What Must I Do To Be Saved?
A Doctrinal Study in Biblical Salvation
THE MOST
IMPORTANT QUESTION YOU MUST ASK — AND GOD HAS ALREADY ANSWERED IT
There is no
question more urgent, more eternal, and more personal than this:
“What must I do to be saved?”
This question
is not a modern invention — it is already found in the New Testament,
asked by real people in real moments of conviction, and answered by the Holy
Spirit through the apostles of Jesus Christ. This means every truth-seeker
today must stop looking elsewhere for answers. God has already
spoken. His answer is final. His plan is clear.
If the whole
world knew God’s answer to this question, no one would be lost.
So if what
you’ve heard about salvation differs from what the Bible teaches — leave
that group, that preacher, or that tradition immediately.
“If anyone preaches another gospel… let him
be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8–9)
Are you ready
to hear the real answer from God Himself?
Then come — just a few minutes of your time may mean eternity for
your soul.
I. THE
CENTRAL QUESTION
Salvation is
the most critical concern for every soul. Four times in the New Testament, the
question “What must I do to be saved?” or its direct equivalent was
asked:
- Acts 2:37 – “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
- Acts 8:36 – “See, here is water; what doth hinder me
to be baptized?”
- Acts 16:30 – “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
- Acts 22:10 – “What shall I do, Lord?”
Each of these
is asked by someone seeking reconciliation with God, not by someone
already saved. Thus, these texts are foundational answers to the question of salvation, not secondary or optional references.
II.
EXEGESIS OF EACH SALVATION SCENE
A. Acts
2:37–38 – Jerusalem (Jews)
Context:
Peter, filled
with the Holy Spirit, preaches the first gospel sermon after the resurrection.
His conclusion (v. 36):
“God hath
made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Reaction:
“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart...” (v. 37)
Greek: κατενύγησαν (katenygēsan) — pierced deeply, convicted
emotionally and spiritually.
🙹 Question:
“Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
Answer (v.
38):
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost.”
Key
Doctrinal Points:
- The verb tense in metanoēsate
(μετανοήσατε, "repent") is aorist active imperative: a
command to decisively change mind and direction.
- Baptisthētō (βαπτισθήτω, “be
baptized”) is aorist passive imperative: a command to submit to the
action.
- Eis aphesin hamartiōn (εἰς ἄφεσιν
ἁμαρτιῶν) = “for the remission of sins”, not because of
sins. Same structure in Matt. 26:28.
þ Conclusion:
Salvation is not by faith alone. These believers already believed in v. 37. Peter
still commands repentance and baptism as conditions for remission of
sins!
B. Acts
8:26–39 – Ethiopian Eunuch (Gentile convert)
Context:
Philip is
sent by the Spirit to meet the eunuch, who is reading Isaiah 53.
Key Text
(v. 35):
“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at
the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.”
🙹 Question
(v. 36):
“See, here is water. What doth hinder me
to be baptized?”
Why would he
ask this? Because preaching Jesus includes
baptism (cf. Acts 2:38).
Answer (v.
37, KJV):
“If thou believest with all thine heart, thou
mayest.”
Greek verb: πιστεύω
(pisteuō, present active indicative) — ongoing, obedient belief.
Response
(v. 38):
“They went down both into the water… and he
baptized him.”
þ Conclusion:
The eunuch believed
and confessed (Rom. 10:9–10), but his baptism was the moment of obedient
faith. Without it, he would have remained unregenerated. This demolishes
faith-alone theories.
C. Acts
16:25–34 – Philippian Jailer (Pagan)
Context:
An earthquake
opens the prison; the jailer assumes the prisoners escaped.
🙹 Question
(v. 30):
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Initial
Response (v. 31):
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”
But many stop
here and ignore context and progression:
Next Steps
(v. 32–33):
“And they spake unto him the word of the
Lord…”
“He… was baptized, he and all his
straightway.”
Greek: ebaptisthē
(ἐβαπτίσθη), aorist passive — immediate action, not symbolic.
þ Conclusion:
“Believe” was never meant as mental
assent alone. Paul had to preach the word
before the man could believe properly. The resulting action was
immediate baptism — the consistent NT pattern.
D. Acts
22:10–16 – Paul (Persecutor Turned Apostle)
🙹 Question
(v. 10):
“What shall I do, Lord?”
