WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

Pastor William J. Kermott

Chippewa Valley General Assembly

March 30, 2008


Key Verse:Ac 16:30-31 (KJV)

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.



Deep in the human heart there lies a kernel of knowledge. All men, all women, even the most hardened atheist has this common knowledge lying deep in their consciousness. No matter how vehemently they deny it, deep in the human soul lies the certain knowledge that there is a God and that He is a Holy and Just God.

The atheist builds intellectual bulwarks up in their heart and mind as a defense against this knowledge. They convince themselves that there is no God. They harden their hearts lest that kernel should find ready ground and germinate.


No matter where you go in this world there are religions that teach the existence of god and the reality of life beyond the grave. Great religious empires have been built, philosophies and cultures constructed in order to explain this kernel of knowledge.


It is important for the Christian to understand this, that no matter how strongly the unbeliever protests against the reality of God, they are doing so against the very core of their being which is shouting out to them that there is a God and they will one day need to give an account of themselves to Him. The Christian must understand this for this is the reason such unbelievers are so militant against the Gospel. It is why it takes barely a mention of the Bible or spiritual things to set them off. You see it isn't only you speaking – they are hearing from their own jaundiced soul, like the demoniac confronted by Christ Jesus who shouted, “What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” (Mt 8:29) They want to be left alone in their stony towers of denial.


The Christian does not need to address each stone of supposed reasoning the unbeliever has placed in the way for we are not speaking to that part of the mind that sets up defenses and thoughts and desires. The Gospel appeals to that hidden kernel and calls it forth to germinate into new life. It summons the conscience to wrest it from the dark grave of the unbelieving heart and it is at this juncture that the unbeliever will either listen or bristle. They may deny the existence of a conscience as well for the conscience cannot be seen even with the most delicate microscope. So it is this reality, the reality of the unseen spiritual world, the reality of the conscience and of God, and the soul that conflicts with all of their vainly built edifices of supposedly rational thought.



The Apostle Paul and Silas were taking the Gospel message to the city of Philipi when they were arrested, whipped then put in prison with their feet in stocks. The jailer was a hardened man. He had seen all sorts of suffering in his jail. He had heard all kinds of theories and philosophies.



Read with me Acts 16:25 (KJV)


And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.


26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.


I wonder what it was that moved in this Jailers heart. Was it the earthquake? Did he sense that God was coming to the defense of his preachers? Was it thankfulness that Paul and Silas did not run off when the prison doors were open? Did this act persuade the Jailer that these really were men of God?


What told this jailer that he needed salvation? How did he know he needed to be saved? He knew because the events of the moment broke down the defenses of his heart such as when a loved one is in a tragic accident and suddenly people who never pray begin begging God to hear their prayer and heal their loved one. It sometimes takes a shaking up before a person can hear with spiritual ears.


The jailer understood that he was a sinner, that there was a God and that he was headed for eternal punishment. What must he do to be saved?


In one sense there is nothing we can do for salvation. You see God is so Holy and perfect that the very best things that we would do would be imperfect and tainted in His eyes. The Bible says:

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” Isa 64:6 (KJV)


And what is it that a mere mortal can do for God anyway? Does God need anything from us? There is nothing that you can give God that is not his in the first place.


There is simply nothing you can do to earn salvation but that is not to say that there is nothing that you must do to be saved. The jailer knew there was something that needed to be done to get himself right with God, but what?


The answer for the lost, empty, dead soul is this. “Believe on the Lord, Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved:.”


What does it mean to believe?


To believe is to have faith. Faith the Bible tells us...” is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Heb 11:1 (KJV)

Faith in Christ is spiritual substance and will become the evidence that you are “born again”.


Faith is essential to salvation. It is the substance of your belief. Without faith you cannot be saved!

Heb 11:6 (KJV) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.


Some people want to be saved without diligently seeking God. It won't happen, in fact you need to seek God with all your heart! “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jer 29:13 (KJV) The jailer was seeking God with all of his heart.



The first step to salvation is knowledge!


Notice that Paul and Silas in verse 32

Ac 16:32 (KJV) And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.


