Faith & Reason Nexus

The Question is Very Personal

The question “What must I do to be saved?” is not a general question directed at others in history or in broad terms, but a very personal inquiry. It is a question that each individual must ask for themselves. We are not asking:

• What must Adam do to be saved?
• What must Abraham do to be saved?
• What must Noah do to be saved?
• What must Moses do to be saved?
• What must David do to be saved?
• What must Daniel do to be saved?
• What must John the Baptizer do to be saved?
• What must the Thief on the Cross do to be saved?

Instead, the question is: What must I do, right here and right now, to be saved?

This makes salvation a personal responsibility. Each person must come to a point where they ask, What does God want me to do? and What does the Bible teach me to do to be saved?

The Example of the Philippian Jailer (Acts 16:19-31)

In Acts 16, the Philippian jailer asks, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” This was a question of urgent personal concern. In response, Paul and Silas provided him with a direct and personal answer, showing that salvation is accessible to all who respond correctly. As a result, immediately he and his entire household were baptized (Acts 16:33), showing that salvation is not delayed but can be acted upon without hesitation when the opportunity is presented.

We Will Be Judged for Our Choices

• Matthew 16:27 – “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.”
• Romans 14:12 – “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.”
• 2 Corinthians 5:10 – “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
• Colossians 3:25 – “Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.”
• Revelation 2:23 – “I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.”

We Now Have a Choice

1. A Life with God or a Life Without God
   • Salvation offers the choice to live in a relationship with God, experiencing His presence, grace, and eternal life.
   • A life without God leads to separation from Him and eternal loss.
2. A God-Centered Life or a Self-Centered Life
   • A God-centered life is one that seeks to honor God in all things, living according to His will and purpose.
   • A self-centered life is focused on personal desires, rejecting God’s plan and the salvation He offers.

Each individual must choose how to respond to God’s plan of salvation, which is offered through faith in Christ and His sacrificial death, followed by repentance, confession, and baptism into Christ for the forgiveness of sins.