The steps to Salvation

1. The steps toSalvation - 4th May 2016
“Salvationisfoundinno one else, for there is no other name under heaven givento mankindby
whichwe must be saved.” (Acts4:12.
Eventodaymany people are looking tolearnthe required stepstoachieve salvation.People like the
ideaof an instructionmanual withfive stepsthat,if followed,willresultinsalvation.Anexampleof this
isIslamwithitsFive Pillars.AccordingtoIslam, if the Five Pillarsare obeyed,salvationwillbe granted.
Because the ideaof a step-by-stepprocesstosalvationisappealing,manyinthe Christiancommunity
make the mistake of presentingsalvationasaresultof a step-by-stepprocess.RomanCatholicismhas
sevensacraments.
VariousChristiandenominationsaddbaptism, publicconfession,turningfromsin,speakingintongues,
etc.,as stepsto salvation. Butthe Bible onlypresentsone stepto salvation and that is Christjesusour
saviour. We can learnthisin Acts 4:12, “Salvationisfoundinnoone else, for there is noother name
under heaven givento mankindby whichwe must be saved.”We can learnof an incidentwhena
Philippians’ jaileraskedPaul, “WhatmustI do to be saved?” Paul responded,“Believe inthe LordJesus
Christand youwill be saved.We can learn thisinActs 16:30-31, “He then broughtthem out and asked,
“Sirs,what mustI doto be saved?”31
Theyreplied,“Believein the Lord Jesus,and youwill be saved—
you andyour household.”
FaithinJesusChristas one’sSavioristhe only“step”to salvation.The message of the Bible is
abundantlyclear. We can geta clearlyunderstandwhenwe readand meditate onthe following:First
we must all knowthatwe have all sinnedagainstGod:“…forall havesinnedand fall short ofthe glory
of God” (Romans3:23). Secondlywe mustknow thatbecause of our sin,we deserve tobe eternally
separatedfromGod:“For the wages of sinis death,but the giftof Godis eternal lifein ChristJesus our
Lord”(Romans6:23). Thirdlythe reasonwhyHe didthis is because of Hislove forus: “ForGodso loved
the world that he gave hisone and onlySon, that whoever believesin him shall notperish but have
eternal life”(John3:16).
Fourthlywe knowthat God took onhuman formand diedinourplace,takingthe punishmentthatwe
deserve:“ButGoddemonstrateshisown love forus in this: Whilewe were still sinners,Christdied for
us. (Romans5:8); Fifthly We learnasto the reasonfor doingso and the way He didthissacrifice forour
sake,whenwe read2 Corinthians5:21, “Godmadehim whohad no sinto be sinfor us, sothat in him
we might become the righteousnessofGod”. The sixthisthat God promisesforgivenessof sinsand
eternal life inheaventoall whoreceive,bygrace throughfaith,JesusChristasSavior: “ Yetto all who
didreceive him,to those who believed inhis name,he gavethe rightto become childrenofGod—
(John1:12). We can alsolearn throughJohn 5:24, “Very trulyI tell you, whoever hears my word and
believes himwho sent me has eternal lifeand will not be judgedbut has crossedover fromdeath to
life”.
Therefore asChristianswe mustknowthatitis notabout certainstepswe mustfollow toearn
salvation…buttoread,learn,understand,meditate andbegintohave faithinJesusChristasone’sLord
and saviour. Whensomeone decidesto“getrightwithGod,” part of the “outwardsign”of accepting
Jesusas theirsaviorisbeingbaptized. Yes,Christiansshouldbe baptized.Yes,Christiansshouldpublicly
confessChristasSavior.Yes,Christiansshouldturnfromsin.Yes,Christiansshouldcommittheirlivesto

2. obeyingGod.However, theseare notstepsto salvation.Theyare resultsof salvation.Because of oursin,
we cannot inany sense earnsalvation.We couldfollow 1000 steps,andit wouldnotbe enough.That is
whyJesushad to be the atoningsacrifice and die inour place.We are absolutelyincapableof payingour
sindebtto God or cleansingourselves completely fromsin.OnlyGodcouldaccomplishoursalvation,
and so He did.God Himself completedthe “steps”andtherebyofferssalvationtoanyone whowill
receive itfromHim.We Can learnin Titus2:11, “Forthe grace ofGod hasappeared that offers
salvationtoall people”.
Salvationandforgivenessof sinsisnotaboutfollowingsteps.ItisaboutreceivingChristas one’s Savior
and recognizingthatHe has done all of the work forus. God requires “only one step”fromus…to
willingly receivingJesusChristasSaviorandfullytrustinginHimalone asthe wayof salvation.Thatis
whatdistinguishesthe Christianfaithfrom all otherworldreligions,eachof whichhasa listof stepsthat
mustbe followedinorderforsalvationtobe received.The ChristianfaithrecognizesthatGodhas
alreadycompletedthe stepsandsimplycallsonusto receive Himinfaith. Thereforeas Christianswe
shouldnotdelayinaskingyourself averyimportantquestion:“Hasmyfamily and myself received
Christ as our Savior…?
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven
given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12.