One Sheep Podcast
One Sheep Podcast
WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? STRAIGHT FROM THE BIBLE...
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“What must I do to be saved?”
In this Podcast I will explain what a person really needs to know to become a Christian and be saved from his or her sins. This is life’s most important question. It is a question that has implications not only here and now but on into eternity. Long after you take your last breath, the answer to this question will still matter. Important as the question is, it is answered wrongly on a daily basis. There is no room for error on the question of our present discussion, because the difference between a wrong answer and right answer is the difference between heaven and hell. What we have to do is go to the Bible, the only source for the right answer to this question.
“What must I do to be saved?”
In this Podcast I will explain what a person really needs to know to become a Christian and be
saved from his sins. This is life’s most important question.
It is a question that has implications not only here and now but on into eternity.
Long after you take your last breath, the answer to this question will still matter.
But as important as the question is, it is answered wrongly on a daily basis.
But there is no room for error on the question of our present discussion, because the difference
between a wrong answer and right answer is the difference between heaven and hell.
What we have to do is go to the Bible, the only source for the right answer to this question.
One might pick up the phone, call a local Church, and ask the preacher, “What must I do
to be saved?” A common answer he might receive is “Say the Sinner’s Prayer.” Would you be
surprised to learn that this so-called “Sinner’s Prayer” is not found anywhere in the pages of the
Bible? Would you further be surprised to realize that of all the conversion accounts in the New
Testament, not one person was saved by prayer?
If we’re going to be saved today, it is going to have to be the same way they were saved in the
New Testament. God’s plan of salvation has not changed.
What did God require people to do in New Testament times to be saved from their sins? When
we read the New Testament, particularly the book of Acts (the book of conversions) we see
absolute consistency. From Acts 2, the day the church began, and forward, everyone was saved
the same way. They all went through the same steps. Sometimes we summarize those steps this
way, a person needs to: hear, believe, repent, confess, and be baptized.
Every person who was saved went through these same steps.
If I simply left this discussion with this five word summary though, I would be doing you a great
disservice. Obviously more explanation is needed.
Step1. Is to hear the Gospel
No man can be saved if he does not hear the gospel.
Romans 10:9-14 says, 9That 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. 10For with
the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation. 11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12For
there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all
that call upon him. 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14How 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? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15And how
shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that
preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
This passage teaches us that it is necessary to call on the name of the Lord in order to be saved;
it is necessary to believe in order to call; it is necessary to hear in order to believe.
And so, a man who never hears the gospel cannot be saved.
That is why the verse goes on to say, “And how shall they hear without a preacher?”
In other words, those who are already Christians had better spread the gospel or else people will
be lost! I know some of you have asked, “What about those who never hear the gospel?
Will they still be condemned even though they were ignorant of the truth?”
Acts 17:30 says, 30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all
men every where to repent: 31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the
world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance
unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
The point being ignorance is not an excuse. You might protest, “Are you saying that
people are going to be lost because of ignorance?” No, people are going to be lost because of
sin. The problem is that ignorance cannot wash away sins; only the blood of Christ can do that.
And so, if a person is going to be saved, the process must begin with him hearing about the
blood of Christ. If a man doesn’t hear the gospel, he may go through life never knowing that his
sins have caused him to lose his soul. Romans 6:23 says, 23For the wages of sin is death; but the
gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. A man may never know he is
destined for an eternity in hell, and by not knowing, he is certainly not going to do anything
about his situation. Thus, he must hear about the problem. Once he’s realized the problem, he
certainly needs to hear the remedy also. It does no good for someone to know he is lost unless
he knows what to do about it, so he must hear the remedy.
When God created man in the Garden of Eden, man was sinless and in perfect fellowship with
God. But it wasn’t long until mankind sinned.
This created a very serious problem because inherent in the nature of God is justice.
Psalm 89:14 says, 14Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth
shall go before thy face. Perhaps one of the greatest misunderstandings people have of God is
the belief that He can simply choose to overlook sin if He so desires. Sometimes people say,
“God won’t let that lone person in the jungles of South America who has never heard the gospel
be lost! Surely He’ll save them anyway!” The truth however is that God cannot simply choose to
overlook sin. In fact, if God were to ignore even one single sin, He would at that point cease to
be a just God. He would no longer be a God of righteousness and perfection.
