What Does the Bible Say About How to Be Saved #3?

In this episode, Arnie, Fred and Glenn take a look at some of the passages we have discussed in the last 2 episodes. We note that some of them do not contain the word "saved" in them. We talk about why what is said in these passages must be done in order to be saved.  Jesus points out the need to hear and be taught in order to come to God. Paul has a lot to say about that to the Christians in Rome. We look at those passages. We also discuss some passages that mention belief and what that means. We talk about the need to repent and how that is needed to be done. A confession before men is also required. We again look at several of those passages. We again note some of the passages that mention baptism and what that does. Glenn closes out the episode by a notice of what is said about grace and works.  We will discuss them more next week. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.

Transcript

Fred Gosnell: 0:00

This is a presentation of the Woodland church of Christ, meeting at 3370 Broad Street in Sumter, South Carolina. We meet for worship on Sunday at ten thirty am and five thirty pm. We meet for bible study at nine thirty am on Sunday and seven pm on Wednesday. If you have questions or comments on this lesson, you may email them to Fred Gosnell at fgosnell@ftc-i.net or to Arnie Granke at agranke440718@twc.com or to Glenn Landrum at scbamaboy2003@yahoo.com.

Arnie: 0:42

Good afternoon. This is Arnie Granke, and we're with the Woodland church of Christ. With me is Glenn Landrum and Fred Gosnell, and we have have a new face sitting around the table with us as well. And you'll be hearing from Him, if not today, then probably next Lord's day. His name is Eric. And so we, we've been talking about God's plan of salvation the last two times that we've spoken with you. That was the subject. We've got a few more things that we want to add to the thoughts that we expressed. So which one of us is going to start it off?

Glenn: 1:24

Right here? I'm going to start off. It's Glenn. One of the things I want to mention about today's passages that we we mention, and this, this also applies to generally when you're reading the Bible as well. But concerning the passage that we're going to mention to you this afternoon, it's worth saying that sometimes we have to kind of put on our thinking caps. Some of the passages do not directly say specifically what is being implied or commanded. I'll give you an example. One of the passages we've used before, and we may use it again, is Acts 2, 38. It doesn't itself say anything about salvation. Read Acts 2, 37, through 39 and you'll see the people had they had already heard Peter's sermon, and they asked what they needed to do in verse 37 and because they realized that they were guilty of the death of Christ. Peter's reply was to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Many teach that Peter is commanding repentance, but only recommending baptism. We all understand our language and of the word and joins two things together. Both are required for forgiveness of sins. This is another term for salvation. Forgiveness of sins. To be forgiven of wrongs is to be released from the debt of those sins. In Romans, 6, 23, we all know, we were told death is the penalty for sin. The gift of the Holy Spirit is salvation. It is not one of the spiritual gifts that are mentioned in First Corinthians, 12. John 6, 44, and 45 doesn't say the word saved. It mentions people being taught about God, learning God's word, learning and coming to God to be taught and to to be taught, to hear the word and respond is to believe and respond the way God's Word teaches, that is salvation. John 6, 29 says ,This is the work of God that you believe on him that he hath sent believing is required of those who follow,

Fred Gosnell: 4:02

Yeah. Well, you know, one of the things that we need to remember is that when, when Jesus sent His, just before Jesus ascended, he told them some things in Matthew 28 and 18 through 20 and and in verse 18, He spake to them, saying, All power or all authority is given to Me in heaven and earth. And he said, Go you therefore and teach all nations. Baptized them in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you, always, even into the end of the world. So, so when he sent them, he told them, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. So, so, so in the in the Bible, in the New Testament, what we have is the commands of Jesus. One of the things. Paul said in First Corinthians 14, verse 37 he said, The things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. And and notice, notice what Glenn read when he read Acts two, or talked about Acts 2, 36, through 39. Now, now, if you in those passages, salvation is not mentioned. That's true. But if you read finish the context, and if you go to verse 47 then you will see that it says, Praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church, church daily, such as notice, should be saved. So, sowhenever we study our Bibles, we need to make sure that we read the context that that whatever we're looking at is in. If we only read one passage or two passages, we may miss something that is very important. So, so, and it's true, a lot of these passages that we read concerning what people did sometimes, doesn't say anything about salvation, but we know the reason why that the apostles were teaching people was to teach them to be saved.

