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What Must I Do to be Saved?
by Dr. Linda Smallwood, BBS, M.Min., D.Min.
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What Must I Do to be Saved? | Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation? In This Lesson
Introduction "Easton's Bible Dictionary" defines it: Synonyms for "salvation", as it's used in the Bible, include: "let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:7 emphasis added) Hebrews 10:39— "In him [Jesus Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7 emphasis added) Colossians 1:14— Galatians 6:1— How Do We Receive/Attain Salvation? Jesus' First Message during His Earthly Ministry "From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" (Matthew 4:17 emphasis added) "[Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,] and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.'" (Mark 1:14-15 emphasis added) Luke 13:3— The Disciples' First and Main Message "And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" (Acts 2:38 emphasis added) Acts 3:19— "Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you." (Acts 8:22 emphasis added) Repent! You hear it in church, during Gospel crusades, from televangelists, and/or on most Christian radio stations; or you read the message on Gospel booklets left behind on city buses. What message is that? The one that tells you, "All you have to do to be saved is to believe in Jesus Christ and His atoning work on the cross." It's a good message and 100% truth. The problem is, it's not the whole truth! Jesus' first public message was, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." On the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter's first message was, "Repent and be baptized..." The writer of Hebrews admonishes us, "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God." (Hebrews 6:1 KJV emphasis added) Why Do We Need to Repent? What does it mean, to "repent . . . from dead works"? Why do you need to repent of your sins? Answer: Because God "commands" it, and because God has appointed a day when He will judge all the people in the world based on Jesus Christ's sacrificial death on our behalf. Scripture assures the consequences, or end result, of both the repentant believers and those who refuse to repent: "The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:7-8) It's of First Importance The Apostle Paul also preached that all Jews and Gentiles must turn to God in repentance. Acts 20:21— "but [I] declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance." (Acts 26:20) Repentance Defined What is "repentance"? What do we mean when we say, "Repent"? What did Christ mean when He said, "Repent"? "Repentance" is defined as: 1) remorse for your past conduct; 2) a change of mind so as to produce regret; and 3) a change of mind and purpose and life, to which remission of sin is promised. (Easton's Bible Dictionary) Biblical repentance consists of 1) a true sense of one's own guilt and sinfulness; 2) an expectation of God's mercy in Christ; 3) an actual hatred of sin (Psalm 119:128; Job 42:5-6; 2 Corinthians 7:10) and turning from it to God; and 4) a persistent endeavor to live a holy life in a walking with God in the way of his commandments. Although repentance begins in the thoughts and heart of a person — as in, "What have I done?" — it does not end there. If possible, you must also correct the wrong. (Easton's Bible Dictionary) In this verse, Paul contrasts godly sorrow with worldly sorrow. Worldly sorrow produces regrets and often more sin, and then death — that includes the death of the soul. Godly sorrow, however, is sorrow in line with the will and purposes of God. It produces repentance — usually and eventually without regrets — and it leads to salvation. While worldly sorrow leads to more sin and death, godly sorrow leads to works of righteousness. Repentance ends with righting the wrong, with doing the right thing. According to Scripture, repentance that is real and complete naturally leads to appropriate good deeds. John the Baptist warned sinners, "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." (Matthew 3:8 NIV emphasis added). During his testimony before King Agrippa, the Apostle Paul said about Jews and Gentiles everywhere, that "they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds." (Acts 26:20 NIV emphasis added) The "fruit of repentance" is one of the "fruits of the Spirit" that should mark every believing and repentant follower of Christ. It is not enough to just be "sorry" for something you did wrong. Sorrow must motivate us to make it right, according to the nature of the sin, and within our means to do so. For example: In other words, in order for your repentance to be valid and approved by Almighty God, you must follow up the sorrowful afterthought with appropriate corrective action. If it is within your means to do so, you must bring repentance to its rightful end for the sins in your life. "Dead Works" These are sins, habits, and behaviors that rob you of the eternal and abundant life promised