What must I do to be saved?                       Acts 16:23-33                  

   Just a while back Paul and Silas were place in this same prison, to encourage themselves they prayed and sang songs. When midnight came there was a great earthquke and they were freed from their bonds and the doors were opened.  When the guard saw the doors opened, he got frightened and thought of taking his life.  If the prisoners escaped, he would have been put to death.  The guard soon realized Paul and Silas were holy man.  Straightway he asked the question that would change his life and that of his family.  ‘What must I do to be saved’, he asked Paul and Silas. 

   Dear participant, this question most people would not ask unless they were going through a tragic event in their lives.  Then they would come to grips with what many times through their lifetime they heard by the mouth of preachers, who try to persuade them to repent and be saved.  Whether your experience is a terrible car accident, a terminal illness, or the burdens of your sins are too much for you to carry, and you realized you need help. The answer to this question is still the same yesterday, today, and tomorow.  ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved’ (Acts 16:31) (Jn 3:16). 

   This act of believing is the first step to salvation.  If you happen to die right after you believed, and you have truly believed in Jesus Christ, this first step of believing in Jesus would guaranty you SALVATION and a eternity free from hell fire (Lk 23:42,43) (Jn 11:25,26).  If you continue living in this world, there are more steps you must take to prepare yourself to be part of the Kingdom of God and a disciple of Jesus Christ.

  SALVATION is also compared to a born again experience (Jn 3:3-5).  As we continue in the faith like a new born babe, we need to grow and get stronger so we are able to stand on our own two feet spiritually speaking and help others get saved.  We have to take these steps commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ.  This is needful to be rooted and grounded in the faith and the word of God like tall strong trees and be a disciple of Jesus Christ (Col 2:7).  When the storms of life and the enemy come, we will be able to stand unmovable waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ.

   The SALVATION experience and every step you take, is not of any work from your part to get saved, it is the Lord’s doing in you leading and guiding you, bringing you into the new life by his grace (Eph 2:8,9).  The Holy Ghost is already working for you behind the scene to make this experience happen and bring you to God (Jn 14:16,17) (Jn 16:13,14).  We will look at four major steps mention by Jesus.

STEP. 1 BELIEVE                                                   .                 Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; know who he is (Mat 16:16) (Acts 2:22-24,32) (Isa 53:1-12), and what he did on the cross for you with his blood (Col 1:20) (1Jn 1:7) (Eph 1:7, 2:13) (Rom 3:24, 25, 5:9) ((Heb 13:20).  Jesus said repent and believe the gospel (Mk 1:15) . Jesus said, ‘that whosoever believeth in him should not perish’ (Jn 3:16). The Lord said, ‘He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved’ (Mk 16:16).  By believing, you can receive power to be a son of God (Jn 1:12) and have an inheritance in heavens (Eph,1:11) (Jn,14:2,3) (Mat,25:34).

STEP.  2 .REPENTANCE                                             .             Repentance is a commament of  God, is turning from the sinful life and unbelief, making a one hundred eighty degree turn from sin to the obedience of God’s commandments (Prov 4:4) (Mat 3:8, 4:17) (Lk 13:3) (Acts 2:38) (Mk 1:15).  In repentance there must be also confession of sins to God (Mat 3:6) (1Jn 1:5-10), that is acknowledging of one’s wrong doings (Lam 3:40), and if possible clearing of ourselves before those we have offended (Mt 5:23-25). True repentance brings about a contrite heart (Ps 34:18, 51:17) (Isa 66:2).  This is possible by the grace of God as you believe (Mk.9:23) (Tit.2:11,12).                           .                                           

STEP. 3.  WATER.  BAPTISM                                           .   Water Baptism is another commandment from Jesus Christ to the church (Mk 16:16).  It is an outward expression of the change that is taking place inside of you, and is part of the born again experience of being born of water (Jn 3:5)  Also as Jesus said to John the Baptist, to fulfill all righteousness (Mt 3:13-15).  And as Jesus was buried, we also are buried through the water baptism (Rom 6:4) (Col 2:12).  By taking this step we are burying the old man, or better the old sinful nature (Rom 6:4,6). As we bury the old creature in the waters of baptism we then become a new creature, the old is done away and all things become new (2Co 5:17), this is called being in Christ.  Getting baptize also helps us to walk in newness of life (Rom 6:4).  Baptism is also part of the salvation experience (1Pet 3:21).  All who come to Jesus must take water baptism to be part of God’s Kingdom. The water baptism can only be administer by an authorized minister of the church (Mk 16:16) (Jn 4:2) (Acts 10:47,48).

