What Must I Do To Be Saved?

Thank you for taking the time to consider one of the most important questions that could ever be asked: what must I do to be saved?  Believe me, you are not the first person to have ever considered such a question.  If you will allow me to take a few minutes of your time, you will see that God has provided a very clear and simple answer.

God says in his word, for what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  You may say to yourself "I have no desire to gain the whole world and neither have I ever considered exchanging my soul for anything."  But my friend, when it comes to the soul of a man, we either have or will choose an answer concerning these questions.

The Bible says that Jesus Christ came not into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  Please understand that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  A man is condemned because of his own sins and for his own sins he will pay.

God in his word makes it very clear that unless a man turns from whatever he thinks is good enough to save his soul and turns to God he has no hope.  And what hope might that be?  The hope of eternal life.  We will all exist somewhere eternally; some will experience the joy of eternal life with God and others the torment of eternal damnation in a lake of fire.  Which one you experience is the result of a decision you are going to make; and that decision is based on "what are you going to do with Jesus Christ?"

God commands all men everywhere to repent and put their trust in him for the remission of sin.  The remission offered by God is two-fold and is only given on his terms.  When a man receives remission of sins, he receives "forgiveness" and a "pardon."  Forgiveness is to be considered and treated as not guilty.  A Pardon is the removal of the offense from the offender and releasing him from his liability to suffer punishment.  To receive remission of sins is a wonderful thing, but it comes with a great price.  A price God does not ask you to pay, but one that has been paid by his dear Son, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  That price was a sacrifice found acceptable in the eyes of God the Father.

And what was that sacrifice?  It was Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, being beaten by Roman soldiers beyond the point of recognition; it was Jesus Christ wearing a crown of thorns in mockery of his title of Lord and King; it was Jesus Christ carrying the cross, on which he would be crucified, up to Mt. Calvary; it was Jesus Christ who had nails driven through his hands and his feet as he was crucified on the cross; it was Jesus Christ whose precious sinless blood flowed as payment for the sins of the whole world; it was Jesus Christ who willingly laid down his life that you and I might live; it was Jesus Christ who died, was buried, rose again the third day, and is now seated on the right hand of God the Father.  The price that was paid could only be paid by Jesus Christ the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

My dear friend, God is willing and able to forgive and to pardon; however, he will only do it for those who have put their trust in the one who paid their sin debt.  And if you put your trust in Jesus Christ, you will be found accepted by God because of your faith in his Son.  You don't accept God, God accepts you.  The Bible tells us "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."  God the judge is righteous and full of mercy, but he will have no part of sin.  The Bible says that the soul that sinneth it shall die.  Every man in his heart, in his conscience, and in his thoughts knows that he has sinned and is guilty before God.  If a man chooses not to put his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, he will die in his sin.

Please understand that the gift of eternal life can only be obtained while there is breath in your body.  No one puts their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ after they die.  Why not, you might ask; it is because men do not change in hell.  Every man in hell is not only tormented by the fire that shall never be quenched, but also by the remorse of rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ and the guilt associated with being found a sinner in the eyes of God for all eternity.  It is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ by which sinners are reconciled and brought into a state of favor with God.  If you choose to reject the Lord Jesus Christ, you will remain in a state of enmity with God.  But it does not have to be that way.

The question "what must I do to be saved?" has a very simple answer.  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.  Is it really that simple?  Yes.  If you believe in your heart that it takes the precious sinless blood of Jesus to pay for your sins; and that he died on the cross, and was buried, and that God raised him from the dead three days later; and are willing to put your trust in him and call upon his name for the saving of your soul; God the Father will save you and give unto you eternal life.

So you see, God has not made the saving of a man’s soul an act of some work that you must replicate on a daily basis, but merely a matter of faith in trusting in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

Thank you so very much for your patience in letting me answer such a very important question.  If you have questions about where your soul will spend eternity or would like to discuss some other spiritual matter, please do not hesitate to call Pastor Parrish at (910) 915-9045.