The most important question we have to ask in this life is, “What do I have to do to be saved?” How do I go from being a sinner to a Christian? From lost to saved? There are 15 things that we must do in order to have eternal life. Here they are:
1) BELIEVE IN GOD (Genesis 1-2). God Almighty. God our Creator. He is our God. We didn’t just come to exist by accident. Considering all that exists, there is no way that we can’t see that there is a God and He is alive. By His Power and His design we exist. The evidence is all around us. We just have to open our eyes.
2) BELIEVE IN HIS WORD (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Once we believe that God is our powerful and wise Creator, then it should be no problem to believe that the Bible is His inspired Word. We have to believe what He has given us in the Bible.
3) BELIEVE IN SIN AND HELL (Romans 3:23, Revelation 21:8). God tells us in His Word that we have sinned against Him. And because of that sin we will be punished in Hell if we do not come to Him for forgiveness. See the seriousness of it.
4) SEE GOD’S PLAN IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. When we look in the Old Testament at the Law of Moses we find that nothing is forgiven without the shedding of blood. Someone’s life has to be sacrificed in order for the sins to be forgiven. God allowed Israel to temporarily use animals until He would send the ultimate, once for all sacrifice through His Son Jesus the Christ.
5) BELIEVE THAT JESUS CAME (John 1). We have to believe that Jesus did in fact come to this earth and lived as a man.
6) BELIEVE THAT JESUS DIED (Gospels). We have to believe that Jesus suffered and died for us on the cross as the Bible tells us.
7) BELIEVE THAT JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD (1 Corinthians 15). We have to believe that Jesus is alive today. We have to believe in His resurrection.
8) BELIEVE THERE IS A HEAVEN (John 14:1-6). We have to believe that there is now hope in Jesus Christ. That salvation has been offered to us through Jesus’ death and resurrection. There is hope of eternal life.
9) BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL MESSAGE (Romans 1:16). We have to believe that the message of salvation has been given to us through God’s Word. That He has told us how we can be saved.
10) SEE YOUR NEED TO BE SAVED (Romans 3:23). We have to see our own sinful condition and need for forgiveness. We have to want it and go to God for salvation.
11) REPENT OF YOUR SINS (Acts 2:38). We have to turn away from our sins and commit to changing our lives. We choose not to sin anymore and are going to God for forgiveness.
12) CONFESS YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST (Romans 10:9-10). We are told that we have to confess with our mouth that we believe in Jesus and His death and resurrection.
13) BE BAPTIZED TO WASH YOUR SINS AWAY (Acts 2:38, 22:16). We are told in God’s Word that it is through baptism that God by His power washes our sins away. We are then forgiven and cleansed from sin.
14) LIVE A FAITHFUL LIFE (2 Peter 2:20-22). We then have to stay faithful to God in our commitment to Him to live in righteousness and no more in sin.
15) LONG FOR HEAVEN (Hebrews 9:28). We have to live the rest of our lives in the hope and excitement of going to Heaven to be with God for eternity. Longing for it. Eager for it. What a day that will be.
Thanks be to God for His awesome love and amazing grace! God has provided us with salvation. All we have to do is come to Him for it and do what He has told us to do. God is waiting. What will you do? What are we doing? Trust and obey in faith.
A Cord of Blue 