Leviticus 24:17-20 lays down the principle of justice:17And he that killeth any man shall surely
be put to death. 18And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast. 19And if a
man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; 20Breach for
breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to
him again. Justice requires a life for a life. The very nature of God
demands it. This is not an optional matter. Justice has to be served. The penalty for sin has to be
paid. Now, God could have allowed man to pay the penalty himself and die, but His love for us
longed for another way. There was only one other way, and that was for God Himself to pay it.
Thus God arranged a plan to pay that price for every person. He sent Christ—a member of the
godhead—to become a human being, born of a virgin, to live a sinless life and die in our place.
Isaiah 53:5 says, 5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities:
the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
An individual cannot be saved if he doesn’t hear these things. Every person in the Bible who
became a Christian first heard the gospel. No hearing equals no hope.
A little footnote for those of you who are thinking of using the lost person in the jungle
somewhere to justify yourself on Judgment Day for not accepting the Gospel yourself.
Do not be surprised if he turns the table on you and asks you if you were so worried about
these people why did you ….not go to them and share my gospel?
My point being even the best lawyer will be guilty on judgment day if he or she dies in their
sins.
Step 2. Is to Believe The Gospel.
Upon hearing the gospel, a man must believe it. Specifically, what must the sinner believe?
He must believe what he has heard! Mark 16:15-16 says, 15And he said unto them, Go ye into all
the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Clearly the Bible states that an individual must believe in order to be saved, but what does this
entail? First, a man must understand that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
In John 8:24, Jesus said, 24I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye
believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
You must understand that He, Jesus, is GOD.
John 1:14 tells us, 14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Secondly, You must believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; 8But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans
5:8) 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56The sting of death is sin;
and the strength of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).
Romans 10:9 says, 9That 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.
It is also crucial that You believe and understand the body of Christ. The Bible teaches that
salvation is found only in Christ’s body.
Second Timothy 2:10 10Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also
obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
1 John 5:11 says,11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is
in his Son.
Sometimes there exist people who have been baptized into Christ, but they still seem to think
that one church is as good as another. They will come out of the watery grave of baptism and be
offended at the idea that denominationalism is sinful. Especially today in light of some
denominations accepting sinful practices, or sinful clergy in the name of cultural tolerance.
Galatians 1:6-10
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto
another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert
the gospel of Christ. 8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9As we said before, so say
I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be
accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet
pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
In other words these denominations care more about what the World thinks and not what Jesus
Christ thinks.
Note it is imperative you ask questions and read the Church’s Statement of Faith.
If they Believe in Tolerance as defined by the culture move on…
If they do not believe in Baptism move on…
The Bible plainly teaches that salvation is found only in the “one body” of Christ
(Ephesians 4:4,5), 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are
called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
and it is vital that every person understands that fact in order to be saved.
How can one be saved in the one body of Christ if he has never been taught
about that one body?
In Acts 8 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached the gospel. Verse 12 says, 12But
when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name
of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Note this: Philip taught those
people about the kingdom of God, which is the one church of the Bible. Philip taught them, and
when they believed what they heard, they were baptized. Belief in the one body of Christ is an
essential part of the plan.
As a side note, the text says, men and women were baptized. Never in the Bible do we read
about little children being baptized, and indeed they don’t need to be. Those who are
accountable in the eyes of God are those who have reached a certain level of mental
development. They must be old enough to believe.
1 Corinthians 12:12-23 say, 12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the
members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit are
we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and
have been all made to drink into one Spirit. This passage teaches that there is one body.
(Ephesians 1:19-23 says the body is the church.) 19And what is the exceeding greatness of his
power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he
wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the
heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put
all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is
his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. We are therefore baptized into the one body of
Christ, which is His one church. How could a person be taught the gospel without being
informed of that fundamental truth?
This is the second step of the plan of salvation. A person must believe in the diety of Christ, His
death, burial, and resurrection and the one body wherein we are saved.
Step 3. REPENT ANCE
This third step in the gospel plan of salvation was first taught in the Christian Age in Acts 2.
Those present on the day of Pentecost wanted to know the answer to the very question we are
discussing, “What must I do to be saved?”37-41 37Now when they heard this, they were
pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren,
what shall we do? 38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost. 39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as
many as the Lord our God shall call. 40And with many other words did he testify and exhort,
saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41Then they that gladly received his
word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand
souls.
Repentance includes three things. First, it is a change of mind.
Matthew 21:28-29 illustrates repentance very well. It says, 28But what think ye? A certain man
had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. 29He
answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
The son had a change of mind. This is repentance.