Jesus answers
only in part — go to Damascus and wait for instructions.
Full
Answer (v. 16):
“And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be
baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
Greek:
- ἀναστὰς (anastas) –
arise (aorist participle)
- βαπτίσαι (baptisai) –
be baptized (aorist middle imperative)
- ἀπόλουσαι (apolousai)
– wash away (aorist middle imperative)
- ἐπικαλεσάμενος (epikalesamenos)
– calling on (aorist middle participle)
Paul had
already seen Jesus, fasted for 3 days (v. 11–16), and prayed — yet still
had sins that needed washing.
þ Conclusion:
Salvation did not occur at faith or prayer, but at baptism, where sins were washed away (cf.
1 Pet. 3:21; Rom. 6:3–7).
III. WHAT
IS INCLUDED IN “PREACHING JESUS”?
“Then Philip… preached unto him Jesus”
(Acts 8:35)
To “preach Jesus” is to preach:
- Who He Is – Messiah, Lord,
risen Savior (Acts 2:36)
- What He Commanded –
repentance, confession, and baptism (Luke 24:46–47; Matt. 28:19)
- What He Offers – remission of
sins, the Holy Spirit, eternal life (Acts 2:38)
Hence, the eunuch’s baptismal question was directly provoked
by hearing the full gospel of Jesus.
IV.
REFUTING FALSE DOCTRINES
🗷 1. “Faith
Alone Saves”
Refuted by:
- James 2:24 – “Ye see then how that by works a man is
justified, and not by faith only.”
- Acts 2:37–38 – They already
believed yet were told to repent and be baptized.
- Mark 16:16 – “He that believeth AND is baptized shall
be saved.”
🗷 2. “The
Sinner’s Prayer Saves”
- No such prayer in the Bible.
- Paul prayed for 3 days before
being told to be baptized to wash away sins (Acts 9:11; 22:16).
🗷 3. “Baptism
is Just a Symbol”
- Romans 6:3–4 — Baptism is into
death; it is where we are buried and raised with Christ.
- Colossians 2:12 — “Buried with him in baptism… raised
through the faith of the operation of God.”
🗷 4. “Saved
First, Baptized Later”
- In every conversion, baptism
is immediate (Acts 2:41; Acts 8:36–38; Acts 16:33).
- Nowhere
is baptism delayed or treated as optional.
V.
CONSISTENT BIBLICAL PLAN OF SALVATION
From Genesis
to Revelation, obedience to God’s revealed word has always been essential.
In the NT:
|
Step |
Scripture
Reference |
|
Hear the
Word |
Romans
10:17 |
|
Believe |
John 8:24;
Hebrews 11:6 |
|
Repent |
Luke 13:3;
Acts 2:38 |
|
Confess
Christ |
Romans
10:9–10; Acts 8:37 (KJV) |
|
Be
Baptized |
Mark 16:16;
Acts 22:16; Gal. 3:27 |
|
Remain
Faithful |
Rev. 2:10;
Heb. 10:23–31 |
VI. GREEK
WORD STUDY HIGHLIGHTS
- Baptizō (βαπτίζω) – immerse,
submerge. Never used metaphorically for sprinkling or pouring.
- Eis (εἰς) – into, for the
purpose of. Always forward-looking (e.g., “for the remission of sins”).
- Epikaleō (ἐπικαλέω) – to call
upon (done in obedience; cf. 1 Cor. 1:2).
VII. FINAL
WARNING FROM SCRIPTURE
“If any man preach any other gospel… let him
be accursed.” (Gal. 1:8–9)
“He that believeth not shall be damned.”
(Mark 16:16)
“Not every one that saith… but he that
doeth the will of my Father.” (Matt. 7:21)
þ VIII. SUMMARY: THE BIBLICAL
ANSWER
What must
I do to be saved?
➤ Believe in Jesus as Lord and Christ
➤ Repent of all sins
➤ Confess Jesus before men
➤ Be Baptized in water for the remission of sins
➤ Live faithfully in obedience to Christ
Any other
answer is not from the Word of God.
by
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Ano Ang Dapat Kong Gawin Upang Maligtas?
