailor just what Christ said men must do to be saved, namely: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."
Furthermore, we know they preached Christ's command, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," when they "spoke the word of the Lord," because verse 33 of the divine record reveals: "and he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his straightway."
Question: Why were they baptized, even the same hour of the night? Because they "believed on the Lord" and obeyed the word of the Lord. They believed Christ when He commanded: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." They were told what they must do to be saved!
"What must I do to be saved?" The jailor and those of his house were saved by faith and obedience. They repented of their sins. They were baptized into Christ where they became new creatures in Christ (Acts 16:33; 2 Cor. 5:17). Having obeyed the "form of doctrine," the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, by baptism, they were then "made free from sin" (Rom. 6:3, 4, 5, 17, 18).
In Acts 9:1-18 and Acts 22:3-16, we have the record of the conversion of Saul. According to Paul himself, as recorded in Acts 22:3 and 23:1, he was a man who lived before God always in all good conscience, having been taught the law, and was zealous toward God. He was a very religious man, deeply devoted to God, but he was not a Christian at that time. After he did become a Christian, he referred to himself as being the "chief of sinners" before he became a Christian (1 Timothy 1:15).
Just because a person is honest, sincere, and lives before God in all good conscience does not mean that he is a Christian. Saul was a very honest man and "zealous toward God," but he was unsaved. What did Saul do to be saved?
While Saul was on his way to Damascus to persecute the church of our Lord, Jesus appeared unto him and said, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Saul replied, "Who are thou, Lord?" Jesus answered, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." Then, trembling and astonished, Saul said, "Lord what will thou have me do?" Christ replied, "Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do" (Acts 9:6).
Saul waited in the city of Damascus to hear what he must do to be saved. For three days and nights he was deeply penitent and he prayed. Still he was unsaved. Finally, the gospel, which he must hear to know what to do to be saved, was brought to him by Ananias. According to Acts 22:16, Saul was commanded, "And now why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." He was told what he "must do." The command was: "Be baptized and wash away thy sins." He sins were forgiven when he was baptized! Baptism was essential to his salvation. Although other conditions are just as essential, baptism is no less essential. As a penitent believer, he was baptized into Christ (Rom. 6:3, 4; Gal. 3:26, 27).
Someone may ask, "Was not Saul saved on the road to Damascus when he received his sight?" Saul was made blind by the brightness of the light. Later his physical eyesight was restored, but this peculiar circumstance was in no way related to his salvation. If Saul was saved before he was baptized, the Lord didn't know it because Christ said that he would be told what he must do. If he was saved before he was baptized, Saul himself didn't know it! If Saul was saved before he was baptized, he was saved with his sins still unforgiven! Don't forget, he was told, "Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins." His sins were not forgiven until he was baptized.
Paul emphasized the importance of confession: "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall 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" (Romans 10:9, 10).
The Ethiopian officer did not confess some human creed, or confess some peculiar experience, claiming salvation before he was baptized into Christ. He confessed: "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
As a believer in Christ, as a result of having heard the gospel of Christ, and upon the confession of his faith in Christ, he was baptized into Christ (Acts 8:27-39).
Cornelius was a prayerful, good, devoutly religious man (Acts 10:1, 2), but lost. He was told to send for Peter "who shall tell thee words whereby thou and thy house shall be saved" (Acts 11:14). Obviously, he was not saved. It was necessary for Cornelius to hear, believe and obey the gospel--"words whereby thou and thy house shall be saved." Peter "commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord" (Acts 10:48). It was Peter who declared on another occasion, "baptism doth also now save us" (1 Peter 3:21). The only divine requirement made of Cornelius was to be baptized into Christ. This does not mean, however, that man is saved by baptism alone. It is evident that they were penitent believers, and as believers, were baptized into Christ. The word of God commands the hearer to believe, repent and be baptized (Mark 16:15, 16; Luke 13:3, 5: Acts 17:30; Acts 2:38). No doubt, there are many honest, sincere and even devoutly religious people today who need to obey the Lord by being baptized into Christ in order to be saved, as was the case with Cornelius.