Some think repentance simply means “to stop sinning,” but there are a couple of problems with
that idea. First, the discontinuation of the sin follows repentance (the change of mind), it is not
the repentance itself. Secondly, a person could stop sinning without ever repenting if he
stopped for the wrong reason. This brings us to the second aspect of repentance: godly sorrow.
2 Corinthians 7:10 says, 10For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be
repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
What causes that change of mind known as repentance? Godly sorrow; sorrow for sinning
against God and jeopardizing one’s eternal soul.
Thirdly, repentance involves a change of life. Sometimes this is called the “fruit of repentance.”
In other words, if an individual has repented in his mind, others should be able to see that
repentance in his life. For example, if godly sorrow causes someone to repent of stealing, that
person will not be stealing anymore.
He or she has had a change of life. Repentance is a change of mind produced by godly sorrow,
resulting in a change of life.
Acts 17:30 says, 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Step 4. Is to Confess
Confession is necessary for salvation.
Romans 10:10 says, 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation.
In Acts 8, as Philip was teaching the gospel to the Ethiopian eunuch, he said, “See, here is water.
What hinders me from being baptized?”
Philip responded, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And the eunuch answered, “I
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:37). With his mouth, he made the good
confession. This is the confession we are talking about; confession of what one believes.
Sometimes people mistakenly think that they have to confess all their sins when they become
Christians. Imagine how much confessing a 40-year-old would have to do to become a
Christian.
That’s a lot of confessing! No one could do it.
The steps of the plan of salvation are a very natural progression.
One must hear the gospel, and believe it, which leads to changing one’s mind (or repenting).
Then the person verbalizes (confesses) that he believes what he has heard.
Step 5. You need to be Baptized in Water.
Finally, in order to be saved one must be baptized to have his sins washed away.
John 3 4,5 4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter
the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God.
In Acts 22:16, Ananias said to Saul, 16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and
wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
A person cannot be saved until his sins are washed away, and
Acts 22:16 teaches that sins are washed away in baptism.
This means one cannot be saved first and then baptized later, as is commonly taught by many
denominations. Acts 2:38 says, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.”
One cannot have his sins remitted before he is baptized; therefore, one is not saved until he is
baptized. What washes sins away? The blood of Jesus Christ!
Note: For those of you who say what about the thief on the cross he was not baptized?
Well I would ask… are you nailed to a cross next to the savior? No you say…
Would the Roman soldiers have let the thief come down to be baptized? No you say..
And finally was Jesus Baptized? Yes he was and if your following Jesus
Don’t stop at the water’s edge…
A man cannot be saved until he has been washed in the blood of Jesus.
If we are saved by the blood of Jesus and our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus, then
what role does baptism play? It is in baptism that an individual contacts the blood of Jesus.
Jesus shed His blood in His death, and it is in death that we contact it.
Romans 6:3-7says, 3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were
baptized into his death? 4Therefore 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. 5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be
also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him,
that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that
is dead is freed from sin. Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death,
that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should
walk in newness of life.” Why is one raised to walk in newness life when he comes out of the
water of baptism? The answer is, because he died to sin. In baptism, he is cleansed by the blood
of Jesus. When a person suggests that one may be saved without baptism, he is suggesting that
he or she can be saved without the blood of Christ. The reason this is not true is because
baptism is where a man contacts the blood of Christ. Every person in the Bible who we read
about being saved and becoming a Christian was baptized in order to do so. Baptism is
specifically mentioned in many of the conversion accounts.
Day of Pentecost: Acts 2:38, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sin.” Acts 2:41, “Then those who gladly received his word were
baptized.” Ethiopian Eunuch: Acts 8:36, the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me
from being baptized?” Verse 38, “And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water,
and he baptized him.” People of Samaria: Acts 8:5, “Then Philip went down to the city of
Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.” Verse 12 says, “But when they believed Philip as he
preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men
and women were baptized.” Cornelius: Acts 10:47 describes the conversion of Cornelius and his
household, saying, “Peter asked, ‘Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized?’”
Lydia: Acts 16 shows the account of Lydia and her conversion to Christ. Verse 15 15And when
she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be
faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
Conversion of the Philippian Jailer: Acts 16 talks about the Philippian jailer and says 30And
brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy
house. 32And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his
house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was
baptized, he and all his, straightway.
Saul of Tarsus Acts 22:16 relates the conversion of Saul: “Ananias said to him, ‘ 16And now why
tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Many in the religious world say baptism is not necessary, that a man is saved prior
to baptism, and that baptism has nothing to do with salvation, but the Bible tells us in 1 Peter
3:21, 21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of
the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of
Jesus Christ:
When discussing the plan of salvation, it’s interesting that many freely admit the necessity of
hearing the gospel. Most will acknowledge that we must believe. Most also accept repentance.
