Steps of Salvation

Salvation is not simply achieved by saying the sinner’s prayer, it is not done by faith alone, and it does not come from receiving a special revelation directly from God or an angel. Rather, the bible clearly gives us the steps on how to achieve salvation; just before His ascension, Jesus committed His gospel of salvation to men that it might be proclaimed (Mark 16:15-16). In proclaiming this gospel of salvation we must follow the steps given by the scriptures:

1) Hear the Word. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”. (Romans 10:17). Today, we have the complete written word so we can know God’s will. God speaks to us through His Word, it is then appropriate for us to hear Him by studying His words and listening to what it wants to say.

2) Believe. “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31). Faith and belief are commonly interchangeable terms. In the Bible, the words mean not just an acknowledgement but rather confidence, trust, and obedience. Yet faith only cannot save either; “for as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26).

3) Repent of Sin. Repentance not only requires that we change our attitude about sin but also that we change our actions and walk in the light as Jesus is in the light. “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out…” (Acts 3:19).

4) Confess Christ. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10). “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32).

5) Be Baptized. The bible makes it very clear that baptism, which is water immersion in the name of Jesus Christ for the washing away of sins, is necessary for salvation. “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21)

The book of Acts records those who received baptism and they should be sufficient enough to show us the necessity of baptism for our salvation. At Pentecost, 3000 were baptized into Christ (Acts 2:41), in Samaria those who believed were baptized (Acts 8:12); then there was the baptism of the eunuch (Acts 8:36-38), of Paul (Acts 9:18), of Cornelius and his family (Acts 10:47-48), found also is of Lydia (Acts 16: 14-15), and the jailer and his family (Acts 16:33); also many of the Corinthians when they heard, believed and were baptized (Acts 18:8).

The essentiality of baptism for man’s salvation is clearly taught in the bible. The scriptures clearly teach that baptism like hearing the word, belief, repentance, and confession is a part of God’s plan for salvation. “…today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” for “…now is the accepted time… now is the day of salvation”. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…” (Hebrews 4:7; 2 Corinthians 6:2; Mark 16:16)

Salvation

Webster defines the word as the act of saving; preservation from destruction, danger or great calamity. Appropriately in theology, the redemption of man from the bondage of sin and liability to eternal death, and the conferring on him everlasting happiness; this is the great salvation. The bible tells us more of a great salvation (Hebrews 2:3). Called to be “great” because it is salvation from sin and from hell and that it is from the Lord, the Son of God, our great God (Hebrews 1:8). This is the main reason why He was sent by God; to save those who believe in Him, in Christ alone and no other else (John 3:16; Acts 4:12). Yes, Christ “has become the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). This salvation is actually given to only those who will obey Christ. Having some doctrinal knowledge of Christ is not sufficient nor making a profession of faith in Him; the bible expressly say that it is through obedience that we receive the salvation that was spoken of the Lord. He is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour (Acts 5:31), a Prince to rule us and a Saviour to deliver us; He will be a Saviour to only those who will accept him as Prince, and who are willing to be governed by Him; all the rest will be counted as his enemies. To those who will put their faith in Him and obey Him, willing to devote themselves to Him, ready to deny themselves, and will voluntarily take up their cross, and will faithfully follow Him, He will be the author of their salvation (Matthew 16:24; Hebrews 5:9).

The Chosen Few

Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place. So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley. (Judges 7:3-8)

God chooses those who are not fearful and not afraid. God wanted someone who is willing to deny himself and to follow Him (Matthew 16:24). We see Moses’ fearlesness, by refusing to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, he chose to suffer affliction with the people of God, he forsook Egypt and did not take note of the wrath of the king for he set his faith to God (Hebrews 11:24-27). Elijah showed his fearlessness by readily following God. He followed God’s commandment when he was instructed to go by the brook Cherith; there, according to God’s commandments, he was feed by the ravens and he drank at the brook (1 Kings 17:2-6). He then was instructed to go to Zeraphath and there he was sustained by a widow (1 Kings 8:10). He faced four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal with the intention of proving how powerful his God is (1 Kings 18:20-39). In these instances, Elijah feared nothing, not thinking of his food and not even thinking of his safety for he knows and he believed that God is with him and that he will deliver him. Now in the second pace of the selection we can see that God chooses those who will think of service for God more than their own refreshing. God said, “And the LORD said unto Gideon, by the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place” (Judges 7:7). These three hundred men showed hardness and could endure long fatigue without complaining first of thirst or weariness; they could have refreshed themselves more by drinking but because they chose to serve God they stand on guard and did not think much of themselves. Moses and Elijah thought of serving God more than serving their own selves.

For many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14). Many are called but only a few deserve to stay; and these few are those who are very much willing to deny themselves, these are those who remain fearless and unafraid in following God, these are those who follow God with their crosses carried on their backs from day to day, these are those who are willing to lose their lives in serving God (Matthew 16:24-25). The chosen 300 are those who defeated the Midianites, and these chosen 300 are those who are not fearful and unafraid and they are those who are excited to serve God. God does not rely on numbers rather He rely much on the worthiness of the chosen few.