Disobedience to the commands of the Lord, even though one be devoutly religious, may cause his soul to be lost. Cornelius was lost until he was told by the apostle "words whereby thou and thy house shall be saved," which were "be baptized in the name of the Lord" (Acts 11:14; 10:47, 48). Every person should look in the mirror of God's word and try to see himself as he is, good or bad, religious or irreligious, and resolve to obey the commands of the Lord, as they apply to him, even if he need only to be baptized into Christ.
Were any babies baptized when the jailor was baptized? (Acts 16:25-34).The answer is clear and positive! They who were baptized were they who were told, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." They taught them what to believe when they "spoke the word of the Lord to all that were in his house." Infants cannot be taught the word of the Lord; therefore, when Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord "to all that were in his house" they were not talking to babies. They spoke to those capable of understanding what was taught, who believed what they were taught and obeyed what was taught. Babies were not included among those baptized!
The first baptism, which occurred under the divine commission of our Lord, was the baptizing of the 3,000 on the first Pentecost after Christ's resurrection, recorded in Acts, chapter 2. Peter preached the gospel. Thousands heard, believed, repented, and were baptized. Could one imagine infants and children being told to repent and be baptized? The record states that they that "gladly received his word" were baptized. Infants cannot receive or believe the word; therefore, infants were not baptized.
But, someone might suggest that the case of the conversion of Lydia and her household, recorded in Acts 16:13-15, is evidence that infants were baptized on that occasion. This is purely a presumption.
First, it would have to be assumed that infants are in every family and were baptized when a household was baptized. To prove that infants were baptized with Lydia's household, the first proposition would be to prove that Lydia was married and had children. Second: that some of the children were infants. Third: it would have to be proved that these infant children were with her, although she lived in Thyatira and was then in the city of Philippi, 300 miles from home. Such unfounded presumptions are in direct contradiction to the scriptures. Those who were baptized were they who heard, believed and obeyed the gospel!
Someone might say, "Since these people were all in jail, were they not sprinkled for baptism? If they were sprinkled for baptism, then is not sprinkling an acceptable substitute for baptism?
Sprinkling of water, as a substitute for baptism, was never acceptable unto God. Never was such a practice known in New Testament times. This practice was introduced into what is called "Christian religion" by the Roman Catholic Church at the Council of Ravenna in the year 1311. The Greek Catholics did not then accept the practice of substituting sprinkling of water for baptism in water and they still do not accept it today, although authorized by the pope. No one has ever been sprinkled for baptism by the authority of Christ or His apostles. Sprinkling and pouring of water for baptism is done by the authority of the pope of Rome.
Evidently God knew that someday mortal and uninspired men would seek to pervert the word of God and deceive honest souls by suggesting that the jailor and those in his house might have been sprinkled for baptism, assuming that since they were in jail possibly there was not enough water in which to be buried by baptism.
Do not be deceived! It will be observed in verse 30 of Acts 16, that it is said, "and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be save?" God's word records the fact that they were "brought out" of the jail. Not only that, but after having been baptized, it is stated, in verse 34, "and when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house."
They "brought them out" and went some place where there was water and they were baptized. Then, he "brought them into this house," after having obeyed the Lord, believing in God, being saved from past sins.
Paul, who preached the gospel to the jailor, wrote to the Romans: "We are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Romans 6:3-5). The apostle also makes the same affirmation in Colossians 2:12: "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." Baptism, therefore, is a burial, regardless of where one is baptized, whether in jail, in a house, or outside a building.
There are three things implied in the act of baptism, or burial. First: the thing to be buried. Second: the thing buried in. Third: the act of the burying. A burial may differ in many ways as to the thing buried. It might be a man, a horse, or a treasure. It may differ as to the thing buried in. It might be buried in earth or in water, but in the act of burying there can never be a difference. There must be a placing and covering up in every burial. An individual, therefore, cannot be buried in a few drops of water poured upon him. A person is immersed in water when he is buried in baptism, and his is baptized only when he is immersed.
Eminent Bible scholars agree that baptism in New Testament times was by immersion alone.