in Christ Jesus — things that will ultimately lead to certain and permanent death. God will condemn you for them, unless you repent of them. This applies, not only to the beginning of your Christian walk, but to everyday, every aspect, every word, every deed. You cannot be saved or draw near to God — or more accurately, He cannot draw near to you! — unless you do what He has instructed you to do: Repent! In 1 Corinthians, chapter 6, the Apostle Paul lists 11 sins — "dead works" — for which God will condemn people to the Lake of Fire. 9"Do you not know that the [1]wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the [2]sexually immoral nor [3]idolaters nor [4]adulterers nor [5]male prostitutes nor [6]homosexual offenders The 11 "Dead Works" Defined The Wicked/Unrighteous/Evil In order to transition from judgment to life, we must become righteous. But this is not a righteousness to which we can attain on our own merit and strength. Rather, it refers to our knowledge of who God is and obeying the Gospel (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:8). The "Gospel" spoken of here requires us to separate from our sins — to "come out" — and to embrace the forgiveness and freedom found only in Jesus Christ. Being "righteous", then, does not mean being "perfect". It means, as a result of our relationship with Christ, we do not habitually practice sin. Sexually Immoral/Fornicators The reason for making a distinction here is that they each require a different way of repentance. Idolatry/Idol Worship However, idolatry actually pertains to our assigning a higher value to any item, action, or person than we ascribe to God. Thus, one of the idols in your life could be your: The list continues with those things in our lives to which we might attach some spiritual value, thereby lying to ourselves about them being equal to the personal devotional and prayer time we spend with God: Or, perhaps your list includes some socio-economic charity or other outreach programs, whereby we fool ourselves into thinking the time we spend in "serving" God or others is the same as our one-to-one service and fellowship with God. These might include: The list is endless. It can consist of any one or more activities, things, or persons that cause us to push God aside or force Him to take a back-seat [wait] until a more "convenient" time. If there is anything on your daily list that somehow takes precedence over the time you spend in personal devotion and communion with the Lord, then He might well call it an "idol"!
Concerning our relationship with God, there are two types of "seeking" spoken of in Scripture: Adultery
This ministry and this lesson do not seek to cause offense or to make judgments about what constitutes a "lawful" divorce according to Scripture. If you were divorced from your spouse prior to getting saved or prior to coming to a better understanding of God's definitions of marriage and adultery, then you need to seek God's guidance — not according to the wisdom of this world but according to Scripture in which it is impossible for God to lie. Jesus taught that adultery could occur even without physically having sexual relations with another. "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:28) Some would label this as "mental" or "emotional" adultery. The same could be said about the sin of fornication. Anytime we look upon others with lust, we are committing fornication or adultery with them in our hearts. This is why the use of pornography is a sin that leads to death. As an activity that creates inappropriate lust, which can then result in us committing fornication or adultery, it is condemned by Jesus, the One who will judge you unless you repent. All Must Honor the Concept of Marriage By listing the "sexually immoral" with adultery, this verse links the sin of fornication and adultery to the dishonoring or defiling the very purpose for which God instituted the marriage covenant between a man and a woman. Adulterers dishonor marriage by not remaining faithful to their spouse; and fornicators dishonor marriage by not getting married before they have sexual relations. Male Prostitution/Effeminate Males/Homosexuality "...But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man." (Genesis 2:20b-22) "For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error." (Romans 1:26-27) Man was not made to sexually relate to another man, nor was woman made to relate to other women. This is an affront to God because it says of Him as Creator that He made a mistake or that we are wiser than He in determining how to conduct ourselves physically and emotionally. The omniscient Almighty God cannot and does not make mistakes. There are many in our churches and communities today who twist God's Word to their own sinful devices or who know God's Word on this subject but refuse to submit to His authority over them and their use of what He has created. If you are engaging in this type of activity, know this: Calling it an "alternate lifestyle" or saying you were "born" this way is to believe Satan's lie.
