Maybe you have asked yourself a question like, "How can, or how do I know if I am saved?" Have you wondered what being saved is all about? To get a feel for what we are going to be talking about, let's begin with something we can identify with. I am sure that you have gone to a doctor at some time or another. The question is, "Why did you go to the doctor?" You can answer that question easily, or does the reason you went to the doctor go further than you realize. We will return to this thought as we continue.

There are four (4) cases that are written in the Bible that can help us with these questions. There are many more, but let's just look at these four for now. maybe one of these four will fit a description that you may identify with and help answer questions you may have concerning what being saved is all about and how you can know if you are saved or not saved.

1. The rich young ruler
2. Nichodemus
3. Zacchaeus
4. The Philippian jailer

The account of what we know as the rich young ruler found in Mat 19:16-30 and Luke 18:18-26 is one example. He asked what he could do to inherit eternal life. He told Jesus how good he was in keeping the commandments, but couldn't part from his riches and turned and walked away. Why did he ask Jesus what he could do to inherit eternal life? We are familiar with Nichodemus, the Pharisee who came to Jesus by night and how Jesus said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Why did he come to Jesus and why was it by night? This account is in John 3:1-21 and includes the infamous verse, John 3:16. We also have the account of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:2-10 who climbed the sycamore tree. We are familiar with the words, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down. Why did he climb the sycamore tree? Finally, we have the account of the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:27-30. Why did he ask Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Going back to the question, "Why did you go to the doctor?" Why did you go to the doctor? You may say you went to the doctor because you had a bad headache, or you were having chest pains. Maybe you say you went to the doctor because you had cut your hand peeling potatoes or you had stepped on a broken board and had a splinter in your foot. Was that the real reason you went to the doctor? Let's ask some more questions. Have you ever had a bad headache or had chest pains where you didn't go to the doctor? Did you take some pain pills like aspirin or tylenol to relieve the pain instead of going to the doctor? Have you ever cut you hand peeling potatoes or had a splinter in your hand or foot and not gone to the doctor, but put a bandage on the cut or pulled the splinter out with tweezers? So, did you go to the doctor for the reason you thought you did, or was there another reason why you really went to the doctor? Did something inside tell you that you needed to go to the doctor because this was something that really needed to be taken care of that required more than what you could do on your own?

Now let's go a little further. Why did you go to the particular doctor that you went to? Was he your family doctor and/or a doctor you trusted could take care of the problem, or would be able to tell you what needed to be done. You may have went to him to see if there was indeed a problem and how serious it was. Sometimes we think the problem is a serious problem when it turns out to be something minor. How relieved we are when we hear the doctor tell us that it is not something we need to be concerned about. Maybe he was not able to help with the particular problem you had, but knowing it was serious, he referred you to a specialist who was qualified in the field of your particular need.

We will use chest pains in this case as the symptom that caused you to seek a doctor. After seeing the doctor, he may have diagnosed you with a blockage in the artery of the heart. He tells you that if you do not have immediate surgery to unblock the artery you will die. You decide to proceed with the surgery and the blockage is removed. Not only does the doctor tell you that the surgery was successful and you will be fine. How do you know the blockage has been removed? One reason you know the blockage has been removed is because you trust the doctor and believe what he has told you. Another reason you know that it has been removed is because the chest pains you had are no longer there.

Why did the rich young ruler ask what he could do to inherit eternal life? Why did Nichodemus come to Jesus. Why did Zacchaeus climb the sycamore tree? And, finally, why did the Philippian jailer ask, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They all asked these questions because they knew they had a need and Jesus was the only solution.

How did they know they had a need and who to go to to meet that need? John 6:44 says, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him." How does the Father draw someone to Christ? He does it through the heart. Proverbs 27:19 says, "As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man." In 1 Sa 16:7 it says, "for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." Heb 4:12 says, " For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." We may be familiar with Lydia, the seller of purple, in Acts 16:14. It says, "whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul." Notice, it says, "whose heart the Lord opened." Without the Lord opening our heart, being drawn by the Father, we can't even see our need in order to come to ask the question like the Philippian jailer asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" That pulling on our heart is the Holy Spirit telling us we need to come to Jesus because this is something that really needs to be taken care of and it is something that He alone can do. Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

Let us now answer the question posed by the Philippian jailer, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" There is only one thing that we can do as far as labor is concerned and that is to work the work of God. And what is the work of God? Jesus was asked that and gives us the answer to that question. In John 6:28-29 it says, "Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. There is nothing that we can "do" in order to be saved other than that. Paul and Silas answered the Philippian jailer and told him what he must do in Acts 16:31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Paul also said in Romans 10:8-11, "8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

What is being saved and what does it really mean? People hear about being saved and may ask, "Saved from what?" Without going into great detail, we will go right to the necessities. Regardless of what you may have been told, there is a heaven and there is a hell. When man fell from the Garden of Eden, he was destined to be eternally separated from God in the place that was made for the devil and his angels. (Mat 25:41) But God provided a way that man would not have to go there by sending His Son, Jesus, to take our place and receive the punishment that was justly ours.

Another question is, "Why do I need to be saved? I know someone who says they got saved, but I don't see any difference in them, so what is it all about?" The truth is, there are many who claim to be saved and are not and there is no change in their lives. There are others who really get saved and don't grow in Christ and remain almost unchanged as far as one may see on the outside. The Bible says "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" 2Co 5:17. In the account of Nichodemus in John 3:4-6, "3 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. It is no longer the keeping of the law, but of grace that we are saved. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. Gal 6:15. The Philippian jailer asked, "What must I do?" Regardless of what others may or may not do, getting saved is personal.

Let us now return to the beginning thought. Why did you go to the doctor? You see, to know you need to go to the doctor and actually going to the doctor is the idea that is posed here. To know that you need to come to Jesus and receive the free pardon of sin and actually receiving that pardon is on the same order. We can believe in going to the doctor and never go and we will die if it is life-threatening. We can believe in Jesus the same way and if we never come to Him asking him to forgive us for our sins and save us we will suffer eternal death which is eternal separation from God in the place called hell. In John 1:12 we read, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." The question was asked previously, "Why did you go to the particular doctor that you went to?" Why do we need to come to Jesus, doesn't all roads lead to the same place? The Bible states in Act 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." If you have never done so, will you receive Christ right now. There is a place you can go to if you want to find out more about how to be saved. Click here to go there now, or if you need to speak to someone you can contact us by email at brotherbell@seventylambs.com or admin@seventylambs.com.

What is salvation all about? Hopefully, you can see what salvation is and receive the gift that is freely given to all who call upon the name of the Lord. After you are saved the purpose for you now is to grow in Christ by reading your Bible, praying, and going to a church that teaches the Bible in truth. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you do so. Become a witness for the glory of the Lord telling others what the Lord has done that they too may be saved from that awful place call hell. One day very soon, Jesus is going to return as he promised he would and that they need to accept Jesus into their heart and ever be with the Lord throughout eternity. If you are saved and have not been growing in Christ, repent of your sins and ask Jesus to forgive you and help you to be the kind of person he would have you to be that others may see the difference that Christ has made in your life and become that witness that you should be. Jesus loves each and every one of us and it is not his will that any should perish.

May God richly bless you my friend.