From Encyclopedia Americana: "Baptism, that is, dipping, immersion, from the Greek word baptizo."
Butterworth renders baptizo, "to dip, immerse, or plunge."
Martin Luther declared, "The term baptism is a Greek word; it may be rendered into Latin by mersio--when we immerse anything in water, that it may be entirely covered in water. And though this custom be quite abolished among the generality (for neither do they entirely dip children, but only sprinkle them with a little water), nevertheless they ought to be wholly immersed, and immediately to be drawn out again, for the etymology of the word seems to require it."
John Wesley, in his notes on Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12, said, "Buried with him, alluding to the ancient manner of baptizing by immersion."
There can be no doubt about how the man of Ethiopia was baptized: "They went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him" (Acts 8:36-39). "Both," the man who was baptized and the man who did the baptizing, "went down both into the water...and he baptized him." The Ethiopian was "buried" with Christ "by baptism into death." The anglicized word "baptize," or "baptism" is from the Greek word "baptizo" which always meant to dip, to cover up, to bury.
The question has been asked, "If baptism is for remission of sins, essential to salvation, then should a child of God be baptized every time he sins?"
Baptism is one condition of salvation, commanded by Christ, to be obeyed only by the alien sinner, that is, one who has never become a child of God. Jesus declared that baptism is a birth, "born of water" (John 3:5), and one is "born again"--born into the family of God, only one time.
To be baptized into Christ is to become a new creature: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27); "For if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17). One may become a child of God one time; therefore, one is baptized into Christ one time. A person may be immersed (baptized) without being baptized into Christ. The Ephesians were baptized the second time, but baptized into Christ only once. (Read Acts 19:1-5). Once might be immersed for many reasons, without being baptized for scriptural reasons. A person might be baptized just to please a member of his family. Or, one might be baptized because he thinks he is already saved, and taught by many religious leaders. But when the penitent believer is "BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST" (Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3), "FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS" (Acts 2:38), "TO WASH AWAY THY SINS" (Acts 22:16), he is a "BORN AGAIN" (John 3:5), "NEW CREATURE."
The Christian has the responsibility to worship and serve the Lord, according to God's will, and live a faithful, consecrated life for Christ. The early Christians "continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:42). Our worship, if acceptable to God, must be "in spirit and it truth" (John 4:24). There may be vain worship as well as true worship. Christ declared, "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt. 15:8, 9). Worship dictated by doctrines of men is vain worship. Worship directed by divine truth, in true spirit, is acceptable to God. Divine truth authorizes public worship:
*On the Lord's Day, the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1, 2)
*For the Lord's Supper (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 1 Cor. 11:23-29)
*For singing praises unto God and teaching and admonishing (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Heb. 2:12)
*For giving of material blessings (1 Cor. 16:1, 2)
*For prayers and teaching (Acts 2:42)
For the Christian to be saved eternally in Heaven, he must grow in grace and knowledge, adding to his faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. The apostle concludes: "For if you do these things ye shall never fall" (2 Peter 1:5-10; 3:18). The apostle declared: "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:9).
It is possible for God's children to err from truth and righteousness (1 Cor. 10:12; Gal. 5:1-4; 2 Peter 2:20, 21).
James writes: "Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins" (James 5:19, 20).
What must a child of God do when he sins against God? An example is found in Acts 8:13-24. Simon heard the gospel. He believed and was baptized. He became a Christian. Later, he sinned against his Lord. Peter rebuked him, declaring, "thou art in the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity." To obtain forgiveness for his sins, Simon was told, "Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee." Simon requested of Peter, "Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me."
John admonished, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
All Christians are admonished: "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Rev. 2:10). The Christian must continue "to observe all things" commanded of the Lord (Matt. 28:19, 20).
Only those who obey the will of God may expect to be saved. Jesus declared: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Matt. 7:21-23; 2 Thess. 1:7-9).
A great day of joy and gladness awaits the redeemed: "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you" (Matt. 25:34).
Our Lord pleads: "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46).
Reprinted from the tract of the same title with permission of the author.