Have You Been Saved?

JOHNNY was ten years old when a man stopped him at a fair and asked: “Young man, do you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?” That sounded like a rather strange question to Johnny, since he had always believed in Jesus. So he answered, “Of course I do.” “Praise the Lord!” the man shouted for all to hear. “Another soul saved for Christ!”

Is salvation really that simple? Was Johnny “saved” from the moment he said those words, regardless of what he would do for the rest of his life? Many sincere people would answer yes. Some religious tracts say to write down the date you were “saved” so that you can remember it.

A clergyman wrote that at “the moment of simple faith in Christ . . . one’s destiny is permanently settled.” He claimed that the Bible says that salvation depends on a single, one-time “act of faith, not on the continuity of faith.” Another religion writer wrote: “This is a finished work. It has already been accomplished for you . . . Your ‘warfare has ended.’ Your ‘iniquity has been removed.’” But even people who are firmly convinced that this is true may see a problem here. It is obvious that many people who have been told that they are “saved” do not live the way the Bible says they should. A common explanation is that perhaps they had not really “accepted” Christ.

So, what does “accepting” Jesus really mean? Is it a one-time act of faith, or is it a continuing way of life? Must our belief be strong enough to motivate us to action? Can we really accept the benefits of Jesus’ sacrifice without the responsibility of following him?

Many people want the blessings but not the responsibility of following and obeying Jesus. In fact, the word “obey” often disturbs them. Yet Jesus said: “Come be my follower.” (Luke 18:18-23) And the Bible states: “Those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus . . . will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction.”—2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9; Matthew 10:38; 16:24.

The Bible says many things that raise serious questions about what has been taught about salvation. If you would like to verify what the Bible actually says on this subject, you will find the following pages to be particularly interesting. Open your Bible, and read the cited texts to see what Jesus and his apostles taught about this vital matter.