WHAT SAVES A MAN?
FAITH saves — Luke 7:9, 18:42; Romans 3:28; Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 10:38, 11:6
BELIEVING saves — Mark 16:16; Luke 8:12; Acts 13:39, 16:31; Romans 10:9
CHRIST’S NAME saves — Acts 4:12
HOPE saves —Romans 8:24; Titus 3:7
THE GOSPEL saves — I Corinthians 15:1-2; Romans 1:16
GRACE saves — Acts 15:11; Romans3:24; Ephesians 2:5,8; II Timothy 1:9
LOVE OF THE TRUTH saves — II Thessalonians 2:10
MERCY saves —Titus 3:5
GOD saves — II Timothy 1:8, 9
CALLING ON THE LORD saves —Acts 2:21, 22:16; Romans 10:13
RECONCILIATION saves — Romans 5:10
CHRIST saves — Matthew 18:11; Luke 19:10; John 10:9; I Timothy 1:15
PREACHING saves — I Corinthians 1:18, 21
BLOOD saves — Acts 20:28; Romans 5:9; Hebrews 9:22; I John 1:7; Revelation 5:9
BAPTISM (immersion) saves — Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:4; I Peter 3:21
ENDURING saves — Matthew 10:22, 24:13; Mark 13:13
OBEDIENCE saves — Acts 5:29, 32; Acts 6:7; Romans 6:17; Hebrews 5:9
CHRIST’S DEATH saves — Romans 5:10, 6:3, 5; Colossians 1:22
WORKS save — I Corinthians 15:58; Philippians 2:12; I Timothy 6:18; Titus 3:14; James 3:13, 2:17-20
REPENTANCE saves — Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38, 3:19, 17:30; II Corinthians 7:10
ENGRAFTED WORD saves — James 1:21
CONFESSION saves — Matthew 10:32, 33; Romans 10:10
DOCTRINE saves — Romans 6:17; I Timothy 4:16
CHRIST’S LIFE saves —Romans 5:10
FEAR saves— Jude 1:23
SELF- INVOLVEMENT saves — Luke 9:24; Acts 2:40; I Timothy 4:16
Friend, have you seriously considered this question?
This must be the most important matter in heaven because God has included at least twenty- six different things in His word that all go to save us. In this way He shows His interest in our souls. Not even one of these things mentioned can be ignored if we do what God has asked us to do in order to obey His will.
Man is not born in sin but becomes a sinner Romans 3:23 by transgressing or disobeying the commands of God I John 3:4. God has revealed in the Bible just what His will for man is but He has given him the freedom to choose for himself whether he wants to do it or not. He may remain in sin and be separated from God or he may choose to obey God and be saved from all past sins for eternity.
Undoubtedly the question, “what saves a man?” has troubled mankind for centuries. The book of Acts in the Bible shows this to be true. It also shows what God’s answer is to this all- important question. In chapter two of the Acts of the apostles we have the history recorded of the beginning of the church of Christ.
On the day of Pentecost, a special feast day of the Jews, a multitude of Jews had come together in Jerusalem to worship God according to the Old Testament. While they were gathered there, the apostle Peter preached the first complete gospel message about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Evidently Peter’s message caused the multitude to realize that they were sinners because they had helped to crucify the Lord Jesus and some of them cried out to Peter and the other apostles, “Men and brethren, what must we do?’’ Acts 2:37. Then in verse 38, Peter gave them the answer to their question. “Repent, and he immersed every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Notice what Peter said about being immersed for the forgiveness of their sins. This is God’s command for all who will be saved from their past sins. This was the very first time that the terms of pardon from sins under the New Testament had been revealed to all men.
This is the same way that God has given for us to become Christians today. God’s word has never changed concerning the matter of forgiveness of the sins of man. I believe you would have to agree that if this made these people Christians, it would do the same for everyone.
Listen to what God’s word says in the next few verses. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many’ other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were immersed: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.’’
After following the example of these first Christians in repenting of all sins and being immersed in water for the forgiveness of those sins, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell in our bodies, and we are added to the church of which Jesus Christ is the head Colossians 1:18. Then there are twenty-two books or letters written in the New Testament that tell us exactly what God’s plan is for our Christian life.
You will find that each thing listed on this tract has been included by God in His word as essential to save us for all eternity. We are not saved by any one thing alone but by putting all of God’s word together and obeying and practicing what it says. The church of Christ strives to follow all of God’s word. Jesus said, “Not every one that saith, unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in, Heaven” Matthew 7:21.
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