First of all let's begin with first things first. In the bible the first thing we must do in order to get started is this. Let's say you're going to ask the question, "What must I do to be saved?" Let's just put out of our mind whether we think we know. We have a tradition in this life of church going, so therefore everyone believe and think they are saved according to their church membership.
Regardless of what you have thought all your life, or how you have believed all your life, I'm going to point out to you according to the scripture, How To Be Saved. Let's go with first things first. Let's say for instance you're going to ask the question "What must I do to be saved?" There are many people who ask this question regardless that there is a church on every comer, regardless that there is over a thousand different denominations here in the world and regardless that 60 or 70 percent of the population of these United States goes to church on Sunday morning, people are still asking the question, "What must I do to be saved?"

How to be saved? Let's go to first things first. (Acts 16:30 & 3 1). (And brought them out, and said, "Sirs what must I do to be saved?") There is a jailer here and Paul & Silas is locked up in jail and after a miraculous thing has taken place the jailer came out and said "Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:31) they said, ("Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved and thy house") Your whole house will be saved all of your children and all of your family will be saved. If you happen to be a one family head, if you are a mother or father and you have no husband or wife you are the head of your house. With your salvation, your family is also saved, that's number one. Now, what must I do to be saved? Listen carefully as I reread that verse of scripture, (Acts 16:30) (And brought them out, and said, Sirs what must I do to be saved?) The Apostle Paul did not tell him what he must do to be saved but stated to him what he must believe to be saved....

What MUST I Believe? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, that's what he must believe, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved. One of the most critical points here is that the Apostle Paul did not tell this jailer to believe on God to be saved. Where salvation is concerned God is not a part, he does not play a part in your salvation. God played his part when he gave his only begotten son. (John 3:16)
When salvation came, it was understood that you must believe on Christ to be saved and not on God. God is not to be brought into the picture. The Apostle Paul stated what he must believe to be saved. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved, but he did not mention what he must do. (John 3:16) which is a very very crucial scripture, as I use the word crucial I want to show you in (John 3:16) what the bible says. ("For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life ")
The first thing we must do, if we want to be saved is, first become a believer. What must we believe? When the jailer asked the question "What must I do to be saved?", The Apostle Paul told him what he must believe. You cannot be saved if you have not believed properly. What must you believe and how shall you believe? (John 3:16) note, (For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son") This is what takes God out of the picture of salvation. ("God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, He gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him,") now, ("whosoever believeth in him") not in God, whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.") That's the reason the Apostle Paul told the jailer what he must believe. He said he must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, what kind of belief is that, what do we mean believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, what is the bible saying when the bible says to you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? Believe he lived, believe he was, or believe that this man died for my sins? All these things? Wait a minute! Hold on a second! This is what is meant by you must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You must believe that Jesus is Jesus and not God! Why must I believe that Jesus is Jesus and not God? That's the only way you can receive him. You have to receive him for who he was and for what he was. (John 3:16) says ("For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.") You must receive him as God's only begotten, if you receive him as God, you have not received him. (That is confused thinking) you have not received Jesus as Jesus or Jesus as the son of God.
If you think of him as God, or if you think of him as an angel, if you think of him as Michael the archangel, or if you think of him as anything else, then you are not receiving him, you are receiving who you think he is. If you think he is God, then you are receiving God, you are not receiving Jesus, so the bible says (John 3:16) ("For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.") You must receive him as the Son of God. What must I believe? When we go back to the jailer there in (Acts 16:30) the jailer asked the question ("What must I do to be saved?") The Apostle Paul told the jailer what he must believe. You must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved. What kind of belief is that, what do we mean believe, how should I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? You should believe that he is the son, you should believe that he is Jesus, and you should believe that he is Christ and not God. You must receive him as the Christ, as Jesus, not as God. When you say believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you only believe that he's what he said he was.

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