Title: What Must I Do to Be Saved?
Bible Book: John 3
Author: John Bisagno
Subject: Salvation
Objective:
Introduction
John 3
The New International Version does not contain all of the richness and fullness of the Greek language in this particular passage. What you have read: "Believe in the Lord Jesus" may better and more fully be rendered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." The idea of the Christ is in the original text as well as the words "Lord Jesus." To believe in something is one thing. To commit yourself and your life to it is another thing - that believes on it. To what are we are to commit our life and our future if we are to be saved?
I. You have to BELIEVE something
That something is that Christ Jesus is God. Start with the word Christ. You have to believe in Christ. Jesus is the only Christ, the one and only Christ. In the language of the Bible, the word Christ is not a given name. Like John, Joseph, Louise, or Robert. The word Christ is a title. Like captain, lord, master, president, mayor, it is a title. The title, Christ, denotes deity. Deity simply means; he is God. Theologically it means that God stepped into the empirical realm and in the flesh and lived as the earthly Jesus who was and is and has always been God before he was in the flesh. He didn't start to happen at Christmas. He is coequal, coexistent, and coeternal with the Father. "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father, I and my Father are one."
There is no Christianity. There is no conversion unless you start believing something. What you must believe is that Jesus is Christ. That is to say He is God. If you believe that he is a mighty prophet or that he was once a man who simply evolved into God, as do our Mormon friend, he has not eternally always been God. If you believe what the New Age believes, there are 2,500 different gods. Then you are not able to be saved. You have to believe that Jesus is God. You have to believe something and that is what the word Christ means. Deity. God. That is who Jesus is. That's the beginning point. That is the touchstone of Christian theology. That is the watershed of all biblical orthodoxy. Christ Jesus is God. That is where you start. I believe that it is significant that this was not put into the NIV. There is a grave difference there. There is a glaring illustration there of what it means. You have to believe as a foundation, not just Lord Jesus but Lord Jesus Christ.
II. You have to RECEIVE something
The second name in Lord Jesus Christ is Jesus. The word Jesus is a reference not to His deity but to His sacrifice. The word Jesus is the Old Testament word Yeshua, which is also translated, Joshua. That means one who lifts out of. Rescues from. Redeems out of. Lifts up from. We were lost in sin and Jesus, who had never sinned, stepped into sin. Became an offering for sin and God poured out his judgment on sin on Jesus. Jesus and salvation are synonymous. So if you are going to receive Jesus, you receive salvation. If you want to receive salvation you have to receive Jesus.
He provided salvation when He himself became our salvation - became the substitute. You receive the Lord Jesus. You receive the sacrifice that He is. That is why a part of being saved is saying: Lord Jesus I turn my back on my life. I repent of my sins and I turn to you Lord Jesus and I receive you and the gift of salvation that you provided and that you are. The question is will you receive Him. You have to receive something.
Salvation is in Jesus Christ. So in receiving Him personally into your life you receive it. When you receive Jesus, you receive a miracle. You always get more than you wanted. You always find that there is more than you expected when you receive him.
It is a gift! Do you know what it is to receive a gift? You don't deserve a gift. You can't earn a gift. You don't work for a gift. All you do is receive the gift. The gift is the cross that He laid across, that if you just walk in faith, He will give you the gift of salvation.
No matter how far you reach, how wide your leap, how great your efforts it is a gift that can only be received. In Ephesians 2:8-9 Paul says, "Not in your own human striving. Not in yourselves. It is the gift of God. Not of works, not of striving, not of effort less any man shall boast."
The greatest and only answer that was ever given to that question of what must I do to be saved is as follows: believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved. Commit yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ.
III. You have to RETURN something
He that is Lord and that means that He is Boss. He is Master. It means that I return to Him my life in exchange for Him who gave His life for me.
Being saved is not coming down and grabbing hold to a fire insurance policy so you will not go to hell, it's a lifestyle that goes on out of gratitude and love and obedience and response to what He did for you.
Salvation is an exchange of lives. He gives me His life as a gift. I give him my life as my gift of love in return. You have to return unto him the lordship, the mastership, the control of your life if you are to be saved. Because He gave himself for you He expects you to return your life.
Whatever He says unto you, do. Do it. Give the control of your heart and life back to Him as Lord.
Conclusion
There is a price to be paid, not to earn your salvation, but to authenticate it. If it is real, it is not something you take as a gift and then walk away and do as you please. You must make Him Lord of your life. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Commit yourself to this. I believe that He is God. I receive him and the gift of what He has done for me on the Cross. I give Him my life in return.