Isang Komprehensibong Pag-aaral sa Doktrina Ukol sa Kaligtasan
ANG PINAKAMAHALAGANG DAPAT ITANONG NG TAO — AY NASAGOT
NA NG DIYOS
Walang mas mahalaga, mas agaran, mas personal, at
mas eternal kaysa sa tanong na:
“Ano ang dapat kong gawin upang maligtas?”
Hindi ito bagong tanong — matagal na itong tinanong
sa Bagong Tipan ng mga taong nahabag, nagsisi, at nagnanais ng
kapatawaran. At sinagot na ito mismo ng Diyos, sa pamamagitan ng
Kanyang mga apostol. Kaya’t ang bawat tunay na nahahanap ng
katotohanan ay magbasa o makinig lamang sa Salita ng Dios upang malaman
ang kasagutan mula mismo sa Kanya at hindi sa iba: "inyong hahanapin ako, at masusumpungan ako,
pagka inyong sisiyasatin ako ng inyong buong puso." (Jeremiah 29:13)
Nangusap na ang Diyos. Malinaw ang Kanyang tugon.
Kung lahat ng tao ay makakaalam ng
sagot ng Diyos sa tanong na ito, walang maliligaw.
Kaya kung ang sagot na naririnig mo ngayon ay iba
kaysa itinuro ng mga apostol — umalis ka agad sa taong iyan o sa
grupong iyan.
“…Kung ang sinoman ay mangaral sa inyo ng
anomang evangelio na iba kay sa inyong tinanggap na, ay matakuwil.” (Galacia
1:8–9)
Handa ka na bang marinig ang sagot ng Diyos mismo?
Halina — ilang minuto lang ito, pero
maaaring baguhin nito ang iyong buong buhay — at kaluluwa — magpakailanman!
I. ANG PINAKAMAHALAGANG TANONG
Ang kaligtasan ang pinakamahalagang usapin para sa
bawat kaluluwa. May apat na beses sa Bagong Tipan, ang tanong na “Ano ang dapat
kong gawin upang maligtas?” o ang direktang katumbas nito, ay tinanong na:
- Gawa 2:37 – “Mga kapatid, anong
dapat naming gawin?”
- Gawa 8:36 – “Narito, may tubig;
ano ang makahahadlang sa akin upang mabautismuhan?”
- Gawa 16:30 – “Mga ginoo, ano ang
dapat kong gawin upang maligtas?”
- Gawa 22:10 – “Ano ang dapat kong
gawin, Panginoon?”
Ang bawat isa sa kanila ay naghahanap ng tunay
na kaligtasan, hindi mga "ligtas na." Kaya ang mga
talatang ito ay pangunahing mapagkukunan ng kasagutan sa ating
paksa, hindi mga alternatibo o opsyonal na reperensya lamang.
II. PAGSUSURI SA BAWAT KAGANAPAN NG KALIGTASAN
A. Gawa 2:37–38 – Sa Jerusalem (mga Judio)
Konteksto:
Si Pedro, puspos ng Espiritu Santo, ay nangangaral
sa unang pagkakataon matapos ang pagkabuhay na muli ni Cristo. Ang kanyang
konklusyon (v.36):
“…ginawa ng
Dios na Panginoon at Cristo itong si Jesus na inyong ipinako sa krus.”
Reaksyon:
“Nang marinig
nila ito, nasaktan ang kanilang puso...”
Griyego: κατανύσσω (katanussō)
– metaporikal na nasaktan ang puso nang matindi, lalo na ng pagkalungkot sa
damdamin.
🙹 Tanong:
“Mga
kapatid, anong dapat naming gawin?”
þ Sagot (v. 38):
“Magsisi
kayo, at magpabautismo ang
bawat isa sa inyo sa pangalan ni Jesucristo sa ikapagpapatawad ng mga
kasalanan, at tatanggapin ninyo ang kaloob ng Espiritu Santo.”
Mga Puntos:
- Metanoēsate (μετανοήσατε, “magsisi”) = utos sa pandiwang
aorist active: agaran at matibay na pagbabago.
- Baptisthētō (βαπτισθήτω, “magpabautismo”) = utos sa anyong aorist
passive: ito ay pagsunod, hindi simbolo.
- Eis aphesin hamartiōn (εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν) = “sa
ikapagpapatawad ng kasalanan,” hindi “dahil pinatawad na.”
Konklusyon:
Hindi sapat ang paniniwala lamang. Naniniwala
na sila sa v. 37, pero sinabihan pa rin na magsisi at magpabautismo upang
mapatawad.
