Apostolic Faith Home > Tracts > Sirs, What Must I Do To Be Saved?

This was the question of the Philippian jailer. No doubt this man was religious and had professed to have known God. But when he faced the apostles who had the only gospel, he found himself unsaved. Like many today, when their religious experience is compared to the Word of God, they find themselves unsaved.

There are many people today who have been in churches for years-no doubt have been great church workers-may have been preachers, deacons, trustees, missionaries, etc., and with all of that, there is an unrest and dissatisfaction until they are asking themselves the question, "Am I really saved? And what proof have I that I have a Bible salvation, and if Jesus Christ should come would I be ready to meet Him or am I deceived?"

Dear reader, the only way to know we are saved is to know according to God's eternal Word.

Many times ministers will convert people saying they are saved without any Bible proof; telling them to bow their heads and raise their hands, and accept Jesus Christ right where they are. When they do this, they will say that so many were saved through their ministry.

In the name of Jesus Christ, and according to God's eternal Word, that is just as far from the truth and being saved as the east is from the west.

They never mention repentance or baptism in the name of Jesus Christ to the people; they do not mention receiving the Holy Ghost speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance, yet they say the people are saved.

Dear reader, turn to the Bible and see what the Word of God has to say about it. Romans 3:4 says "God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou are judged." (Romans 3:4)

John: said "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." (Matthew 3:11) John did not tell them to raise their hands right where they were and accept Christ. Jesus Christ, who is our example, came to John and was baptized and received the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 3:13-16) Jesus Christ said to Nicodemus: "Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." (John 3:5)

Jesus Christ said in Mark 16:16, 17, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues."

Statements are being made that there is no such things in the Bible as speaking in tongues. However, Isaiah prophesied approximately seven hundred and twelve years before Jesus Christ came in the flesh: "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people." (Isaiah 28:11)

Jesus Christ spoke with tongues, when he raised Jairus' daughter. "And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise." (Mark 5:41)

When the multitude heard the gospel preached by Peter on the day of Pentecost ". . . they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren what shall we do?" See Acts 2:37. Peter did not say to them raise your hands and accept Christ as your personal Saviour, as it is told to the people today. Neither did he tell them to join the church; but he said unto them ". . . Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38) and about three thousand souls were added unto them. Acts 2:41.

When Philip preached Christ to the people in the city of Samaria, he did not tell them to sit right where they were, and they did not need to be emotional. When they believed the preaching of Philip, they were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and received the Holy Ghost. Acts 8:5-17

When Peter preached the same gospel to the Gentiles in Caesarea that he preached on the day of Pentecost, they received the Holy Ghost, and spake with other tongues, and were baptized in the name of the Lord. Acts 10:44-48.

Let us turn again to the Word of God in Acts 19:2. When the Apostle Paul met John's disciples who had not received salvation under this dispensation, "He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" And they said unto him, "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. He said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism." (Acts 19:2-3) He goes on to explain the truth unto them. They obeyed and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and were filled with the Holy Ghost and spake with tongues and prophesied. Read Acts 19:5,6.

Dear reader, there are thousands of people who have some kind of belief but except they believe as the Scripture hath said (John 7:38), their belief is in vain. If you will read the Word of God, you will see plainly that the apostles did not use the methods men are using today to get people saved. No where can it be found in all the Bible that any of God's ministers told the people to bow their heads, raise their hands, receive Jesus Christ right where they were without mentioning repentance, baptism or receiving the Holy Ghost.

The Apostle Paul said: "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:8-9)

In conclusion, no one is saved regardless to whom he or she may be without having the water, spirit, and the blood. These three agree in one. (I John 5:8). If you have the spirit, and refuse the water, you are not saved. You cannot have the blood and refuse water and the spirit. The Bible says: "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:5).

Dear reader, if you do not have it like the scriptures have outlined it here, you too, need to cry out in the language of the jailer. ". . . Sirs, What must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30). May God open your understanding to the knowledge of the scriptures, is our prayers. To hear more of this truth, visit the Church with a standard and the old-time power, where the gospel is preached in its fullness just as it was in the days of the apostles. The sick are healed and the Holy Ghost given.