Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
(2 Timothy 2:15)
Recollecting the Mystery of Christ
(Ephesians 3:4)
Reaching the Lost
(Romans 10:15)
When the Philippian jailor asked Paul, “What must I do to be saved?” he replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” – this is the answer for you as well.
In today’s world, people tend to think of themselves as generally good, at least that their goodness outweighs anything they did which was wrong. Such thinking is prideful and wrong: nobody is good enough to get to heaven on their own merit. Nobody (Romans 3:23).
Salvation is explained by 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.”
Being saved by grace means you don’t have to DO anything or STOP DOING anything to receive salvation. You don’t have to go to church, get water baptized, take a class, repent, read the Bible, be confirmed, take a vow, confess your sins, or anything else: such things are works, not grace. You don’t have to stop lying, cursing, stealing, cheating, drinking, gambling, smoking, or make any change to your current lifestyle: such things are works, not grace.
What is required of you is to believe the gospel of the grace of God which was given to the apostle Paul and is clearly defined in 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.” The moment you believe this gospel, you are indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit, made a child of God.
The heart of the matter is dealing with sin, the wages of which is death (Romans 6:23). Jesus Christ has made the necessary payment on your behalf, but you must receive it. Unfortunately, most people are too proud to receive this gift, believing they are good enough on their own and not in need of Jesus’s help. Don’t be too proud to accept Jesus’s gift, for then you will pay for your sins by yourself. Don’t deceive yourself into thinking you are a good person, and that God will let you in to heaven – you’re not, and he won’t.