Have you reached a point wherein you are ready to do whatever God requires of you to be His child and spend eternity in Heaven with Him?
Please, do not take this very brief study as a blanket answer to all your questions about salvation. When you read about conversions in the New Testament, there are often unique matters that need addressed. The people addressed in Acts 2:1-41 are not the same as those in Acts 10:1-11:18. Therefore, please be willing to be like the Eunuch that sought help (Acts 8:25-39). I am more than willing to help you. The Scriptures can be easily twisted and the result is destruction (II Peter 3:15-17). Don't be one of the many that think they are going to be saved and end up woefully surprised that you're not (Matthew 7:13-23).
As you start to think about "being saved", you have to know that you are lost. A person that is lost must be a sinner to begin with. Infants, children, and mentally incapable people cannot possibly sin. You must be capable of knowing right from wrong to err (James 4:17). If an individual has transgressed the law of Christ (I John 3:4) and is capable of knowing right from wrong, he or she has to do many things. God has done His part (Acts 15:11 and I John 4:14). Here is the part men and women must do to obtain salvation and remain in such a state. What you are about to read is a very simplified series of statements. There are so many false teachings about salvation. I am just trying to outline things you need to consider. There is so much more to each thing that I have written below. What I have written below should be considered as a start to the process of thought about conversion. You'll need help from a capable teacher. I don't want to scare you. I just want you to understand the need for heading in the right direction. Help is here. Don 't be afraid. Just understand there is a process to "conversion" (cf. Acts 3:19).
He or she has to have been taught the truth (John 8:31-32, Romans 1:14-16, and Romans 10:14-17).
He or she has to have understood, believed, and openly received the truth they have been taught (Matthew 13:19, Mark 16:15-16, and I Thessalonians 2:13).
That person then must evaluate and count the cost of being a disciple of the Lord (Luke 9:57-62 and Luke 14:25-33). Are you ready to live a life wherein God's will is first in your life and your guide to live by (Colossians 3:1-17 and I Thessalonians 4:1-2)?
If that person wants to proceed to obeying the Gospel and being converted to Christ, he or she has to repent of his or her sins (Luke 13:1-5 and Acts 26:18-20). Repentance can look very different for each individual. For example, a person in a marriage that is not acceptable to God has much more to consider than someone who is not so entangled in a sinful situation.
He or she then has to confess Christ (Acts 8:25-39 and Romans 10:9-10). Again, this is complex. You have to have been taught enough about Him to understand who He truly is (i.e. John 8:23-24 and Romans 9:1-5).
Then comes water baptism (Acts 2:38-41, Acts 8:12-13, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 16:13-15, Acts 16:22-33, Acts 18:8, Acts 19:1-7, Romans 6:3-6, Galatians 3:26-29, Colossians 2:12, and I Peter 3:20-21).
The Lord then adds this person to His body, the church (Acts 2:47).
This person then must live faithfully, in accordance with all of the will of God, for the rest of his or her natural life (Colossians 1:23 and Revelation 2:10). This in itself involves growing (Matthew 28:20, Titus 2:11-14, and II Peter 3:18) and continuing faithful in all things (John 8:31). Being part of a faithful congregation is necessary too for purposes of assembling with saints (Hebrews 10:22-25) and necessary support (I Thessalonians 5:11-14). There is much to the life of a Christian. Let me help you start and continue the faithful journey to Heaven.
Be like Paul and understand that even after you have initially obeyed the Gospel and have even done many faithful works, you still are not in Heaven (Philippians 3:4-21). Salvation is not until the end (I Peter 1:3-9).
Now, don't fear. The commandments of our Lord are not a burden (I John 5:2-3). Being a faithful Christian is not as complex as many think. Let me help you with these things.
- Brian A. Yeager
brian@wordsoftruth.net
Please, do not take this very brief study as a blanket answer to all your questions about salvation. When you read about conversions in the New Testament, there are often unique matters that need addressed. The people addressed in Acts 2:1-41 are not the same as those in Acts 10:1-11:18. Therefore, please be willing to be like the Eunuch that sought help (Acts 8:25-39). I am more than willing to help you. The Scriptures can be easily twisted and the result is destruction (II Peter 3:15-17). Don't be one of the many that think they are going to be saved and end up woefully surprised that you're not (Matthew 7:13-23).
As you start to think about "being saved", you have to know that you are lost. A person that is lost must be a sinner to begin with. Infants, children, and mentally incapable people cannot possibly sin. You must be capable of knowing right from wrong to err (James 4:17). If an individual has transgressed the law of Christ (I John 3:4) and is capable of knowing right from wrong, he or she has to do many things. God has done His part (Acts 15:11 and I John 4:14). Here is the part men and women must do to obtain salvation and remain in such a state. What you are about to read is a very simplified series of statements. There are so many false teachings about salvation. I am just trying to outline things you need to consider. There is so much more to each thing that I have written below. What I have written below should be considered as a start to the process of thought about conversion. You'll need help from a capable teacher. I don't want to scare you. I just want you to understand the need for heading in the right direction. Help is here. Don 't be afraid. Just understand there is a process to "conversion" (cf. Acts 3:19).
He or she has to have been taught the truth (John 8:31-32, Romans 1:14-16, and Romans 10:14-17).
He or she has to have understood, believed, and openly received the truth they have been taught (Matthew 13:19, Mark 16:15-16, and I Thessalonians 2:13).
That person then must evaluate and count the cost of being a disciple of the Lord (Luke 9:57-62 and Luke 14:25-33). Are you ready to live a life wherein God's will is first in your life and your guide to live by (Colossians 3:1-17 and I Thessalonians 4:1-2)?
If that person wants to proceed to obeying the Gospel and being converted to Christ, he or she has to repent of his or her sins (Luke 13:1-5 and Acts 26:18-20). Repentance can look very different for each individual. For example, a person in a marriage that is not acceptable to God has much more to consider than someone who is not so entangled in a sinful situation.
He or she then has to confess Christ (Acts 8:25-39 and Romans 10:9-10). Again, this is complex. You have to have been taught enough about Him to understand who He truly is (i.e. John 8:23-24 and Romans 9:1-5).
Then comes water baptism (Acts 2:38-41, Acts 8:12-13, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 16:13-15, Acts 16:22-33, Acts 18:8, Acts 19:1-7, Romans 6:3-6, Galatians 3:26-29, Colossians 2:12, and I Peter 3:20-21).
The Lord then adds this person to His body, the church (Acts 2:47).
This person then must live faithfully, in accordance with all of the will of God, for the rest of his or her natural life (Colossians 1:23 and Revelation 2:10). This in itself involves growing (Matthew 28:20, Titus 2:11-14, and II Peter 3:18) and continuing faithful in all things (John 8:31). Being part of a faithful congregation is necessary too for purposes of assembling with saints (Hebrews 10:22-25) and necessary support (I Thessalonians 5:11-14). There is much to the life of a Christian. Let me help you start and continue the faithful journey to Heaven.
Be like Paul and understand that even after you have initially obeyed the Gospel and have even done many faithful works, you still are not in Heaven (Philippians 3:4-21). Salvation is not until the end (I Peter 1:3-9).
Now, don't fear. The commandments of our Lord are not a burden (I John 5:2-3). Being a faithful Christian is not as complex as many think. Let me help you with these things.
- Brian A. Yeager
brian@wordsoftruth.net