Someone inquires, “What are the steps to salvation?” For we who live in the Christian Age, the New Testament holds the answer to this question. There is no more important question, and consequently there could be no more important answer or answers than to this question. There are a number of elements to which the New Testament attributes saving qualities. For some of these elements there is a discernible sequence of steps leading to the forgiveness of past sins. Following is a list of these saving components.
God’s Redemptive Plan
GOD’S PART Love (John 3:16) Grace (Ephesians 2:8) Mercy (Titus 3:5) Gospel (Romans 1:16)
CHRIST’S PART The Blood of Christ (Revelation 1:5) Our Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5)
HOLY SPIRIT’S PART Revelation (2 Peter 1:20-21)
MAN’S PART Bible Faith (John 8:24) Repentance (Acts 17:30) Baptism (1 Peter 3:21) Obedience (Hebrews 5:8, 9) Purity (Revelation 22:14) Faithfulness (Revelation 2:10) Love (1 John 2:10) Hope (Romans 8:24) Works (James 2:24) Endurance (Matthew 10:22) Confessing Christ (Romans 10:9-10) Being Born Again (John 3:3-5) Laying Aside Evil (James 1:21) Preaching (1 Corinthians 1:18, 21) Calling on the Name of the Lord (Romans 10:14) Knowledge of the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:15)
As components, all of the above work together toward the salvation of a soul, rather than being a shopping list from which one might select only some of them that one found desirable to the exclusion of the rest. In addition, there is a point at which one receives the forgiveness of sins. Everything before that juncture leads in the direction of salvation. A person must turn exclusively to the Word of God – for we who live today, the New Testament.
Hear God’s Word to produce biblical faith (Romans 10:17) Believe or have faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24) Repent of one’s past sins (Luke 13:3) Be willing to acknowledge publicly one’s belief that Jesus is the Christ (Matthew 10:32-33) Be baptized (immersed, Romans 6:3-5) in water for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) Live faithfully until death (Revelation 2:10) Repent and pray when sin enters one’s life as a Christian (Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:9)
Summarized in the words of Jesus Christ Himself, salvation occurs through belief or faith and baptism. “He who believes and is baptized will be saved…” (Mark 16:16 NKJV).
