How does a person get saved?

I would say biblical repentance requires believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.

If I am driving toward a cliff and a sign says "cliff ahead: stop or you will die", I need to believe the sign before I put on the brakes. After stopping, I would then turn around and find another way around the valley. This process is repentance and would change my trip. Believing without repentance is worthless. Repenting toward God without believing is impossible.

SeekingHisTruth made the mistake most people make by adding "of my sins" to repentance. Repentance is does not mean stop sinning nor does it doesn't mean feel sorry for sinning.

Repent means to turn or change direction. It can be used in non-religious ways, but the so called theologians have hijacked it and turned it into stopping our sinful ways. Repentance toward God is what saves us. To stop sinning is not a prerequisite nor an obligation for salvation, it is merely a fruit of it.

This is hard to accept for some because of our experience with so many professing christians who are living a life with no outward change, but I am convinced stopping our sinful ways is not required for salvation.

 

In Ezekiel chapter 18 mentioned on repentance lot. Repentance is dealing with sins. Repentance means 'turn', 'turneth'- Ezk. 18:21, 27. In the picture means change, and quit habitully sin life. Ezk. 18:21 says, if a wicked turns from his wicked ways, and keep God's commandments, and do the right things, he shall live(spiritual), and shall not die(spiritual).

But, Ezk. 18:26 warns,

"When a righteous man TURNETH AWAY FROM his righteousness, and commeitteth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done SHALL HE DIE."

This speaks of a righteous person(saved) turning away(falling away) from person's righteousness life, and commit sinning life, person shall dying in them, and it shall bring person to death(spiritual).

That means, if a saved person turn away from the Lord, and do practical sin life, it shall bring saved person to death("second death"), if continue in them by the time saved person died(physical).

Wow. This passage is very serious warning from God. Clear, this is conditional salvation with repentance, which is deal with sins. God commands us to quit sins, and do the right things for God, walk in the light with Christ daily.

In Christ
Rev. 22:20 -Amen!

 

True Ezek 18 and Matt 18 "Forgiveness revoked" make the same case OT and NT

 

Thanks, HP, and sorry for the delay in replying. I would say that the bible talks of repentance both as God's gift, and as man's responsibility. For example, in Acts 11.18, Peter is explaining how, on God's command, he has taken the gospel to the gentiles:

When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life."​

But in Acts 17.30, Paul says to the people at the Areopagus:

"Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent."​

Exactly how the two (God's gift of repentance, and man's responsibility to repent) can coexist is beyond the power of human reason, but they are both true, for both are in the Word of God.
Have I understood properly what you were asking?

 

Depends on what your definition of repentance is. Certainly at some point one has to change their mind about who they are in relation to Who God/Jesus is.

That's probably a fair observation. And if that is what he is looking for then believing on the Lord Jesus is to understand that you are a sinner and that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God Who died and shed His blood in our place. If we believe that we are saved.

Certainly we could go into more detail about things, but I think we need to keep the gospel of everlasting life as simple as God intended it to be. Believe you are a sinner and believe that Jesus Christ the Lamb of God died and shed His blood in your place, paying your penalty and you are saved.

The matter of future sins is dealt with in the discipleship (sanctification) process. We are born children (babes) and must be taught the ways of the Lord and what is sinful and what is not and how to act. These things are not automatic as some would have us to believe.

 

Repentance is included in faith.

Acts 16:31 has "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house" (ASV).

Before Christians come to Christ, we are living our own way -- which is not the way He wants us to. "Believe" is not intellectual assent -- it means to make it real and meaningful in our lives. When we genuinely believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, we repent of living wrongly. Repentance is one of several attitudes that are included in biblical faith.

 

You have to look at the context.

If that is the case then Paul lied to this man. And if Paul lied then all of his books should be removed from the Holy Bible, because it is a book that can not lie. It only contains Truth. Since we know Paul didn't lie then we must take him (Holy Spirit) at h/His word and that word is "believe" and you "will be" saved. No doubt about it.

The choice is do we want to believe it or not. Eph. 2:8-9 backs up this same claim and this truth can be found in OT typeology as well.

 

double post

 

The devils also believe... and tremble. It is more than belief that saves. If one does not have a repentant heart and mind, that one's belief is in vain.

Remember the ones in Matthew 7 who said "Lord, lord'? They believed who Christ was. They did many wonderful works in His name. And yet, we find they were not saved after all.

Faith, without works, is dead being alone.

