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Writer's pictureCougan Collins

How Do You Get Saved?


Learning how to be saved can be confusing because different people have different ideas. For example, some say that salvation comes by faith alone, by inviting Jesus into your heart, or by saying a sinner’s prayer. Many are confused because they listen to what others say about salvation instead of seeing what God’s Word says about salvation.


God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33), and you can know how to be saved by examining what the Scriptures teach about salvation (Jn. 8:32; 20:31). Since Jesus died on the cross and created a new covenant for all (Heb. 9:15; Col. 2:14), you must use the New Testament Scriptures as your authority to learn how to be saved.


After Jesus was raised from the dead, He told His disciples: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Mt. 28:19-20).


God’s plan of salvation is to be taught by mankind, and the baptism Jesus refers to is something that mankind can obey, which is water baptism.


Jesus’ disciples obeyed His instructions starting on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). They taught a large crowd about Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. When they finished, the message pricked the heart of many Jews:


“Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).


Faith alone did not save these men because they already believed, which caused them to ask what they should do. James also confirms that faith alone does not save us (Jam. 2:24).


Peter tells them two things they must do. First, they must repent, which is a change of heart. Second, they must be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins, which is p what Jesus commanded them to preach (Mt. 28:19; Mk. 16:16; Lk. 24:46-47; Jn. 20:21-23).


The only command not mentioned in the above passages is confessing Jesus as Lord. However, confessing Jesus as Lord is necessary for salvation (Rom. 10:9-10).


When you examine what the New Testament Scriptures teach about salvation, you will learn that you must:


· Hear the Word of God (Rom. 10:17)

· Believe (Jn. 3:16; 8:24)

· Repent (Lk. 13:3; Acts 17:30).

· Confess (Rom. 10:9-10).

· Be baptized (Acts 2:38; 1 Pet. 3:21)


When you use the Scriptures to learn how to be saved, it is not confusing. The ideas people invent, such as inviting Jesus into your heart or saying a sinner’s prayer, are not found in the Scriptures. It is a shame that people are always trying to add or take away from what the Scriptures teach to fit their way of thinking.


My plea to you is to listen to what the Word of God says about salvation, not what people say (Acts 4:19-20).


Many in the religious world will agree that you have to hear, believe, repent, and confess Jesus as Lord, but many teach that baptism is not necessary for salvation, though the Scriptures teach that it is necessary. For example, baptism is the point at which your sins are forgiven (Acts 2:38) and washed away by the blood of Jesus (Acts 22:16; Rev. 1:5). Baptism is the point you are buried with Jesus and crucified with Him (Rom. 6:1-11). Baptism is the point God adds you to His church/kingdom (Jn. 3:5; Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 12:13).

The following two Scriptures clearly teach that baptism saves:


Mark 16:16 “He who believes and is baptized will be saved… ………………………………. 1 Peter 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism


Baptism is only one part of God’s plan of salvation, but without it, you cannot be saved. Faith, repentance, confessing Jesus as Lord, and baptism work together to save you. One is not more important than the other, but baptism is the final step of salvation.


I am only emphasizing baptism because many deny its necessity, which is sad because the devil has you exactly where he wants you without it. You can live like a Christian and do many works to glorify the name of God, but if you have not been baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, you will still die in your sins. As Jesus said:


“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Mt. 7:21-23).


If you are still not convinced that baptism is necessary for salvation, consider the chart on the back. Notice all the things found in Christ: every spiritual blessing, the forgiveness of sin, no condemnation, new creation, grace, salvation, and eternal life.


Of course, none of these things found in Christ can be found outside of Christ. Therefore, if you want to have those things found in Christ, you must be in Christ.

The chart shows you how you can get into Christ by following God’s plan of salvation. However, it is only at the point of baptism that you are put into Christ (Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3). Since baptism is what puts you into Christ, it is necessary for salvation.


Some think baptism is a work of merit, but this is untrue. As our chart points out, everything that happens to you in baptism is by your faith in the working of God (Col. 2:12). There is nothing magical about the water. It is simply the place where God has said that you will receive the forgiveness of your sins.


Since baptism is a work of God, just as believing is a work of God (Jn. 6:29), baptism cannot be a work of merit. If a person claims that baptism cannot save because it is a work, then he has to say the same thing about believing in God (Jn. 6:29). No one would ever say that you could be saved without believing, and no one should say that you could be saved without baptism.


If you are still not convinced that baptism is necessary for salvation, then I suggest you study the conversions in the book of Acts because two things are always mentioned: belief and baptism (Acts 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 18, 19, 22, 26). If you allow God’s Word to guide you, you should have no problem knowing what His Word says about salvation.


In conclusion, while people can make salvation difficult to understand, God’s Word makes it easy to understand. You must hear the Word of God, believe that Jesus is the Son of God, repent, confess Jesus as your Lord, and be baptized into Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. All these steps work together to bring about your salvation, but baptism is when your sins are washed away, and you become a child of God. Everything that happens to you in baptism is by your faith in the working of God.


If you have questions or comments about this tract, send them to Cougan Collins at cougancollins@gmail.com.

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