To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Acts 10:43 (ESV)
What must I do to be saved? Some will answer this question by saying we must do something to earn our salvation. Others will make it as simple as saying what they call ‘the sinner’s prayer’. And still others, that we can do nothing, that God chooses who will be saved without any involvement on our part.
But what does the Scripture say? The passage quoted above is one of several in Acts that answer the question of what we have to do. In this passage, Peter says that everyone who believes in Jesus will receive forgiveness of sins. I do not have to ‘do’ anything. I just have to believe.
But what does it mean to believe? Believing is more than intellectual acknowledgment that Jesus is the Savior. The demons do not doubt that fact (Jam. 2:19). But it has no value to them.
While there is indeed an intellectual component to believing, it is more than that. As James 2:14-26 and Hebrews 11 point out, believing (faith) leads to action. I am not saved because of those actions. But they flow naturally from a saving belief. If my life does not reflect my belief, then it is not a saving belief.
But where does this belief come from? Is it a personal response to the gospel? Or is it supplied by God to all those He has chosen for salvation?
Over and over in Scripture, we see that salvation is a response to belief. And never the other way around. God chooses those who believe, who make a positive, personal response to the gospel. Everyone who believes will be saved and experience forgiveness of sins and a new life in Christ.
