What must I do to be saved?

[FightingFat]

In this passage Acts 16:30 it says30He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

The chapter then goes on: -

31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.

Does this mean we need only believe in Jesus in order to be saved as the fundamentalists might argue? Can anyone offer better understanding of this passage for me which has been cited in a discussion with some Baptists I’m having at the mo?

Thanks

Mark.

 

[Todd_Easton]

Similar questions elsewhere in Scripture brought other answers and instructions as well:

if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved. (Romans 10:9-10)

“Brethren, what shall we do?” 38And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; (Acts 2:37-38)

53So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; 54he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:53-54)

“Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?” 17And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18He said to him, “Which?” And Jesus said, “You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 19:16-19)

14What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? 15If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? 17So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. (James 2:14-17)

Taking all of these Scripture passages together one gets a more complete answer to your question: Repent, confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, receive Jesus’ flesh and blood in the Eucharist, persevere in keeping the commandments and in doing good works.

And for women, Paul also says:15Yet woman will be saved through bearing children, if she continues in faith and love and holiness, with modesty. (1 Timothy 2:15)

 

[NotWorthy]

I think the translation loses some of the fullness of “believe”. In John 3:46, we read, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.”

This shows that there are two kinds of people: 1) Those who will have eternal life, because they believed, and 2) those who suffer the wrath of God, because they disobeyed.

What happens if someone believes and disobeys? They have eternal life? Or they don’t? You have to understand that believing means obedience, not just a public acclamation.

The same goes to the Transfiguration, when God says, “This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him”. Back then, listen clearly meant to obey.

Take Care!

Notworthy

 

[trumpet152]

As Todd showed us, other scriptures do not line up with that concept. So what was Paul saying? He was using belief is a larger meaning than we do. The belief Paul talked about would immediatley be followed by works of love. Notice that his family was immediately baptized.

Look at in in context of all scripture. Not only do they believe but are baptized. They are obedient and a church is established. Paul later writes to this church saying to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Phil. 2:12)

The key here though, is Christ. Believe on Christ. Keep any conversation with Protestants (especially Baptists) focussed on Jesus. He is our salvation.