#1.4 CONDITIONS TO RECEIVE SALVATION

Scriptures for σώξω 'sozo' meaning 'to save' Strong's 4982
Scriptures for σωτηρία 'soteria' meaning 'salvation' Strong's 4991
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Conditions to Receive Salvation
Introduction 1.4
#1.41 Be prepared to repent of sin
#1.42 Believe in Jesus
#1.43 Be prepared to confess Jesus
#1.44 Be prepared to do God's will

Introduction 1.4

Salvation is not a "one off" instantaneous thing that we receive from God by faith that we cannot lose. Many who become Christians fall away later for various reasons. One reason is that they never really considered what was involved before they started the Christian journey. Jesus once told some parables about counting the cost before making a decision (Luke 14:28-33), and they are worth reading. In order to help you, this bible study lists four things that you need to be prepared to do in order to receive salvation when Jesus returns.

#1.41 BE PREPARED TO REPENT OF SIN

LUKE 13:1-5
1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2 And Jesus answering said to them, Do you suppose that these Galileans were sinners above all Galileans, because they suffered such things?
3 I tell you, No: but, except you repent, you will all likewise perish.
4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower of Siloam fell, and slew them, think you that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 I tell you, No: but, except you repent, you will all likewise perish.

ACTS 17:30 (Paul)
30 And the times of this ignorance God overlooked; but now commands all men everywhere to repent.

Note: Repentance is a most important teaching of scripture. John the Baptist preached it (Matthew 3:2), Jesus preached it (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 13:3-5), the disciples preached it (Mark 6:12), which they continued to do even after Jesus' death (Acts 2:38; 3:19), and Paul preached it (Acts 17:30; 26:20; 2 Corinthians 7:9-11). To repent really means "to have a change of mind", and this is what we need to do with regard to sin and our former way of life when we come to Christ. God has commanded all men everywhere to do this (Acts 17:30), and it seems clear that no one will be saved without it (Luke 13:3-5). It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4), and he has promised to give us the power to do it thoroughly when we are born again:

(John 1:12-13) "But as many as received him, to them he gave authority to become the sons of God, even to those who believe in his name: Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

#1.42 BELIEVE IN JESUS

JOHN 3:16-18 (Jesus)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He who believes in him is not condemned: but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Note: Every saved person is saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8; 1 Peter 1:5; 1:9), which includes believing in the heart. 'Believing' is a verb, and is what we do; 'faith' is a noun, and is what we can have when we believe. So what do we need to believe in order to be saved?

(1) Believe in God (John 5:24; Hebrews 11:6),
(2) Believe in Jesus (John 3:16; 3:36),
(3) Believe in the name of Jesus (John 1:12; 3:18),
(4) Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Matthew 1:18; 16:16; John 20:31; Acts 8:37; Romans 1:4),
(5) Believe that Jesus died to pay the price for our sins (Isaiah 53:5-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 2:24), and
(6) Believe that God raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 10:9). (See Matthew 28:1-10; 28:16-20; Mark 16:9-20; Luke 24:1-53; John 20:11-31; Acts 13:30-33; 1 Corinthians 15:1-23).

Because we could not save ourselves, every Christian needs to believe that God sent Jesus to die for us, and to pay the price for our sins, so that we could be saved. Belief in God, or Jesus Christ, by itself, is not enough to be saved, because "the demons also believe, and tremble." (James 2:19). There were also many of the chief rulers who believed in Jesus, but would not confess him because they did not wish to lose their position in the synagogue (John 12:42-43); they did not have salvation.

#1.43 BE PREPARED TO CONFESS JESUS

MATTHEW 10:32-33 (Jesus)
32 Whoever therefore will confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father who is in heaven.
33 But whoever will deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven.

ROMANS 10:9-10 (Paul)
9 That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.

Note: A living faith has two ways of expressing itself, and confession with the mouth is the first of these, so we need to confess what we believe in order to stand in faith:

(2 Corinthians 4:13) "We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore I have spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak."

Confessing Jesus can mean several different things, but to start with we must be prepared to confess Jesus as Lord:

(Philippians 2:11) "every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

This means that we should be prepared to confess to others that Jesus is our Lord - that we are Christians. It is clear that there is no salvation without this, because if we deny Jesus, he will also deny us before the Father (Matthew 10:33). Even the malefactor on the cross was prepared to call Jesus "Lord" (Luke 23:42), and defend him against the malefactor on the other cross (Luke 23:40-41). If we believe and confess, is that enough by itself to obtain salvation for us? The answer is 'no' - there are many who are prepared to call Jesus 'Lord' who will not be accepted by him when he returns (Matthew 7:21; 25:11; Revelation 3:16), and even the demons are prepared to confess who Jesus is in public (Matthew 8:29; Mark 1:24; 5:7; Luke 4:34; 8:28). We need to go on to obey Christ, because we can deny him just by not doing the works that he has for us (Titus 1:16).

#1.44 BE PREPARED TO DO GOD'S WILL

MATTHEW 7:21 (Jesus)
21 Not every one who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

1 JOHN 2:17
17 And the world passes away, and the lust of it: but he who does the will of God abides for ever.

Note: The second way of expressing faith is with our actions, which should correspond with what we believe and confess. Without this we do not have a living faith, because "Faith without works is dead." (James 2:17; 2:20; 2:26). If we have a living faith, we will go on to find out God's will our life and do it, because we will believe that this is necessary to maintain our salvation (Matthew 7:21). The malefactor on the cross never had the opportunity to do this (Luke 23:39-43), which shows again that salvation is totally by faith, without works, but if he had escaped the cross, there is no doubt that he would have endeavoured to find out God's will for his life, and to do it. One reason why the unwise virgins did not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 25:1-13) was because they did not do the will of God:

(Ephesians 5:17) "Therefore do not be unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."

In order to determine what God's will is for our lives, we need to study the word of God, and renew our mind with it:

(1 Peter 2:2) "As new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow by it:"
(Romans 12:2) "be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Then, step by step, as God reveals his will to us, we need to put it into practice in our lives, which is how we grow and thus consolidate our salvation. If we are prepared to give diligence to this, then we have the assurance that we will not fail:

(2 Peter 1:10-11) "Therefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things you will never fall:
For so an entrance will be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

Salvation is for those who obey Jesus (Hebrews 5:9; Revelation 22:14; 2 John 1:9), but not for the disobedient (Romans 2:8; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8).

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