Is belief the only requirement for salvation?
The jailor asked what he must do to be saved. Paul replied to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. He didn't say that the jailor must be born again. He didn't say he had to be in the vine. Many people believe in Jesus but that's as far as it goes. There is no fruit, no fellowship with other believers, no growth in their walk with God. Is belief then the only requirement to be saved?
Acts 17:1 - 34
ESV - 1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures.
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Asked May 02 2021
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John Adamson
Supporter
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Tim Maas
Supporter
I understand the questioner's point, but I would say that Paul's statement to the jailer (as well as his writings, such as Ephesians 2:8-9) would be consistent with the Reformation doctrine of "Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Sola Scriptura" (By grace alone, by faith alone, by Scripture alone), which was a necessary corrective to the pre-Reformation belief that had evolved over the centuries that human works, belief in man-made non-Scriptural doctrines, or observance of purely human traditions had to be added to faith in order for an individual to receive eternal life in God's presence. SALVATION is the product of faith alone. Faith in Christ is the essential, metaphorical "foundation" on which that salvation rests. The other factors mentioned by the questioner (which the believer would figuratively "build" on that foundation) SHOULD be present in the life of a professed believer, and (to the extent that they ARE in fact present) will serve as the basis for the varying degrees of eternal REWARD that believers will receive from Christ. (The glorified Christ made this point in Revelation 22:12.) Those rewards should serve as a powerful incentive for believers to strive to earn them. But the degree of those rewards will not affect the basic fact or assurance of the believer's salvation.
Emmanuel Antwi DWUMA
Supporter
No! Believing is not the only requirement for salvation. It's the first step towards salvation. You need to practice what you believe. If I say I believe in Christ, but do not obey what he tells me, then that kind of faith will not save me. James 2:14-26 talks extensively about belief and faith. Verse 19 says, "You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble". The question is, will these devils be saved because they believe? Not at all! For their belief is not backed with action, hence no salvation for them. The quote above even went further to tell us about their feelings concerning their belief; "The devils also believe, and tremble.” You see, they tremble because unlike us, they see God physically and know what God can do, yet because of pride and disobedience, they cannot be saved.
Billy P Eldred
Supporter
To me, the answer to your question is no, believing is not enough. But, BELIEVING is! In your example, did the person really believe? If you really believe Jesus is Who He said He was: “The Way, The Truth and The Life”, the One Who died to Save you, the Son of God, God, the One who can give you eternal life, Would you not maybe want to change some things starting with trying to please Him and doing what He asks you to? Like maybe “Love the Lord your God with all you heart, mind, soul and strength and loving others as yourself? Doing you best to stop offending Him by sinning over and over? To me, that is believing. And for that kind of belief, Jesus can and will give you eternal life. Not because you earned it but because you have Faith in Him who loves you. Don’t worry, if you slip up sometimes, as long as you continue to love Him and have Faith, He will be Faithful to forgive your trespasses. You can have confidence that Jesus will do as He says, He as God cannot lie. Even so, You don’t own eternal life. If you did you could boast. You have the right to boast about Jesus who gives you the hope of eternal life which will (future tense) be given to you at resurrection as long as you continue to believe! Love the Lord. He is worthy!
James Kraft
Supporter
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me HATH EV ERLASTING LIFE. John 3:18 Believers are no longer condemned, but unbelievers are condemned already, because they have not believed on the name of the Son of God. Romans 3:26-28 For he is the just and the justifier of them that BELIEVE in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? By the law of works? Nay, but by the law of FAITH. Therefore we conclude a man is justified by faith, apart from the deeds of the law. Man can do nothing to save himself. First Corinthians 15:1-4. That Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, that He was buried and rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures. The second we believe, or trust in Jesus as the only way of salvation apart from any works, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1:13-14. Our guarantee of eternal life. First John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that BELIEVE on the name of the Son of God, that ye may KNOW YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. John 6:40 And this is the will of Him who sent me, that ALL that seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up on the last day. We can only be saved one time. To add to a one time faith in Jesus alone is adding works to grace. Romans 11:6. Faith is not a work. It is FAITH apart from works. Mans works can not save sinners. Only Jesus finished work on the cross can save. Romans 4:5-8 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him who justifieth the ungodly, his FAITH is counted for righteousness. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness apart from works. Blessed is the man whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved, through FAITH, and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. You can not boast in free. Faith is not a work. Faith is what we believe. First Corinthians 1:21 We preach the gospel and those that BEILIEVE are saved. John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on Him. John 10:28-29 And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. And my Father who is greater than all, no one can pluck them out of my hand. Hebrews 13:5 And be content with such things as ye have, for He hath said, I will never leave you or forsake you. John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them gave He POWER to become the children of God. Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the POWER of God unto salvation to everyone that BELIEVETH, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. First John 2:2 And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him, should not perish, but HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. Faith alone in Jesus finished work on the cross alone apart from an works we do. Our works can not save sinners. Jesus died for sinners. He paid the debt and set us free. No longer condemned to hell. John 3:18. Jesus is the narrow way because there is no other way for men to be saved than what He did plus nothing. You can not add to free. Jesus paid it all and we paid 0. We have nothing to boast in because we did nothing for it. Romans 11:6 All grace, no works. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, and we all sin, First John 1:8, and we all die, but the GIFT of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. You can not boast in free.
Ben Jones
Supporter
The question: "Is belief the only requirement for salvation?" To 'believe' means to accept something by faith, (in this case, Jesus Christ) as being true. In fact Jesus said He was "the Truth" in John 14:6. So our belief and faith must be in something that is true. If we believe that Jesus is "a god" like millions of others believe, that belief and the accompanying faith is worthless because Jesus is not "a god" He is God (John 1:1). Millions of notional Christians 'believe' and have faith in Jesus in exactly the same way they believe that Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States, an intellectual belief, which is also worthless and that is also why they have no fruit to indicate their position in Christ. They are not in Christ! God chose who would be "in Christ" before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4) so who would be "in Christ" was a done deal at creation. Hebrews 12:2a "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..." The author of a book is the creator of that book just as Jesus Christ is the creator of our faith in Him. Everyone has some faith in some things but only the born again Christian has saving faith in Jesus Christ. Saving faith then leads the born again Christian to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in his life which God prepared in advance for us to. Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. So you see we can't boast about "our faith" or "our works" because God gave us the faith we needed to believe in Him and He gave us our works to indicate to ourselves and others that we truly are His children.
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