How Many Ways Are There To Be Saved?

Only One!

• John 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
• John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 
• Acts 4:12 - Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 
• 1 John 5:11-13 - And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

What Does The Bible Say Is Necessary For Salvation?

Believe!

• Mark 16:16 – believe

• Luke 7:50 – faith (same as believe)
• Luke 8:12 – believe
• John 3:16 – believe
• John 3:36 - believe
• John 10:9 – enter in (one will not enter in unless they believe)
• Acts 16:31 – believe
• Romans 10:9-10 – confess, believe (the natural order being to believe and then to confess - Acts 8:37)
• Romans 10:13-14a – call on the name of the Lord (believe being the prerequisite)
• Ephesians 2:8 – faith (same as believe)
• 1 Timothy 1:15-16 – believe

Is Believing Enough?

Yes, as long as it is a belief in the right things.

• Mark 1:23-24
• James 2:19

The devils believe that there is one God and that He is holy, but that is as far as it goes. Their belief is based on their experience because of their rebellion toward Him.

It is not enough to believe that there is a God, that He is in heaven, that He is over all things, that He created the world, and that He will one day judge the world.

What Does A Person Have To Believe To Be Saved?

Simply...

1. A person must first believe that they are dead spiritually, separated from God because of their sin.

• John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again (born from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God. 
• Ephesians 2:1 - And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;​​

​​​Spiritual death is the consequence of sin. That spiritual death happened to Adam in the garden, and it has passed down to every person born from Adam. Spiritual death means a person is separated from God, and they will face eternal spiritual death (separation) in the lake of fire.

• Romans 5:12 - 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 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

​​​This is a point that cannot be left out. Unfortunately, many “easy-believism” proponents skip over the emphasis of sin, but they are missing the very reason that salvation is needed.

• Mark 2:16-17 - And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
• Luke 19:10 - For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

It is human nature to want things to come easily.

• We would like to graduate from high school without taking the difficult classes that are required.
• We would like to have our own car without thinking about gas, insurance, and repairs.
• We would like to get a promotion at work without having to prove ourselves through hard work.
• We would like to have a broken relationship restored without admitting our fault in the situation.
• We would like to have our sins forgiven without confessing them.
• We would like to have eternal life and a home in heaven without agreeing with God that we are sinners.

​​​But if a person is not willing to agree with God about their sin, they don’t believe there is anything they need to be saved from.

2. A person must believe that there is nothing they can do to save themselves.

If there was something that man could do to save himself, God could have told Adam, and Adam could have done it as soon as he had sinned. He could not do community garden service, he could not have brought his own sacrifice, and he could not have promised not to do it again.

• Ephesians 2:9 - Not of works, lest any man should boast.
• Titus 3:3-6 - For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

​When we break the law, we do not determine what is done to reconcile ourselves to a not-guilty position. Rather, we place ourselves under the jurisdiction of the law and the Lawgiver.

• Romans 3:19-20 - Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. ​

The consequence of breaking God’s law is death.

• Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

​This is a point that many people try to get around; they consider God unjust for condemning them in their sin, but God laid down the law, and He even revealed the consequence of breaking the law at the beginning of man’s existence.

3. A person must believe that Jesus Christ took their place and died for their sin and rose again so they could have eternal life.

• Isaiah 53:6 - All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 
• Romans 5:8-9 - But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 
• 1 Peter 3:18 - For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 
• 1 John 4:9 - In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. ​

Why is it not possible for a man to die himself and have eternal life?

1. The holiness of God requires a perfect sacrifice, and man, as a sinner, cannot fulfill that requirement.
2. Man is already spiritually dead, and dead people don’t die again.
3. If man were able to acquire eternal life by dying, salvation would be a work of man.
4. Only God gives life, and only Jesus Christ could provide the perfect sacrifice.

Can't I Wait On This Decision?

No! You Are Not Guaranteed Tomorrow.

• 2 Corinthians 6:2 - ...now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
  
• Luke 12:16-20 - And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

Only God knows when you will die. Will you play with eternity?