 

http://www.chick.com/information/general/salvation.aspThe Bible says there is only one way to Heaven

Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." (John 14:6)
Good works cannot save you.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Trust Jesus Christ today! Here's what you must do:

1. Admit you are a sinner. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23)
   "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Romans 5:12)
   "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:10)
2. Be willing to turn from sin (repent). Jesus said: "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:5)
   "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:" (Acts 17:30)
3. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you, was buried, and rose from the dead. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
   "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners. Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
   "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." (Romans 10:9)
4. Through prayer, invite Jesus into your life to become your personal Saviour. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:10)
   "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

God’s Simple Plan of Salvation

My Friend: I am asking you the most important question of life. Your joy or your sorrow for all eternity depends upon your answer. The question is: Are you saved? It is not a question of how good you are, nor if you are a church member, but are you saved? Are you sure you will go to Heaven when you die?
God says in order to go to Heaven, you must be born again. In John 3:7, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again.”
In the Bible God gives us the plan of how to be born again which means to be saved. His plan is simple! You can be saved today. How?
First, my friend, you must realize you are a sinner. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Because you are a sinner, you are condemned to death. “For the wages [payment] of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). This includes eternal separation from God in Hell.
“ . . . it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
But God loved you so much He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, to bear your sin and die in your place. “ . . . He hath made Him [Jesus, Who knew no sin] to be sin for us . . . that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus had to shed His blood and die. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Lev. 17:11). “ . . . without shedding of blood is no remission [pardon]” (Hebrews 9:22).
http://www.godssimpleplan.org/gsps-english.html



http://www.sbc.net/knowjesus/


How to Become A Christian Have you ever wondered what it means to become a Christian? Maybe there are things in your life that don't seem to be going very well, and you've tried lots of solutions, but none seems to work. Everyone has questions about their own lives. If you haven't found answers that work for you, why not listen to what God has to say?
God's Word has the answers that are grounded in truth and love. Jesus has answers to problems just like the ones you face every day.
See what God's Word has to say about these questions and issues...

Have you made plans for your future security?
Are you lonely? Do you need a friend?
Are you looking for real joy in your life?
Do you want to know how to become a Christian?
​

 

So I guess you believe Paul was lying then to the jailor. That's sad.

You can not say I believe Paul was telling the truth and then make your above statement that it takes "more than belief" to be saved, because that directly opposes what Paul said, in two different places as a matter of fact.

It amazes me that man has to complicate that which God has made extremely simple . :tear:

The demons believe God is one. That's NOT the "same" belief a person must have in order to be saved, so your argument that the demons "believe" is moot to the conversation, because the "faith" is not the same. Context, context, context.

 

There's been alot of references to Acts16:30-31, the conclusion being drawn that all one must do is believe.

Question: When Paul told the jailer "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house", what did the jailer know about Jesus? What was he to believe concerning Jesus?

If one reads on to the next verse, he will find that Paul and Silas spake unto him the word of the Lord. Why would they do this? What need would there be? What part does the word of God play in salvation?

One might also continue to read and see how the jailer responded to having heard the word of the Lord. Might this be pertinent information to the topic at hand?

 

Acts 16:30 is not the only time the question, "What must I do to be saved" is asked. It is the only time these words are used, but the question is asked in Acts 2:37 (Men and brethren, what shall we do?), and Acts 9:6 (Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?). How was the question asked in these instances?

 

Since I asked, in Acts 2:38, Peter said to the inquiring crowd, "...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. "

And in Acts 22:16 we find the only thing that Paul was told that he must do, when Ananias told him, "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. "

Just for the sake of complete information, we are reminded that the jailer was told, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. "

So why the difference in answers to the same question? Different people in different situations.

Those on Pentecost had just heard and believed. They needed to repent and be baptized.

Paul had seen the resurrected Christ, (thus believing), and had repented (no longer seeking to persecute Christians). He needed to be baptized.

The jailer had not yet heard the gospel. He needed to hear it so he could believe, repent, and be baptized. The verses following show that he did just that.

That's how the Bible says one becomes a Christian.

 

You even quote the verse and still missed it. Acts 16:30-31 is the ONLY time someone asks the direct question What must I do to "BE SAVED". Notice that is NOT in Acts 2:38. They simply ask what must I do. "You" and "others" are "adding" to be saved to Acts 2:38, but it is not there.

Everlasting life is NOT the context of Acts 2:38 and because folks keep teaching that, it has lead to some serious errors in doctrine unfortunately.

Sgt. Fury I believe it was you that gave a spill about folks holding dear their denominational teachings and doctrines instead of what "Scripture says" and you have given a perfect example for us comparing two Scriptures that are totally different in context, but trying to make them say the same thing.

 

The reason Sgt. Fury does this is because he is a member of the COC and seeks to use whatever means possible to try to demonstrate the false doctrine of baptismal regeneration--that baptism is a necessary requirement of salvation, where in fact it isn't.

 

Unfortunatley it's not only the COC that does this, but practically if not all denominations try to add their tidbits to what Paul said in two different places regarding salvation. The funny thing is when folks try to say that Paul was telling the truth in both of those places, while at the same time say they there are other things that are needed which completely negates Paul's statements as truth. It is either Truth as it stands or it isn't.

 

The question should read- How does a person get forgiveness?

 

What would you say the context of Acts 2:38 is, then? What were they asking, "What shall we do for lunch"?

This is the first presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They had been told in 2:21 that "...whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved", and in 2:38 they ask what to do. If salvation is not the context, what is the purpose of presenting the gospel?