.

STEP .4 .HOLY. GHOST                                      .     Receiving or being filled with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues (Joel 2:28) (Lk 11:13) (Acts 2:4) (Jn 14:16,26) (Acts 8:17) (Acts 19:6), is essential for our sanctification to reign with Christ in glory (2Thess 2:13,14).  This is a spiritual gift to all the church (Acts 2:38) and is the promise of the Father to us the church (Joel 2:28) (Acts 1:4, 2:33,39), also called Pentecost (Acts 1:4, 2:33,39). The Lord opens the windows of heavens and pours out the Holy Ghost on us (Acts 10:45). The pouring out of the Holy Ghost is also called the baptism of the Holy Ghost (Jn 1:33) (Mat 3:11) (1Co 12:13).  As we are baptized with the Holy Ghost we are also being filled with it (Acts 2:4, 4:8, 13:9) (Eph 5:18).  By the baptism of the Holy Ghost we become part of the body of Christ (1Co 12:13).  And by the Holy Ghost we have entrance to the Kingdom of God (born of the Spirit) (Jn 3:5).  The Holy Ghost is also the seal of God on us for the day of redemption (Rapture) (Eph 1:13,14).    The great love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost (Rom 5:5).  With our natural love we may fall short to love others, but with God’s love in us we are able to love others more than ourselves.  The Holy Ghost gives us power to be witnesses (Acts 1:8), to live for and die for Jesus (Rom.14:8) (Acts.6:5,8).                                                  .

                                                                                                 How  can we be baptise or be filled with the Spirit?  We have to take the first three steps (Acts 2:38), then we need to believe to receive (Acts 2:44) (Eph 1:13), we need to ask (Lk 11:13) (Mt 7:7), seek (Mt 7:7), knock (Mt 7:7), God can give you the baptism of the Holy Spirit even before you get baptise in water, if God sees how much you hunger, you seek and desire this spiritual gift.  Seek after the spiritual gift dear brother!                                     

NOT BY WORKS BUT BY GRACE               .    Salvation is God’s gift to us (Eph 2:9) (Rom 4:5).  We cannot do any kind of work to gain God’s forgiveness; it is strictly his mercy and grace (2Tim 1:9).  We do not choose, but he chose us to live for him (1Co 1:27,28) (2Thess 2:13) (Eph 1:4,5).    

RESTORATION                                                                                                 … Salvation is also God’s plan of restoring the fallen man. When Adam failed and disobeyed God’s command, he lost many material and spiritual blessings. Through Jesus he gave us back many of those blessings including eternal life (Rom 5:19,21) (Ps 51:12) (Eph 1:3,11).

CLOSING

   This is a basic four step outline of the gift of  salvation.  These four steps will give you a new life in Christ. There is a lot more to be said about living a victorious spiritual life.  Fill free to ask us any questions concerning this gift from God...We.will.be happy.to send.you.any.information.

FINAL                                                                                    

   If you are one who fill you are not sure you are saved, or you never repented of you sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, today God is calling you to be saved and experience the blessings of a new life.  If you believe, God’s grace will come upon you and restore you and give you a new life and the hope of eternal life.  You can pray on your own or you can say this sinner’s prayer. 

                                                                       Heavenly father I believe Jesus die on the cross for my sins, please forgive me and cleanse me with the blood of your dear son.  Give me your grace to follow your word day by day, to get baptize according to your commandment and to be ready when you come in your glory, Amen. 

   Dear participant, if you need any help in taking this most important step, fill free to reach us by e-mail, see our contact page.  May God bless you.                                       

                                                        In the Lord                 

                                          Bro. Nelson Cintron