Acts 16:30,31
What Does It Mean To Believe On The Lord Jesus Christ?
What is the determining factor in salvation? Exactly what does a person have to do to be saved. The Bible does not leave us in the dark!
In Acts 16 the Philippian jailor asked Paul and Silas , “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” and they answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”
The jailor was asking, “What one thing is absolutely necessary for my salvation?” And the answer was , “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
In John 3:36 Jesus divides the world into two groups. “ He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” In John 3:18, again, Jesus divides the world into two groups. “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
The determining factor in salvation is faith. Believe denies salvation by character and discredits salvation by works, but it declares salvation by trust.
Galatians 3:26 states “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
“BELIEVERS” is a term that describes our CONVICTIONS about Christ.
What does in mean to believe in Jesus?
I. To believe means to hear and ACCEPT the WORDS Of Jesus Christ
The words of Jesus recorded in the Bible expose our sins and exalt the Saviour.
When one believes the WORDS of Jesus, they accept the fact that they are a sinner in need of a Saviour.
When one believes the WORDS of Jesus, the accept the fact that what he says about man’s nature and need as true.
When one believes the WORDS of Jesus, they hear and accept the statement of Jesus when he said, “Ye must be born again.”
When on believes the WORDS of Jesus, they hear and accept the declaration “I am the way, the truth, and the life......”
The essence of faith lies in this, casting one-self on a promise.
When on believes the WORDS of Jesus, the hear and accept the pronouncements that He made about Hell, the eternal destination of all unbelievers.
See John 5:24; John 8:47.
To believe means one has heard what Jesus said about the must of salvation and the means of salvation.
See John 8:37. They were so filled with pride, and prejudice, and false notions, that they would not receive His truth; and as they had not received His truth and could not bear it, they sought to kill him. They sought to kill him because they were not a beliver.
II. To believe means to trust and APPROPRIATE the WORK of Jesus
Jesus came to do something no one else could do. He came to die for sinful man. He came to die as the sinless Son of God to pay for the penalty of our sins. He came to be the sinner’s substitute.
Matthew 20:28 “the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
He came to give His life for the sheep.
In the work of Jesus:
A. Law was magnified - Matthew 5:17 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”
Jesus kept the law in spirit and in letter. He kept the law in its injunctions and its intentions. Jesus fulfilled the demands of the moral law, and he fulfilled the details of the ceremonial law.
He even challenged the enemies, “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” He challenged them to take the entire mosaic law in all its 613 commandments and test his life by its letter and spirit, by its sum and substance, by its precepts and principles. He dared them to go to his home, to question those who had lived with him, his mother and his siblings, to see if he had ever done anything less than perfect. He challenged them to go to Nazareth and talk to anyone and everyone he had ever done business with to see if they could find the slightest flaw in his conduct. Trace his footsteps and see if you can find even the slightest imperfection in him.
B. Justice was satisfied
Justice for sin demands a penalty. When Jesus die on the cross of Calvary as my substitute, justice was satisfied (2 Corinthians 5:21).
God did not overlook sin, but He forced it out into the open where He dealt with in a way that honored His righteous character. All the vileness of the sinner was transferred to the substitute, and all the virtue of the substitute is transferred to the sinner that believes. The cross of Calvary makes it possible for God to be both just and the Justifier.
C. Hell was nullified
Hell’s path was made void for the one that believes on Christ.
D. Salvation was simplified
So simple a child can understand it.
III. To believe means to honor and APPRECIATE the WORTH of Jesus
Acts 4:12 states, “Neither is there salvation in any other.....” This statement is designed to be exclusive. No exception at all! If there is salvation in none other, THEN there must ONE that is all-sufficient. "Neither is there salvation in any other.”
Do I think that none are saved apart from Christ? I don t think it, I know it according to our text.
Whatever is your way of salvation——for there are a thousand different inventions of men whereby they seek to save themselves —— whatever it may be, hear what this verse states: “Neither is there salvation in any other.”
I Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”
Isaiah 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”
No name except that divinely appointed one, by which salvation from sin can be expected-none given under heaven-no other means ever devised by God himself for the salvation of a lost world. He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; and no man ever came, or can come, to the Father but by him.
Acts 10:43 “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” See Romans 3:22. Salvation is given unto all and to all that believe in Jesus Christ. It is unique in his approach “by faith” and universal in its appeal - “There is no difference......all have sinned.”
No other Savior but Jesus; no salvation if His is rejected; no other name to save from destruction, unless He is accepted. There is no other person designed or appointed by God, to be the author of redemption and procurer of salvation for a lost and miserable world, but only Christ. Take heed then, that we do not reject or set Him at naught; for in rejecting of Christ, we reject the wisdom of God, the authority of God, the love of God, yea, the salvation of God.
Jesus is the only Saviour! The devil will try to make us believe that there is salvation apart from Jesus Christ, but we know there is none. Nothing can take His place. He is the One we all need, and He alone meets all the needs of all. Jesus is sufficient for all, but efficient for those only who believe.
Jesus alone is the source, sum, and substance of all spiritual sufficiency. No substitute can ever replace him, and no superior can ever surpass Him. Jesus did not have a predecessor, and Jesus will never have a successor.
Conclusion:
What does it mean to believe in Jesus?
To accept the WORDS of Jesus
To appropriate the WORK of Jesus
To appreciate the WORTH of Jesus
DISMISS HIS WORDS, DENY HIS WORK, and DISCOUNT HIS WORTH and you will find yourself in hell for eternity.
“There is no sin that shall damn the man who believes in Jesus Christ, and nothing can save the man who will not believe in Jesus Christ. He that believes shall be saved, be his sin ever so many, and he that believes not must perish, be his sins ever so few,” - C. H. Spurgeon.
