“What must I do to be saved?”
Acts 16:30 NIV
After her first flight, someone asked an elderly what she thought about being on a plane. She said,” It was okay, but I never put my whole weight on it.” And we do the same when we refuse to place our trust on the finished work of Jesus Christ. Most major religions answer the question, “What must I do to be saved?” by handing you a book of rules you must keep to get to heaven. A lot of us try, and give up in discouragement. Instead of leading you to God’s grace, Satan tries to make you earn it. When asked “What must I do to be saved?” Paul didn’t say, “ Work harder, pray longer, give more, and be moral.” No, he said, “ Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (v. 31 NIV). Believing is the root of the tree we call salvation; behaving is the fruit that grows on it. We don’t do good works to be saved—our good works are just an expression of love and gratitude to the One who already saved us. The Bible says, “We should be holy and without blame” (Eph. 1:4 NKJV). Without blame? That’s an impossible standard! The only way that will happen is if God takes the righteousness of Christ and credits it to our account. And, guess what? He does! “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2Cor. 5:21 NIV). The moment you place you and I placed your trust in Christ, God sees you and I as “righteous,” and on that basis He accepts you 24/7 (ooh wee,) aren’t you glad?
