Decision Magazine

What Must I Do to Be Saved?

June 1, 2002 - Paul and Silas had been preaching, and they were thrown into prison. When they were in prison, they didn't moan and groan and scream at the jailer. They sang hymns; they prayed and praised the Lord God.

Then about midnight an earthquake shook the foundation of the prison. The jailer was frightened because he thought that the prisoners were all going to escape and he knew that the Romans held him responsible for those prisoners. But Paul and Silas said, "We're not going to escape."(1)

The jailer asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"(2) He was under conviction. He had heard the Gospel from them in song and in word.

They told him, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."(3) And the Bible says that "they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway."(4)

In that moment that jailer found Christ. It didn't take all night. It didn't take a few hours. He found Christ immediately, and all his household, and they were baptized. He entered the Kingdom of God. That jailer knew that he would be in heaven.

How can you find Jesus Christ as your Savior? Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood for your sins. He rose again. He is alive now. He calls you, and He loves you. He is willing to forgive you. He is willing to change you. He is willing to make you a new person.

What do you have to do? Three things: First, repent of your sins. To repent means to change your way of living. God will help you to do that. Second, believe. That means to put your full confidence and trust in Christ. Make your total commitment to Him. Third, be willing to follow Christ. Serve Him no matter what the cost.

I have seen people in all parts of the world receive Christ. And I am asking you to do that too.


(1) Cf. Acts 16:28. (2) Acts 16:30, KJV. (3) Acts 16:31, KJV. (4) Acts 16:32-33, KJV.

 

7 Comments

Todd-Lyle says 11.5.2012, 2:14 p.m.

Being saved means our sins are washed away and we become new. Jesus, who through his love and sacrifice, has paid for our sins. The burden of sin has been lifted from us and our name has been written in The Book Of Life through salvation and faith.

Clark says 7.26.2012, 1:27 p.m.

Billy, once you realize that you are a sinner (we all are) and you know you can do nothing to fix that, then your are ready. Confess this to God, believe that Christ died for your sins and ask God to save you.

Stephen says 5.7.2012, 01:40 a.m.

Repentance isn't just a change of works. Its a change of our heart by the Holy Spirit which will show up in our works. Repentance begins by turning to God and letting Him do the work in us.

Stephen says 5.7.2012, 01:37 a.m.

Our faith, repentance, and surrender does not alone save us. It allows Christ to save us. When we put our faith in Christ, turn from our sins, and give Him our life it lets Him do His work of Salvation by what He did.

George says 4.22.2012, 1:36 p.m.

Here it says we have to do three things to be saved, doesn't that make it a work salvation? One of them says we need to repent and change our living, but isn't that just changing our works?

Christine says 2.27.2012, 9:35 p.m.

Billy, Salvation isn't a feeling its a position. If you have asked Jesus to come into your life and believe on His name then you are saved. Get a Bible and start reading it. God will start to show you who He is.

Billy says 7.14.2010, 6:17 p.m.

I have knowledge of how to become saved, but I just can not do it. I do not know how to open up my heart. I do not know how it should feel. I feel no different even though I have surrendered to him. I just don't understand how.

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