"...At
idinaragdag sa kanila ng Panginoon araw-araw yaong nangaliligtas."
(Gawa 2:47).
B. Gawa 8:26–39 – Taga-Etiopia (Eunuko)
Konteksto:
Sinugo ng Espiritu si Felipe upang salubungin ang
eunuko na nagbabasa ng Isaias 53.
Susing Talata (v. 35):
“Mula sa
kasulatang iyon ay ipinangaral ni Felipe si Jesus.”
Tanong (v. 36):
“Narito, may
tubig. Ano ang makahahadlang sa akin upang mabautismuhan?”
Bakit siya nagtanong ng tungkol sa bautismo? Sapagkat
ang tunay na pangangaral kay Jesus ay kasama ang bautismo.
Sagot (v. 37, KJV):
“Kung ikaw
ay sumasampalataya nang buong puso, maaari kang mabautismuhan.”
Greek: πιστεύω (pisteuō) –
tuloy-tuloy at matalimahing pananampalataya.
Tugon (v. 38):
“Bumaba
silang kapwa sa tubig… at binautismuhan niya ito.”
Konklusyon:
Sumampalataya at nagpahayag ng pananampalataya ang
eunuko (gaya ng sinasaad sa Roma 10:9–10), ngunit sa bautismo niya
natanggap ang kaligtasan (1Pedro 3:21). Kung wala ito,
siya’y mananatiling hindi nalilinis, samakatuwid ay hindi ligtas (Marcos 16:16).
C. Gawa 16:25–34 – Tagabantay ng Bilangguan
(Hentil)
Konteksto:
Nagkaroon ng lindol, nabuksan ang mga bilangguan.
Akala ng bantay ay tumakas ang mga bilanggo.
Tanong (v. 30):
“Mga
ginoo, ano ang dapat kong gawin upang maligtas?”
Unang Tugon (v. 31):
“Manampalataya
ka sa Panginoong Jesucristo, at
maliligtas ka...”
Ngunit hindi dito nagtatapos, kailangan
mong unawain na wala pang napapakinggang ebanghelyo o salita ng Dios na
sasampalatayanan ang Tagabantay ng Bilangguan, kaya ano ang sumunod agad na
nangyari?:
Sumunod (v. 32–33):
“At
ipinahayag nila sa kanya ang salita ng Panginoon…”
“At agad
siyang binautismuhan, siya at ang kanyang sambahayan.”
Greek: ebaptisthē – bautismong
isinagawa agad. Walang pagka-antala.
Konklusyon:
Ang “manampalataya” sa v.31 ay hindi
simpleng paniniwala lamang — kailangan ng may pagtalima sa sinampalatayanan,
kaya sinusundan ito ng bautismo. Hindi sapat ang panimulang
tugon kung wala ang buong proseso.
D. Gawa 22:10–16 – Si Pablo (dating si Saulo,
mangungusig na naging Apostol)
Tanong (v. 10):
“Ano ang
dapat kong gawin, Panginoon?”
Sinabi ni Jesus na magtungo siya sa Damasco
upang sabihan kung ano ang dapat niyang gawin. Kaya kinausap
ng Panginoon si Ananias upang papuntahin sa kinaroroonan ni Saulo (Gawa
9:10–16) at sabihin kung anong dapat niyang gawin.
Kumpletong Sagot sa tanong ni Pablo (v. 16):
“At
ngayon bakit ka tumitigil? magtindig ka, at ikaw ay magbautismo,
at hugasan mo ang iyong mga kasalanan, na tumatawag sa
kaniyang pangalan.”
Si Pablo ay nakita na si Jesus, nag-ayuno ng 3 araw
(v. 11–16), at nanalangin — ngunit taglay pa rin ang mga kasalanan na
kailangang hugasan. Papaano? Magpabautismo sa pangalan ni Cristo.
Konklusyon:
Hindi siya naligtas sa pananampalataya o
panalangin. Nanalangin siya nang tatlong araw (Gawa
9:11), pero sinabi pa rin ni Ananias na (sa utos ng Panginoong JesuCristo), “ikaw ay magbautismo, at hugasan mo ang iyong mga
kasalanan,” (cf. 1 Ped. 3:21; Rom. 6:3–7).
