In this day and time that we are living in there is much confusion concerning the Bible.  Denominations are becoming more rampant, and all people hear about is what I call a “feel good” gospel.  The verse that we so often times hear quoted from various denominations is (John 3:16) “¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  This verse rings very true, but it doesn’t stop there.  They will tell you that all you have to do is believe.  They quote this verse then tell you to pray a “sinners prayer” which can be found nowhere in the Bible.  You can go to websites and they have it pasted on the page, and it states that you can read it, and then click a button and that “you have accepted Christ today”.  This could not be more false. You cannot find the phrase “accept Jesus as your personal savior” in the Bible.  This is a man made doctrine.  (Matthew 15:8-9) says “⁸ This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. ⁹But in vain do they worship me teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.” 

(Romans 10:17) says “¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”  So how do you hear in “accepting Jesus as your personal savior”?   (John 8:24) states “²⁴ Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”  Here it tells us that we have to believe.  The Bible doesn’t stop here, however, most denominations do.  Many denominations teach a “faith only” doctrine.  However, the only place that you will find the words “faith only” together in the Bible is in (James 2:24) where it states “²⁴Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” It clearly teaches that you are not saved by faith alone.  (Acts 17:30) says“³⁰ Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,”.  This verse teaches us that all people have to repent, and or turn away from their sinful lives.  (Romans 10:9-10) says“⁹ that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; ¹⁰ for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”  So a person has to confess Jesus Christ as Lord.  The next thing that gets a person into Christ is baptism.  (Galatians 3:26-27) says “²⁶ For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”  Notice that it says baptized into Christ.  Romans chapter 6 tells us that baptism is how we are buried in the likeness of His death, and raised out of the water in the likeness of His resurrection.  (Romans 6:1-7) ¹ What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? ²May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, ⁶ knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; ⁷ for he who has died is freed from sin.”  If you have not been baptized into Christ, you have not been buried in the likeness of His death, and your sins are not forgiven.  Once you are baptized into Christ, you are added to His Church.  You don’t accept Him, you become acceptable to Him.  (Romans 3:23) says ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.  Once we are baptized we have to live a faithful life to our Lord.  (2 Timothy 4:7-8) Paul wrote, “⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; ⁸ in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

We have to be obedient to God in His way.  The questions you should ask yourself are, “How do I get into Christ?”  “What must I do to be saved?”  “What does the Bible say?”