The Word of the Lord is the Scriptures. In order to Believe you must hear about the one you believe in or else your belief is in vain. Many people claim to believe in Jesus but the Jesus they believe in is a Jesus of their own making. This is why the Bible is so important and why you must believe the Bible to be saved. If you do not accept the Bible you cannot accept Christ! Christ is the “LOGOS.” The Word made flesh. To reject the Bible is to reject Christ! To reject the Bible is to reject your only source of knowing Christ and if you do not know you cannot believe!

How 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?” Ro 10:14 (KJV)



There are some fundamental Christian doctrines that are necessary for you to know and to believe before you can be saved.


  1. CHRIST DIED FOR YOU

  2. GOD RAISED JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD

    For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

    And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” 1Co 15:3 (KJV)


These two doctrines are essential to believe. That Jesus went to the cross willingly to be offered up as the perfect sacrificial lamb and shed His blood for the remission of your sin. This is the core of your faith. Christ died for you!. Just as important is that Jesus rose up from the grave, he rose from the dead. You do not serve a dead Christ but a living one. If you do not understand these doctrines then contact me and I will try to explain them better. Maybe you do believe these things but still feel that there is something wrong between yourself and God. It may be that you have a conflicting doctrine a false religious belief or a sin that stands in the way and you don't know it's a sin such as living in adultery or fornication (shacking up.) You need to resolve these things to come to God and you need counseling.




THE SECOND STEP TO SALVATION... REPENT!


Ac 3:19 (KJV) Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;


You will never be saved unless you repent of your sin. An old Sunday School song explains repentance this way:

"Repentance is to leave

The sins we loved before,

And show that we in earnest grieve,

By doing so no more."


Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a Baptist preacher in London in the mid 1800's minced no words in encouraging the sinner of the need of repentance before salvation.

To repent does mean a change of mind; but then it is a thorough change of the understanding and all that is in the mind, so that it includes an

illumination, an illumination of the Holy Spirit; and I think it includes a discovery of iniquity and a hatred of it, without which there can

hardly be a genuine repentance. We must not, I think, undervalue repentance. It is a blessed grace of God the Holy Spirit, and it is absolutely

necessary unto salvation.


If you have come to the place of repentance, the place of heartfelt contrition over your sinfulness it is evidence that faith is having it's way in you. The Bible says, The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Ps 34:18 (KJV)


At this time you should confess your sins. You do not need a priest or a preacher, confess your sin directly to Christ! Jesus is your confessor. Pray to him now, tell him of your sorrow over your sin and ask his forgiveness. The Scriptures give us a wonderful promise: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1Jo 1:9 (KJV)



THE THIRD STEP TO SALVATION ... CONFESSION of CHRIST



That 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.

Ro 10:9 (KJV)

Churches have altar calls for this very reason, to call the seeker of salvation forward to tell others that they believe. That is confessing Christ to tell others you believe in Him! You must confess your need for Him to save you from your sins. This is confessing that Christ is your savior. You must also confess Christ to be your rightful master and Lord. This is a new contract. Your old contract was with sin, yourself and the devil. You were a servant to sin. Now you are making a new declaration, that you are no longer your own but you are Christ's! The saved person delights in being a servant of Christ. He is not ashamed to be known as a Christian but would be ashamed if anyone thought he were not one.


Ro 10:9 (KJV) That 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.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.


Won't you believe today? Is the Spirit speaking to your heart?

Repent of your sins and be forgiven. Believe in Jesus and find eternal Salvation. What on earth can hold you back but your own stubborn will? Find peace within and allow the Spirit of God to breathe new life into your dead, dry soul. If you seek Him with all your heart, you will surely find Him!


If you need counseling call me, Pastor Bill Kermott 715-577-3131


STEPS AFER SALVATION



CHURCH

You need to become part of a Bible preaching church. Not all churches are the same in fact in modern day America most churches have departed from the faith. Christians are not allowed to be loners but are commanded to join with others in the Body of Christ.

Heb 10:24 (KJV) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.


You need a church so that you can be Baptized and discipled in the faith and serve with other believers.



BAPTISM


There is another step that takes place after you experience saving faith. It is the first step of your new life in Christ and it is called Baptism. You may have been baptized as a child but that was your parent's faith. This baptism is the evidence that you have become Christ's yourself. It is the Declaration ceremony of your salvation.


Mt 28:19 (KJV) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (Jesus)


Ac 2:38 (KJV) Then 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.


Ac 10:48 (KJV) And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.


Discipleship

2Ti 2:15 (KJV) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.