III. ANO ANG MAYROON SA GINAWA NI FELIPE NA
"IPINANGARAL NIYA SA KANIYA SI JESUS"?
“...at
ipinangaral niya sa kanya si Jesus” (Gawa 8:35)
Kung tunay na “IPINAPANGARAL NATIN SI JESUS,” dapat
kasama ang mga sumusunod:
- Pagkakakilanlan Niya – Panginoon, Cristo, Anak ng Diyos (Gawa
2:36)
- Mga Utos Niya – Pagsisisi, Pagpapahayag, Bautismo (Lucas 24:47; Roma
10:9-10; Mateo 28:19)
- Mga Pangako Niya – Kapatawaran, Espiritu, Kaligtasan
(Gawa 2:38)
Kaya naitanong ng eunuko kung mayroon pang
humahadlang upang siya ay mabautismohan — dahil bahagi ito ng
ebanghelyo ni Cristo na inutos Niya na dapat talimahin agad.
IV. PAGSANSALA SA MGA HIDWANG PANINIWALA
1. “Paniniwala
Lang ay Sapat” (Faith Only)
- Santiago 2:24 – “Ang tao ay
inaaring-ganap hindi sa pananampalataya lamang.”
- Gawa 2:37–38 – Naniniwala na, pero kailangang magsisi at
magpabautismo.
- Marcos 16:16 – “Ang sumasampalataya
at mabautismuhan ay maliligtas.”
2. “Panalangin ng Makasalanan” (The Sinner’s
prayer)
- Walang ganitong panalangin sa Biblia.
- Si Pablo ay nanalangin nang tatlong araw (Gawa 9:11), pero
sinabihang magpabautismo upang mapatawad (Gawa 22:16).
3. “Simbolo Lang ang Bautismo”
- Roma 6:3–4 – Sa bautismo tayo inililibing at ibinabangon kasama
ni Cristo.
- Colosas 2:12 – “Inilibing sa
bautismo... binuhay sa pananampalataya sa kapangyarihan ng Diyos.”
4. “Naligtas Na (Daw), Saka na ang Bautismo”
- Lahat ng halimbawa sa Gawa ay nagpapakitang agad ang
bautismo (Gawa 2:41; 8:38; 16:33).
- Walang ni isa na ipinagpaliban ito.
V. NAGKAKAISANG HAKBANG NG KALIGTASAN SA BAGONG
TIPAN
|
HAKBANG |
TALATA |
|
Makinig sa Salita |
Roma 10:17 |
|
Sumampalataya |
Juan 8:24; Hebreo 11:6 |
|
Magsisi |
Lucas 13:3; Gawa 2:38 |
|
Magpahayag ng Pananampalataya |
Roma 10:9–10; Gawa 8:37 |
|
Magpabautismo |
Marcos 16:16; Gawa 22:16; Gal. 3:27 |
|
Manatiling Tapat |
Apoc. 2:10; Hebreo 10:23–31 |
VI. PAG-AARAL NG GRIYEGO
- Baptizō (βαπτίζω) – lumubog, ilubog, hindi wisik o buhos.
- Eis (εἰς) – "patungo sa", hindi "dahil sa". Forward-looking.
- Epikaleō (ἐπικαλέω) – tumawag, nagangahulugan ng pagtalima.
VII. BABALA MULA SA KASULATAN
“Kung ang
sinoman ay mangaral sa inyo ng anomang evangelio na iba… ay matakuwil.”
(Galacia 1:8–9).
“…datapuwa't
ang hindi sumasampalataya ay parurusahan.” (Marcos 16:16).
“Hindi ang
nagsasabi ng ‘Panginoon, Panginoon’... kundi ang gumaganap ng kalooban ng Ama.”
(Mateo 7:21).
VIII. BUOD: SAGOT MULA SA DIYOS
“Ano ang
Dapat Kong Gawin Upang Maligtas?”
➤ Makinig sa
"salita ni Cristo"
➤ Sumampalataya kay
Jesus
➤ Magsisi sa
mga kasalanan
➤ Magpahayag ng
pananampalataya
➤ Magpabautismo para
sa kapatawaran
➤ Mamuhay nang
matapat sa kalooban ng Diyos
Wala nang ibang paraan. Lahat ng salitang sobra o
kulang ay hindi galing sa Diyos.
by
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