What Must I Do To Be Saved?
Acts 16:25-34
Introduction
Three questions that grow directly out of our text this morning. Perhaps expected, perhaps unique.
Are you saved? Different question. Is not the question, are you a church member? Is not the question, Are you perfect, with perfect understanding, stellar attendance pattern, involved, active. Question is: Are you saved?
Two related questions: Is your life filled with joy? What earthquake will you have to experience before you come to God?
I. What God has done.
A. They spoke the word of the Lord to the jailer and his family.
B. God has done what you could never do, Eph. 2:5-10
- GRACE: God's riches at Christ's expense.
- God's redemption animating Christian experience.
C. What happened at the cross.
- 1 Cor. 15:1-4, Christ died for your sins
- 1 Pet. 2:21, Christ suffered for us, took our punishment
- 2 Cor. 5:20-21, He took our sins on himself, became sin for us
- 1 Pet. 3:18, the just died for the unjust
D. What happened after the cross
- Jesus arose, ascended.
- His resurrection is our first fruits and promise, 1 Cor. 15
- His ascension is the paved way for us to follow him, John 14:1ff
II. What I must do.
A. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. What does it mean to believe?
B. What happened between Acts 16:31 and 16:34?
Learned the word...faith brought repentance as evidenced in v. 33...was baptized
C. Faith involves man's total response to God.
- Belief is faith--trusting Jesus for salvation
- Repentance is faith--turning to Jesus for salvation.
- Confession is faith--telling of dependence/acknowledging Jesus for salvation.
- Baptism is faith--taking Jesus for salvation/uniting a person to Jesus for salvation.
D. Baptism must be understood
Two positions are wrong: (1) baptism is important but not essential, (2) baptism is everything. One is saved by believing: believing responds in trust, turning, talking, and taking.
E. So faith is what? Forsaking all, I take Him.
Do you believe? Are you a person of faith? Can you forsake all else? Like the marriage vows--forsaking all others. Is this your level of faith, commitment, trust. Will you obey fully?
Are you ready to follow Jesus?
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Last updated March 20, 2005.