Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
We now come to the central personal question: What must I do to be saved? Scripture gives a direct answer. This lesson examines that answer repeatedly so there is no confusion about the condition God places on receiving eternal life.
- Read the Bible's direct answer to the question of salvation.
- See that believing is contrasted with working.
- Understand grace, gift, and faith.
- See examples of people receiving salvation while hearing and believing the gospel.
The direct question receives a direct answer
Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Few questions in Scripture are more direct. The jailer asks what he must do to be saved. Paul and Silas answer: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The answer points the sinner directly to the Savior.
Jesus promises everlasting life to the believer
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Jesus speaks in the present tense: the believer hath everlasting life. The promise is attached directly to believing on Christ.
John 3:16 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.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
The words whosoever believeth are wonderfully broad. The promise reaches every person who believes on Christ. Verse 18 identifies belief and unbelief as the dividing line.
Believing is contrasted with working
Romans 4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Romans deliberately contrasts wages with grace. A worker earns a debt; the ungodly person who believes receives righteousness by faith. Faith rests on the One who justifies the ungodly.
Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Ephesians 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Grace excludes boasting. The gift comes from God, and faith receives what God gives. The gospel directs the sinner's confidence to Christ.
People received remission of sins while hearing and believing
Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
Peter was still speaking when the Holy Ghost fell on those who heard the word. They had heard the promise: whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. This passage is especially useful because it shows salvation taking place before later outward actions such as water baptism.
What does it mean to believe on Christ?
To believe on Jesus Christ is to rely on Him as the Savior—to take God at His word concerning His Son and the eternal life He gives. It is trusting the Christ of Scripture: the Son of God who died for our sins and rose again.
Faith rests confidence in Christ as the basis of salvation. The sinner recognizes his guilt, understands Christ's death and resurrection, and relies on the Savior for eternal life.
Compare Scripture with Scripture
Scripture trail: Acts 16:30 • Acts 16:31 • John 6:47 • John 3:16 • John 3:18 • Romans 4:4 • Romans 4:5 • Ephesians 2:8 • Romans 3:23
Do not rush past the references. Open them, read the surrounding verses, and make the Bible carry the weight of the conclusion.
Think it through
- Which words in these passages state what God has done, and which words state what the sinner must believe?
- Where does the text place works, religious rituals, or human merit in relation to receiving eternal life?
- Could you use these passages to explain the gospel clearly without adding another saving condition?
Teach it back
Without looking at the lesson explanation, summarize Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in two or three sentences and support your explanation from Scripture. If you cannot explain it simply yet, return to the passages and work through them again.
Slow down and work the text
Reopen Acts 16:30, Acts 16:31, John 6:47, John 3:16. Read enough before and after each verse to see the setting. Do not settle for remembering a slogan when you can inspect the wording for yourself.
- Write the main claim of Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in one sentence.
- Underline or write down the exact words in the passages that support that claim.
- Compare at least two of the passages. What truth becomes clearer when they are read together?
- Ask what could be misunderstood if one phrase were isolated from its context.
- State clearly what a sinner must believe to be saved, and keep works or religious rituals out of the saving condition.
The Bible's answer is direct: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Eternal life is God's gift received by faith, not a wage earned by works.
- What exact answer did Paul and Silas give in Acts 16:31?
- What does John 6:47 say the believer presently has?
- How does Romans 4:5 contrast working and believing?
- Why do Ephesians 2:8-9 leave no room for boasting?
- What happened in Acts 10 while Peter was still speaking?
Faith, Grace, and Religious Works
22 min