According to th Bible... How can someone Obtain Salvation?

Question

What do you believe?

Many are decieved into believeing that all you have to do is believe and have faith to be saved, this is false doctrine. What does the bible say?

As Oneness Apostolics, we are NOT suggesting that we are not saved by grace through faith. Faith and grace are vital to salvation, but to teach belief alone as "whole salvation" is not scripturally founded. James said in his epistle, "even the demons believe and tremble!" (James 2:19) True belief will lead one to "believe upon Christ as the scripture has said," and thus receive "rivers of living water." Genuine faith in Christ will cause a soul to obey the whole gospel message of repentance and remission of sins in Acts 2:38. Therefore, true biblical faith leads to true repentance, true water baptism, and true Spirit baptism.

No where does the Bible give credence to the notion that belief or confession alone is whole salvation. However, belief and confession are vital elements that lead to whole salvation.

"If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead you will be saved. For with the heart one believes UNTO righteousness, and with the mouth CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION." Not confession is salvation, but confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9,10.

There is no disharmony between scriptures that speak of the necessity of belief, grace and confession and the scriptures that speak of the necessity of being born of the water and Spirit. Hebrews chapter six verses one and two state that the Church of Jesus Christ is built upon the foundational doctrine of BAPTISMS, i.e. water and Spirit. Note that along with faith toward God, belief in the resurrection and eternal judgment, Hebrews chapter six does not state the doctrine of baptism, it says, "the doctrine of BAPTISMS - more than one. The New Testament only speaks of two baptisms, one of water and one of the Spirit. Hence, both are necessary for all true believers..

Answer 1

The passages that you quoted summarizes it all. Believing is not enough to be saved (as James said, even the devils believe in God). One must repent of their sins and surrender their life to Christ. When one receives Christ into their lives, a transformation starts to happen (not immediate, take note) and makes one a better person. Christ begins to live through us.

Answer 2

I think you and other Apostolics are the ones who are deceived.

95% of other Pentecostals believe the Trinity as taught in the Bible but your group does not.

Jesus told us how to Baptize in Matthew 28:19

The phrase "in the Name of" in Acts 2:38 means "by the authority of", it does mean that those words must be spoken at the time someone is baptized.

The authority of Jesus goes back to Matt 28:19

This is another case of someone whining, "We're right and everyone else is wrong."

Which is why my friend, many believe your group is a false cult.

Pastor Art

Answer 3

I Understand what you are saying, I have some questions for you though.

Is Jesus His own Father?
If Jesus' will and the Father's will were identical, then why did Jesus express the desire to escape the cup but resigns Himself not to His own will, but the will of the Father? See my article on this.
Was Jesus praying to Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane?
If Jesus was praying to the divine side of Himself, then isn't He still praying to Himself?
Why was Jesus not saying, "Not My will, but MY will be done?" if there is only one person and one will involved when He was praying in Luke 22:42 & Matt. 26:39.
If baptism is essential for salvation, then what happens to someone who repents of sin, accepts Jesus as Savior, walks across the street to get baptized but is killed by a car. Does he go to heaven or hell?
If he goes to heaven, then baptism isn't a requirement is it?
If he goes to hell, then faith in Christ isn't sufficient to save him is it?
Since the Bible teaches us that Jesus is in bodily form now (Col. 2:9), then how does the Oneness Pentecostal person maintain that God is in the form of the Holy Spirit? Also, when Jesus returns, will He return in His body? Will God's form then revert to the form of the Son at a later date?
If God is only one person, why did Jesus say in John 14:23, "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." If God is only one person, why does Jesus say, "we"?
Oneness theology teaches that God was in the mode of the Father in the Old Testament. God was seen in the OT (not as a vision or a dream or an angel in the following verses: Exo. 6:2-3; Gen. 19:24; Num. 12:6-8). But, Jesus said no one has seen the Father (John 6:46). If they were seeing God Almighty (Exo. 6:2-3) but it wasn't the Father, then who was it?

Answer 4

Salvation is in Acts 2:38,
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Answer 5

Hear the Word
Beleive the Word
Admit you are a sinner
Repent of your sins
Be Baptized
Live a Faithful

Do this and you will "obtain" Salvation

Answer 6

Show me your faith by your work! Faith without work is death. After learning the truth, the sacrifice of the Christ does not cover willful sinners. This sacrifice was design to cover the original sin passed on to us.

Answer 7

Only by the Mercy of God Himself.

Answer 8

Its available mail order from any reputable television evangelist. Just send your donation in a plain wrapper.