Arnie: 6:11

You know, as we, as we look at the cases of of individuals who obeyed the gospel in the first century, as the as the New Testament records it, we find that sometimes one or two items were mentioned that they had to do, probably because those were the items that were applicable to that individual or that group of people and and in another case, there might be some different things that were similar, that were mentioned for probably the same the same reason. So you don't in in very many passages, only one or two do you have all of what's involved here, believing, repenting, confessing faith in Christ, obeying the gospel by by being immersed in water for remission of sins. All together, they make that package so that you can understand as you read through the New Testament, this is applicable to me. This is what I need to do in order to obey the gospel. So we we've looked at at cases such as Fred was just referring to there with with regard to the day of Pentecost in in Jerusalem, we've gone to Samaria. We were out on a highway and in a desert near, near Gaza, with, with an Ethiopian official there that stopped the chariot and and was baptized there, where there was some some water. We've been to Damascus and Caesarea Philippi, Paul and Silas went and taught the prison, I guess you, you just call him the prison keeper there in in Philippi and he and his family obeyed the the gospel; been to cards, been to Ephesus. So we've been all over the ancient world. And as you look at these requirements that we need to meet, you see that really they're no different from one nation to another, one city to another, everyone had to do the same thing.

Glenn: 8:47

You know, it's, it's, it's interesting to know. And as Arnie, I think maybe he kind of misquoted in a way, because I don't think there is actually any one single passage that covers all the things that we we need to do in order to be saved.

Arnie: 9:07

That's true.

Glenn: 9:07

We have to, we have to study the Scriptures to to learn what God wants us to know. One of the first things, and this would be a logical order, one of the first things for us to do is to hear the gospel. John 6, 44, and 45 says, No man can come to me except the Father which has sent him. Draw him and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall all be taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me. So we see here that anyone who is coming to God for salvation has to be taught and to hear.

Fred Gosnell: 9:57

Well, and and notice, notice what it was involved there. Well, they've got to hear and then they they have to be taught. And to be taught. Well, what are you going to teach them? Well, one of the things that when, when we studied the Ethiopian eunuch, we are told that Philip began in Isaiah 53 and he preached Jesus to him and and as they were going on the way, the eunuch said, See, here's water. What does hinder me to be baptized? Well, Isaiah 53 doesn't have anything about water in it, but, but Philip taught him about that. So. So then Philip's answer to the eunuch was, If thou

Arnie: 10:41

Believest in thy heart.

Fred Gosnell: 10:45

Believest, thou mayest. And then the eunuch said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. So then he heard the gospel Philip was teaching him, and then the next thing he had to do, he had to believe. And then he made a statement, he confessed, and then the last thing he did was he was stopped the chariot, and they went down into the woter, both of them, and Philip immersed him. And so, so, so in that situation, even though teaching is not mentioned, but the scripture that Glenn read says you got to be taught. Hearing is not mentioned. But, you know, he heard because he was being taught. So, so when you read these things, you need to understand and think about what's being said.

Arnie: 11:34

Well, you know, Fred, Fred made some, made some mention, with regard to the to the matter of baptism being a part of of what we what we need to do in order to be saved. One of the passages that they come to mind as as we talk about that is Galatians chapter chapter three. Paul writes to the Galatians, and he said, You all, you are all the sons of God through faith in Christ, Jesus, for as many as of you as were, it doesn't say as as did whatever you thought you ought to do or or do whatever your pastor said that you needed to do, As many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. For there's neither Jew nor Greek, there's neither bond nor free. There can be no male or female, for you are all one in Christ, Jesus, and if you're Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to the promise. Now you don't have to start out being Abraham's seed. That's just one of the aspects of of what occurs when you when you obey the gospel. So if somebody tells you, say, Well, you you've got to go out there and and read the Old Testament. Well, reading the Old Testament maybe is a good, good way to find out what God, how God dealt with his people, but the New Testament is the one that tells you what to do, do, what to do, to be saved.

Glenn: 13:18

Now last week, we covered most of the the situations that involve people being saved in the book of Acts, which is the Acts of the Apostles. It's that period of time just after Christ had died, and the way the the the apostles and the disciples went about teaching God's word. So we covered a lot of situations last week about baptism, trying to show that baptism is necessary for salvation. Well, we've also mentioned hearing in just a moment ago. One of the one of the passages that specifically deal with this is Romans 10, 11, through 14, and verse 17, For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed, for there is no difference between the the Jew and the Greek. For the same LORD over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him and whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him and whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. This is telling us that that we have to be taught, and as we're being taught, we have to hear that word, and as we're hearing we would believe, and then salvation would come after we had confessed and was baptized.