Few arguments are made over the need for confession. But many will deny that baptism is
necessary. So let us recap all steps of the plan of salvation (hear, believe, repent,
confess, and be baptized) Though confession is commanded by God in order to be saved, it is
not specifically mentioned in most of the accounts of conversion in the Bible. The same is true of
repentance. Few would ever question the necessity of repentance, and certainly the Bible
commands it, but it is not always specifically mentioned. However, baptism is specifically
mentioned.
Second Timothy 2:10 says that salvation is in Christ, First John 5:11 says that eternal life is in
Christ. Now the question of the utmost importance: if salvation is in Christ, and eternal life is in
Christ, how does one get into Christ? Galatians 3:27 gives us the answer, “For as many of you as
were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
Baptism is the doorway. It puts you into Christ, wherein is salvation.
COUNTING THE COST
There is one more very important point to be made on this subject. When studying the gospel
with someone, it is essential to discuss the cost of becoming a Christian.
What is the Cost of being a Christian?
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges commentary says:
LUKE 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children,
and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
A reference to Matthew 10:37 will show that ‘hate’ means hate by comparison. Our Lord
purposely stated great principles in their boldest and even most paradoxical form by which He
alone has succeeded in impressing them forever as principles on the hearts of His disciples. The
‘love of love’ involves a necessity for the possible ‘hate of hate,’ as even worldly poets have
understood.
For example: “I could not love thee, dear, so much Loved I not honor more.”
Becoming a Christian is an absolute commitment. It is a commitment to attend, to give, to
worship, to study, to teach. Jesus asks for nothing less than your heart, and that cannot be
given by halves.
It is not so much the true explanation to say that hate here means love less (Genesis 29:31), as to
say that when our nearest and dearest relationships prove to be positive obstacles in coming to
Christ, then all natural affections must be flung aside;
This further explains the meaning of the word ‘hate.’ The psuche ‘soul’ or ‘animal life’ is the seat
of the passions and temptations which naturally alienate the spirit from Christ. These must be
hated, mortified, crucified if they cannot be controlled; and life itself must be cheerfully
sacrificed, Revelation 12:11
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their
testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Step1: In this Podcast you have heard Jesus’s plan of salvation, The Gospel.
No man or woman can be saved if they do not hear the gospel.
What did you just hear? The Gospel.
Step one: I pray you believe what you have heard.
what must the sinner believe?
He must believe what he has heard! Mark 16:15-16 says, 15And he said unto them, Go ye into all
the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
understand that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. This is the second step of the plan of
salvation. A person must believe in the diety of Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection and the
one body wherein we are saved.
In John 8:24, Jesus said, 24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye
believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
Romans 10:9-14 says, 9That 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.
Step 3 I pray you repent right now. (Have a Change of Mind)
Matthew 21:29 illustrates repentance very well. The first son said after being asked to work in
his fathers vineyard 29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
2 Corinthians 7:10 says, 10For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be
repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
The phrase Not to be repented of: is saying without regret.
The mere sorrow of the world leads only to remorse and despair, to the death of a broken heart,
possibly to suicide; in any case, to the loss of the true eternal life.
What causes that change of mind known as repentance? Godly sorrow; sorrow for sinning
against God and jeopardizing one’s eternal soul.
Let’s not leave out the fruit of repentance. If you used to steal…go and steal no more.
Step 4. I pray you verbalize (confess) that you believe what you have heard.
“I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God”
Philip responded, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And the eunuch answered, “I
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:37). With his mouth, he made the good
confession. This is the confession we are talking about; confession of what one believes.
Step 5. I pray every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins.
Finally, in order to be saved one must be baptized to have his sins washed away.
In baptism, you are cleansed by the blood of Jesus. When a person suggests that one may be
saved without baptism, he is suggesting that he or she can be saved without the blood of Christ.
The reason this is not true is because baptism is where a man contacts the blood of Christ. Every
person in the Bible who we read about being saved and becoming a Christian was baptized in
order to do so. Baptism is specifically mentioned in many of the conversion accounts.
Mathew 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo,
the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and
lighting upon him: 17And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased.John 3 4,5 4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?
can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God.
If you want Salvation make sure you get baptized otherwise you will not have the remission
Of your sins or the Holy Spirit.
I pray this Podcast has helped you to become a Christian.
Please feel free to reach out to me at onesheeppodcast@gmail.com