The Truth About Salvation

On the day of Pentecost, 120 people were in an upper room on one accord worshipping and praising God when they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in other languages (not known to them) about the wonderful works of God. Peter stood and proclaimed the meaning of this event and also shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with those in the area. The hearts of many were pricked by the word of God and, in response to Peter's proclamations asked, "Men and brethren, what must we do?" Peter responded saying, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Peter's counsel served as the directive to save oneself from that untoward generation. That day, 3,000 people responded to the gospel of Jesus Christ and were added to the church, the body of Christ.

Since that time, approximately 2,000 years ago, the message of salvation has been under siege. As Jude stated, certain men have crept in unawares and turned God's message of teaching grace (teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and commanding us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world) and change the proclamation of the apostles to watered-down falsehood and blatant lies meant to deceive people and keep them from coming into the true saving knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Instead of hearing Peter's proclamation, most people today are presented with what's known as "The Sinner's Prayer" (also known as "decisionism"). "Asking the Lord to come into one's heart" or "receiving Jesus as Lord" are other phrases and saying associated with decisionism. What unsuspecting people don't realize is that the doctrine of decisionism was not taught by the apostles, but is a man-made doctrine that became mainstream in the late 19th to the early 20th century. It is now the most widespread salvation-related doctrine of this day, BUT those who engage in doctrines of decisionism ARE NOT SAVED!!! They have a zeal of God, but it is not according to knowledge.

Are you saved today? Do you want to be saved? In order to be truly saved, as Peter proclaimed, one must do the following:

• Hear the gospel
• Believe the gospel
• Repent of your sins
• Be water baptized (immersed, not sprinkled) in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins
• Seek and receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost

Once these have been done, a person has been born again (born of the water and the Spirit) and is now called to present his or her body a living sacrifice by living a life of holiness and being transformed, becoming a new creature in Christ, on a daily basis.

Anyone seeking to or proclaiming salvation via any other way is a thief and a robber.