Despite the many scientific studies that conclusively disprove the theory that some people are "born" homosexual, certain news media, movie producers and radical homosexual groups continue to propagate the lie. They spread their hype, not to empower others to a happier life or to quell persecution, as they propagandise, but because it's such a lucrative business. The reality is that it seldom has any remote resemblance to reality! For the sake of discussion/debate, however, let us consider the argument that some people are genetically predisposed to homosexuality or even gender identity [believing they're really the opposite sex in the wrong body]. Now, in this politically-heated debate, we have those who demand to be treated equally so that they might openly flaunt and celebrate their "lifestyle". That, then, begs the question, "Should we not do the same for those who are born blind or missing a limb or who have CP or Downs Syndrome or any other common birth defect? Shouldn't we also let them hobble their way into the societal mainstream with no regard for their safety or their ability to survive?" Or, to take this new "free-to-be-perverted/deluded/disenabled" ideal to the next logical level, shouldn't we also make the same allowances for someone who's been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or multiple-personality disorder? I say, if we're going to use the logic that says homosexuals should have free rein when it comes to not only living their alternate lifestyle, but also to forcing its acceptance on others . . . then let's also throw open the doors to our hospitals, residential treatment facilities, convalescent centers, prisons and asylums and let these other poor, tortured souls have free rein to maim or kill either themselves or others! Let's make a law that says: "The only rule is that there are no rules!" I know the above argument is ludicrous. But so is the argument that we should endorse and even celebrate the lifestyle choices that brought God's judgment and destruction on two ancient civilizations! As Jesus said in Luke, chapter 17, in comparing this current "generation" to those in the past on which God visited His divine wrath: 27"They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Thievery, Covetousness/Envy, Slander, Swindlers/Cheating Thieves, covetous people, and swindlers all want something that belongs to someone else. Of course, admiring what someone else has is not, in itself, sin. It becomes sin when it starts to define us or limit the joy we have with those things the Lord has graciously given us, thereby kindling the fires of covetousness. Often, covetousness leads to stealing, lying, murdering, taking by force, or persuasive trickery [swindlers]. It's at that moment when the object or person of our attention and affection also becomes an idol, whether we actually possess it or not. A reviler or slanderer is someone who speaks evil of another person, typically with abusive lack of respect. He casts evil slurs and insults, falsely accuses them, gossips, mocks, and maligns them. The manner in which this relates to stealing or swindling is that it robs the object of the slander of his good reputation and sometimes even an opportunity to earn a living. Examples of Those Who Repented of Their Crimes 39"One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, 'Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!' 40But the other rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.' 42And he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' 43And he said to him, 'Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.'" (Luke 23:38-43) However, when Ahab went to take possession of the vineyard, God spoke judgment against him and his wife through the prophet Elijah. Elijah told Ahab that dogs would lick up his blood in the same place where the dogs had licked up his neighbor's blood, and that dogs would eat his wife. Elijah said Ahab's sons also would be destroyed. 27"And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly. 28And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29'Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster upon his house.'" (1 Kings 21:27-29) Because Ahab began to repent, God decided to not punish him in what was left of his life. As soon as he died, however, all the words God spoke came to pass. The dogs licked up his blood, his wife was eaten by the dogs, and his sons were put to death (see 1 Kings 22:38; 2 Kings 9:7-10:17). Zacchaeus Repented of Swindling Jesus' response was in direct proportion to Zacchaeus' repentant pledge to give half of his wealth to the poor and to give back to those whom he had defrauded. Certainly, prior to this encounter, Zacchaeus was lost; but he began that day to prove his repentance to Jesus.
