When I was in middle school, I was an officer in the Christian club at school. We had weekly meetings before school, guest speakers, hip worship music, and cool field trips. I remember one day a young girl came up to me and asked me a question similar to this, “How do I become a Christian?” As I stood there dumbfounded she asked me again, “I want to be a Christian like y’all. How do I do that?” I had never really thought about it before. I knew the all the Sunday school answers, like Just ask Jesus into your heart, and Call on the name of Jesus. But suddenly I realized I didn’t know the nuts and bolts of salvation. I made the naive mistake that many young Christians make: I just assumed everyone was saved.
So here I am twelve years later pondering the same question. What must one do to be saved? As I pose this question, I can already hear the objections from my Calvinist buddies. Yes, I realize that salvation is a divine work, and there is nothing that any man can do to earn it. However, we do play an active role in conversion.
The simplest and probably the most common answer would be “Believe in Jesus.” This answer seems to be straightforward. After all, don’t we Christians refer to ourselves as believers? Plus, the Bible supports this notion in the most well known verse: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” There it is in black and white (or sometimes red). This answer, however, deserves only partial credit.
Genuine belief in Christ is more than a simply acquaintance and acknowledgment of Jesus. My Muslim friends like to point out that they “believe” in Jesus too, though their Jesus is much different than ours. In fact, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses and the Klu Klux Klan all believe in some form of Jesus, but that does not mean that they are truly saved. Even the demons believe in God (James 2:19). True belief requires more than dogmatically admitting the existence of Jesus.
Belief in the gospel message and in the person of Jesus Christ is the foundation of saving following Christ. The key is that you have to believe in the true Jesus. Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. He is not a prophet, or a rabbi, or a good moral teacher. He is not Satan’s brother, or some demigod, or Michael the archangel. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Lamb who was slain to take away the sins of the world (Rev. 1:8, Rev. 5:6, John 1:29). He is Emmanuel, God in the flesh. Genuine belief acknowledges who Jesus is.
The next essential truth is what Jesus did. Jesus’ death on the cross was a ransom for our souls. Through His sacrifice we have been atoned from our transgressions. That’s not the end of the story, though. Jesus is not dead. He is not some petrified mummy in some Israeli tomb. He is alive, enthroned at the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:32-33). Christ was resurrected from the dead to the glory of the Father so that we too may be resurrected to a newness of life and be united with Him (Rom. 6:4-5). Jesus died as an atonement for our sin, and conquered the grave through His resurrection.
So how did Jesus Himself respond to this question of salvation?
18And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 19And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.'" 21And he said, "All these I have kept from my youth." 22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." (Luke 18:18-22, ESV)
Jesus answered the rich young ruler by telling him to keep the commandments. Simple enough, right? The only problem is that this is an impossible task (Romans 3:23). For to break one small part of the law brings the guilt and condemnation of the entire law (James 2:10). Our own pride and self-deception might lead us to the same conclusion as the rich young ruler, but a true inspection of our heart and motives will reveal our true idols (like money and possessions). Jesus ended his commandment with the core of the answer…”Come, follow me.”
On top of the foundation of belief is built the framework of faith and trust. The essential truths of the gospel must be accepted and applied. One must trust in God’s eternal goodness and love. One must trust that Christ’s redemptive work is sufficient, and nothing can be added to it or taken away from it. One must trust in Jesus as the Son of God, and, therefore, the Lord of Lords. This trust implies submission, obedience, and reliance on Christ. Trust is calling on the name of Jesus, and confessing that He is Lord. Faith in Christ is the antithesis of self-reliance and self-sufficiency.
The rooftop built upon trust is repentance. Repentance is an understanding of God's mercy in Christ, and results in a hatred of sin. Repentance is the external expression of faith and belief. It involves a turning away from sin and selfishness, and turning toward Christ. It begins in the heart, the inner man, and then manifests itself in the external action of following Jesus. Repentance is a commitment to follow Christ in His holiness and righteousness.
So, what must I do to be saved?
Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the sinless Son of God, whose sacrificial death cleansed and pardoned me of all my sin. Trust Him as Lord, Master, and Savior, and turn from your former, sinful ways and come, follow Him.
9because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:9-13)
for His glory,
DJ
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