Fred Gosnell: 14:58

Well, you know, you know one of the things, one of the specific things that Jesus said relating related to belief. And then he said that in John 8, 24, he said there, I said therefore to you that you shall die in your sins. For if you believe not that I am, you shall die in your sins. That a lot of the translations add the word he there, that's not even the text. So when he says, If you believe not that I am, he says he is saying that he's God. Because remember, now, if you do read your Old Testament, you would, you would find out that that when Moses was in the in the wilderness, he came upon a bush that was burning and he was concerned about that. And of course, he found out that the Lord was speaking to him through that bush. And then he told him that he was going to have to lead his children out of out of Egypt. So, so Moses asked him, well, well, who do I say sent me? And then the voice of the Lord said, Tell them I AM sent you. So, so what Jesus is saying is, if you don't believe that I AM, I'm God, I'm the one that spoke to Moses in the Old Testament, you're going to die in your sin. So, so, so some, sometimes people have kind of, I don't know, an ethereal sense of belief, you know? Well, I, you know, I believe in God, and that's all nice and proper. Well, Jesus says, If you don't believe in I AM, then you'll die in your sins, and so, so then he's talking about something that one needs to do, that has to do with his salvation, because if you don't, you're going to die in your sins. You're going to be lost.

Arnie: 16:41

John, chapter six and verse 29 is another passage that that tells us the role that God has in in our salvation. Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God. They, they had asked, well, what is the work of God? So he said, This is the work of God that you believe on him whom he hath sent. Well, he he's talking about God. God sent someone, that individual that he sent is has to be believed on. So who is that person? Well, it's, it's not the Pope, it's not the President of the United States. It's, it's not any of us sitting here at the table. That individual is, is God and and we and and Christ is is divine, so we have to believe on Him in order to be saved.

Glenn: 17:46

Now, I would like to mention one other thing about that passage in particular, and this applies to to a lot of people that want to want to say that that all that is required is belief or faith. And they would say that's because other things are works. Well, in this passage that that Arnie just read it, is saying this is the work of God that you believe on him whom he has sent. Well, the passage calls belief a work, just like the other things that we would do. So we are we have to hear the gospel and we have to believe it. Acts 16, 27, through 31 says, And the keeper of the prison, while waking out of his sleep and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out a sword and would have killed himself, supposing their prisoners had fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm, for we are here. He then he called for a light and sprang in and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved thy and thy house. So we say that belief is, is required for, for salvation. We can fall back on the on the the passage that we all know and everyone knows. We remember a football player a few years ago who wore this, this passage, on his on himself, so that everyone could see and that's John 3, 16, 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.

Fred Gosnell: 19:44

So. So one of the things that Peter talked about in Acts chapter two was, was a need to repent and, and you know when, when, when those people asked him, What must we do? And we need to, when we read that. Uh, context there, he didn't tell him anything about belief. Of course, the reason he didn't do that was because they already believed, and they believed that they crucified the Lord, but, but they needed to repent. And one of the passages that we have here is, what, what Jesus spoke in, in Luke chapter 13, in verses one through five and and notice, notice what he said there; There were present at that season, some that told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering, said of them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans because they suffered such a such thing? Then he says, I tell you nay, but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. Or those 18 upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and slew them. Think he that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? He said, I tell you nay, but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. So, so Jesus set the the necessity of of repentance. And of course, repentance is you've got to repent of the things you did before when you did those things, because you decided to do them and and now you want to do things, what the way the Lord says, the repentance is not my will, but the Lord's will now. And so we have to think about,Well, what is it that I need to change? Well, I need to change my behavior from a sinful behavior to righteous behavior, and we can only behave righteously when we do the things that the Lord has commanded us to do.

Glenn: 21:39

Real quick. Arnie.

Arnie: 21:40

Go ahead.

Glenn: 21:41

This. Is one of those passages that that I was talking about at the very beginning, one of those that you have to think about. This doesn't say anything about not being saved or being saved, but it says, You shall likewise perish. Well if you perish, that that's, that's is saying that you will not be saved. So you have to think, you have to read. Arnie.

