What Shall We Do?
When people talk about how a person is saved, it seems there are many different ideas
about what a person should do. The ideas range from simple faith to complex
standards for salvation. It is enough to make one throw their hands up in the air and
ask, "What shall I do?" Fortunately this is the very question asked by thousands of
Jews who had gathered on the day of Pentecost. Peter and the apostles stood up and
preached the first gospel sermon to these people. This event is recorded in Acts 2.
The apostles made a strong set of arguments from the Old Testament which proved
their conclusion. In verse 36 he stated, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know
assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord
and Christ." They were stunned! The man they had crucified turns out to be the
Son of God! They knew that God would be angry and could only assume that he
would punish them. They knew what God had done to the disobedient under the
Law of Moses. In fear they cried out to the apostles. In verse 37 we read, "Now
when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to
the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?" How, they wondered,
could they escape the fate that surely awaited them? This same question is asked by
many today.
Many claim that we are saved by faith.
For by grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift
of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
Indeed, no one can deny the saving power of faith
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not
his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him
might be saved.
John 3:16-17
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1
But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe
unto the saving of the soul.
Hebrews 10:39
But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently
seek him.
Hebrews 11:6
An examination of all of these passages shows that faith is essential for one to
be saved. But what kind of faith saves us? The Bible teaches that there are many
different types of faith. The following are several examples of the types of faith
found within the scriptures.
"little" faith Matthew 6:30
"weak" faith Romans 14:1
"great" faith Matthew 8:10
"working" faith Galatians 5:6
"saving" faith Hebrews 10:9
"dead" faith James 2:20
Looking over these types of faith, it should become apparent that they fit into two
categories
1) Weak or Dead Faith
2) Strong or Saving Faith
The question that we now need to ask is this, "What is the difference between these
two types of faith?" A look back at the passage we just read from Ephesians should
help.
...and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man
should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
This part of the passage shows us that we can not make our own plan of salvation.
But what does the writer mean when he says, "not of works"? Does this mean we are
saved by faith alone?
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not
works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily
food, and one of you say unto them, "Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled."
Notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body,
what doeth it profit? Even so, faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, "Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith
without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest
there is one God, thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble. But wilt
thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our
Father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Seest thou how faith wrought with works, and by works was faith made perfect?
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God and it was
imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye
see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise
was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the
messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the
spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
James 2:14-26
Look at how many arguments the writer makes about faith! When Paul told the
Ephesians that they were not saved by works, he was speaking to the Gentile
Christians at Ephesus. Some of the Jews believed that people were saved by
keeping the works of the Law of Moses. Paul is telling the Gentiles that the works
of the Law do not save them. He tells them:
Wherefore remember, that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh, who are
called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision in the flesh made by
hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the common-
wealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope,
and without God in the world.
Ephesians 2:11-12
This passage shows that the Gentiles had no hope under the Law of Moses, so the
works of the Law would not save them, but works were necessary, as Paul had
already shown in verse 10.
For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus untogood works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
bsp; Ephesians 2:10
Paul explains that the good works chosen by God are the ones that save us. But what
are these good works? We already know that we need to have faith, but what else is
needed?
I tell you, nay but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luke 13:3
So we need to repent, that is, to be sorry for our sins, and attempt to change our lives
and live above sin.
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.
Romans 10:9
We can see here that we need to confess before the world that we believe Jesus is
the Son of God.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall
be damned.
Mark 16:16
Here we can see that we are commanded to be baptized to be saved. In spite of this
clear command, many people seem to question the point of baptism. Notice that
baptism represents the central theme of the Gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection
of Jesus Christ.
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death: that like as Christ was
raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in
the newness of life.
Romans 6:4
It is important to notice that baptism is for the same thing as Christ's blood. Compare
the following passages which use the same phrase in both English and Greek.
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many, for the
remission of sins.
Matthew 26:28
Then Peter 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
Here we finally see the answer to the question with which we started. The people
on the day of Pentecost had asked the question, "What shall we do?" Now Peter
answers that question. He says that baptism is for the remission of sins. If this
means "because of" as some people claim, then Jesus died because our sins were
already forgiven. Of course we realize that he died "in order to cause" our sins to
be forgiven, so baptism must be "in order to cause" our sins to be forgiven. Let's
take a look at all the things we can find in Christ.
Spiritual Blessings Ephesians 1:3
Redemption Ephesians 1:7
Forgiveness Ephesians 1:7
Inheritance Ephesians 1:11
New Creatures II Corinthians 5:17
Promises II Corinthians 1:20
No Condemnation Romans 8:1
Reconciliation Ephesians 2:13-16
Salvation II Timothy 2:10
If all these things are in Christ, how do we get into Christ so that we may obtain
them?
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Galatians 3:27
We obtain them all through baptism. It is compared to the saving of Noah and his
family by water. It saves us because we can, in good conscience, stand before God
knowing we have been obedient to his will.
Which were sometime disobedient when once the longsuffering of God waited
in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight
souls were saved by water, 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.
I Peter 3:20-21
Yes, we are saved by faith, repentance, confession, and baptism. But we must
continue to "walk in" good works. Faith alone is just not enough. As James so
aptly noted, faith alone is dead being alone. There are many examples of this
type of dead faith.
Devils James 2:19
Chief Rulers John 12:42-43
The people Acts 2
Saul Acts 9:4-6
But there are many who had saving faith. They responded to the call, and they
were baptized.
The Three Thousand Acts 2
The Samaritans Acts 8
Simon Acts 8
The Ethiopian Acts 8
Saul Acts 9
Cornelius Acts 10
Lydia Acts 16
The Philippian Jailor Acts 16
The Corinthians Acts 18
The Ephesians Acts 19
Those who believed and obeyed were saved. Some of them, like Saul of Tarsus,
believed, but were told that they would be told things they "must do". Saul heard
the words that we will leave you to consider:
And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins,
calling on the name of the Lord.
Acts 22:16