Drunkenness/Intoxication Although drinking a little alcohol infrequently and not to excess is not considered a sin, the Bible does caution against the use of all alcohol because it dulls the senses and can lead to a lack of self-control. "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise." (Proverbs 20:1) Isaiah 5:22— In Matthew, chapter 24, there's a parable Jesus told that some opponents of alcohol point to as proof that drinking alcohol is a sin. 48"But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' 49and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." While there's no doubt this servant was sinning against his master by his blatant lack of respect for the master and for his fellow servants, the point of the story was not about drinking or even drinking "with drunkards". The point was that this wicked servant had become insolent, abusive, and slothful so that he was not ready when his master returned. The urgency stressed in this story is about us not knowing the hour at which our Lord will return. We, therefore, need to be ready at all times — thus Jesus' oft-repeated command, "Repent!" Whether you agree that taking an occasional drink of alcohol is a sin or not is mostly a matter of personal conscience, tradition, or denominational doctrine. We are not here to persuade you either way. Rather, we would caution all to be "sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach." (1 Timothy 3:2b) See also 1 Timothy 3:11; 2 Timothy 4:5; Titus 2:2; 1 Peter 1:13; 4:7; 5:8. Six More "Dead Works" Defined "But as for the [1]cowardly, the [2]faithless, the [3]detestable, as for [4]murderers, the [5]sexually immoral, [6]sorcerers, [7]idolaters, and all [8]liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8 reference numbers added) Here, we will look briefly at the six additional sins in the above passage. Again, this exercise is not to cause us to think about whether we know someone else who practices any of these, but it's to show us if we are in danger. Cowardly/Fearful Rather, it refers to those about whom Jesus said, "For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." (Luke 9:26) God will condemn those who cowardly renounce [as to "disown"] Christ in order to preserve their mortal lives. "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28) In the parable Jesus told in Matthew, chapter 25, of the three servants who received five talents, two talents, and one talent, the servants who received five talents and two talents had increased their reward by making bold decisions concerning that which was entrusted to them. As a result, the master doubled their reward. But the servant who was afraid to do the master's will was judged harshly as "wicked" and "slothful" [lazy]. Of course, this story is speaking of Judgment Day when the Lord will judge all of us according to how we have handled the Gospel of Christ. Faithless/Unbelieving/Unbelief No one can be saved who doesn't recognize who Jesus truly is and confess Him to others. "...if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins." (John 8:24b NIV). To "die in your sins" means you will be eternally condemned. Unbelief Equates to Disobedience We see this interdependency working in how the Jews repeatedly acted wickedly and provoked God to jealousy and judgment. Despite being miraculously delivered from slavery in Egypt, they continued in unbelief by disobeying His commands. In Hebrews, chapter 3, the Apostle calls this type of disobedience "unbelief". 16"For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? Faithful obedience to Christ, then, starts with belief in all He says about Himself. Detestable/Abominable/Vile God calls many things, especially sexual perversion, an abomination. However, "abomination" refers to more than sexual immorality. 16"There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: "Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished." (Proverbs 16:5) "It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness." (Proverbs 16:12) "He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD." (Proverbs 17:15) Proverbs 20:10— "A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God." (Deuteronomy 22:5) Murder/Murderers Sexually Immoral A "Jezebel" spirit had thoroughly penetrated and planted itself in the church at Thyatira. In Revelation, chapter 2, Jesus said: 20"But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. God gave the Jezebel time to repent, but she did not. Therefore, He visited a severe punishment on her and all those who were practicing the same immorality. God says He will punish disciples who fail to repent of the sin of immorality. "For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality." (Colossians 3:25) Sorcerers/Practitioners of Magic Arts The Bible is very clear about God's pronouncements against such practices. "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." (Exodus 22:18 KJV) "...Do not practice divination or sorcery." (Leviticus 19:26b) In the 18th chapter of Deuteronomy, the Lord commands: 10"Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, Interestingly, in Galatians 5:19-21, God includes witchcraft along with murder, hatred, drunkenness, fornication, adultery, heresies, and idolatry. The reason behind such a strong disdain for sorcery should be readily discerned. The person who engages in such practices — either as the practitioner or the client — is seeking counsel from the lesser created being rather than the incomprehensible mind of the omnipotent, omniscient, alone-wise Creator. As our self-existent Creator, everlasting Father, and Wonderful Counselor, He alone knows best how to guide us on this earthly plain. To seek the counsel of a lesser, created being is to slap Him in the face! Lying/Liars Some synonyms for lying are pretending, deceiving, deluding, fabricating, feigning, misleading, and manipulating for personal gain — whether financial, material, or emotional. Of course, the remedy for lying is simply to quit deceiving people and instead speak the truth. "Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another." (Ephesians 4:25) The Good News But there's good news! As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:11, "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (emphasis added) Some of the Corinthian believers "were" such sinners, but not anymore. These are those who brought repentance to its proper end by surrendering or forsaking those habits and walking away from their formerly-sinful lifestyle.
 
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The word "salvation" derives from the late Latin salvatio, the Greek translation of which is soteria. The "American Heritage Dictionary" defines salvation as