Arnie: 22:08

Well, you know, Fred, I don't think we've read Acts chapter two here in in this regard, but to follow up there with, with what you were saying, with regard to, with regard to repenting of of sin. The, Peter is is speaking in Acts chapter two, and he, he declares in verse 36, let, Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made that same Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ, and they respond to what he has said, there. When they heard this, they were pricked in her heart, and they said unto Peter and the rest of apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? So Peter responds back to back to that. Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized, everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Now let's not get the idea that that you're going to receive the Holy, Holy Spirit and and do some of the things that people expect you to do once you become a become a Christian. He, he's talking about they, they've received what God wanted them to to receive. He says in verse 39, For the promise is unto you, to your children, to all them that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.And and then he didn't stop there, but he said some other things that that Luke didn't include there, because they they may not have been germane to the point he was making at that point, With many other words, he did testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. So when we act and obey the things that the Gospel says, we're actually in, a sense, saving ourselves. People who refuse to do that condemn themselves at the at the same time. Just thought I would throw that in.

Glenn: 24:31

Well, I think that's worth throwing in. I think possibly, well, we mentioned one other passage concerning repentance, and that is Second Corinthians, seven, eight through 10. And one of the main things about this passage is that it talks about what repentance really is, and it's not just saying I'm sorry. So let's listen to it; For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent. Though I did repent, for I perceived that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a reason or for a season. Now I rejoice not that you were made sorry, but you you sorry. You were sorrowed to repentance, for you may were made sorrow after the godly manner that you might receive damage by us in nothing for godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death. So us just saying the words I'm sorry is not simply enough. We have to take some action. We have to stop doing the things that we were doing that God doesn't like.

Fred Gosnell: 25:52

Right. And I had mentioned what the eunuch had done when he had asked Peter about what he needed to do. And Peter said, If thou believest, thou mayest, to be baptized. And I mentioned that that was a confession. Well, why would confession be necessary? Well, because Jesus said so in Matthew, chapter 10, 32, and 33. He said there, He said, Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him, will I confess before My Father, which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men him, will I also deny before my Father, which is in heaven? So, so we've got to make a confession about our belief that Jesus is the Son of God, and that's what the eunuch did when he asked what hindered him from being baptized, and that requirement, Jesus makes. that requirement for everybody, everybody needs to make a public confession of their belief in Jesus Christ as being the Son of God and as being the Savior.

Arnie: 26:57

Jesus traveled to a lot of places. He didn't just stay in Jerusalem or in Bethlehem or any other city there of of Israel, but rather he traveled around and and taught people, and in Matthew chapter 16, he and the apostles had had gone up into a place called Caesarea Philippi, which was little north of, actually the part where, where Israel was, was located. And in Matthew chapter 16, beginning in in verse 13, When Jesus came into the coast of Cesari, Caesarea, Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? They said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist, some Elias and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say you that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, and Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon bar Jonah, for flesh and blood have not revealed that unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter, upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. The name Peter, by the way, is based on a Greek word, Petros, which, which is a stone, and that's why Jesus made that, made that statement there with with regard to that. So here, here was something that needed to be done. They needed to do what Peter did, did, people need to do it, what Peter did, and that's to admit that Jesus is who he said he was, that He's the Son of God.

Glenn: 29:09

Well, we've covered now basically all the things we would read in the Scriptures that tell us what we need to do in order to be saved. We've talked about hearing the gospel. We're talking about believing it, repenting of our sins, confessing that we believe in God, we believe in Jesus Christ. And then last week, we talked a lot about baptism, that those things are necessary. Many may say, Well, what about grace? Well, and that's a good question. Ephesians, two, eight through 10 says, For by grace, you are saved through faith, and that not of yourself is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ. Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. We would certainly not deny that we are saved by grace, through faith, absolutely. It is a gift that God gives to us, but God does require us to do some things. Those are conditions of salvation. In verse 10 of that, what we just read that we were created in Christ, Jesus unto good works. So another, another passage that tells us what we needed to be and do to be saved. And that's, that's to believe and and believe that Christ has given us this gift.

Arnie: 30:38

Well, I see that we're, out of time. In fact, we're a few seconds over time. We hope that what we've said today will be helpful to you. We look forward to having you with us next Lord's day, and in the meantime, don't wait for us in order to obey the gospel, if you recognize your need to do that, we hope that you'll take care of it without any delay. Have a good week.