What the Bible Says About Salvation

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.(Eph. 2:8)

Scriptural Requirements for Salvation

It is not enough only to:

1. Believe that God is real.
Even the demons believe and tremble! (James 2:19) [But the demons will not be saved.]

2. Fear God, give offerings, and pray.
There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always... (Acts 10:1,2)
And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, "Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved." (Acts 11:13,14)

3. Work for Him and call Him Lord.
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!' (Matt. 7:21-23)

To be saved requires:

1. That we receive Him.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12)

2. That we be born of the Spirit.
Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:3-5)

3. That we have the Spirit of Christ.
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (Romans 8:9)

4. That we be led by His Spirit after we have been born of His Spirit.
The Scripture says, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." (Romans 8:14)

Salvation saves us from:

1. The lake of fire.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20:15)

2. Hell.
The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. (Psalms 9:17)

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matt. 10:28)

3. Darkness, weeping, and gnashing of teeth.
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outerdarkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 25:30)

Salvation saves us into:

1. Eternal life.
That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:15)

2. Rewards in heaven.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven... (Matt. 5:12)

3. A place with Jesus.
I go to prepare a place for you...I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:2,3)

To receive salvation you must:

1. Believe that you have sinned.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23)

2. Believe there is a penalty for sin.
For the wages of sin is death,... (Rom. 6:23)

3. Believe God has an answer.
...But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6:23)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (Rom. 5:8,9)

4. Believe there is no other answer.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

5. Confess and forsake your sin.
He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. (Prov. 28:13)

6. Open the door of your heart and let Him come in.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (Rev. 3:20)

7. Pray a prayer similar to this one.
"Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins and I ask you to forgive me of my sins. I turn away from them and I turn to You. I ask You to come into my heart right now. I receive You as my Lord and Saviour. Take control of my life and teach me how to become the person that You want me to be."

8. Confess Him to others.
...The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Rom. 10:8-10)

After you have received Jesus:

1. Be water baptized.
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:16)

2. Find a church and be discipled.
Christ has commanded us who are already His disciples to disciple others in His commands.

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, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. (Matt. 28:19-20)