“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”” Acts 4:8-12 (NIV)
What is salvation – Soteria ‘Sozo’ in Greek? Is it —
- Try to be good, in the house, at work and other places? (Good is definitely better than being bad!)
- Go to church and do all the work there and give tithe? Say prayers and light a candle requesting your needs? (Just getting our needs met!)
- Go to the priest confessing your sins that you remember often and what about the sins that are not confessed or forgotten? (Sinful nature persists! )
None of the above completes our salvation.
What to do to be saved?
1) Believe in the Lord Jesus and take immersion water baptism:
“The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.” Acts 16:29-34 (NIV)
Many say they believe in Jesus and He is their Saviour, but they do not give their lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Jesus should be our Lord and Saviour. In the sense Jesus is the one who is ruling and reigning in your life and you got to get instructions from Him and give report to Him to all the activities in your life.
2) Confess to others filled with the Holy Spirit and signs following:
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”” Romans 10:9-13 (NIV)
Believing in the heart we are made righteous and confessing with our mouth about our faith to others is when salvation is complete. For that we need the power, love and sound-mind from the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We can see that life-patterns in the disciples of Jesus Christ and that is what we should do as followers. Now the Lord God is operating in the Spirit who resides in your spirit to make it come alive and operate in power.
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.” Colossians 2:6-10 (NIV)
“As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” Matthew 10:7-8 (NIV)