Created, Modified or Updated 01/24/12
All references are KJV unless otherwise stated
This Study has 8 Pages
(Q) What must I do to be saved?___(A) Follow Paul as he follows Christ,_Believe the gospel!
First things first:
Before we discuss what must I do to be saved! Let's get a few other Facts squared away first!
My Gospel:
Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Paul stresses the gospel that he preached is my gospel because it is the gospel of the grace of God given to him alone for the world today, it is dispensational in nature and we must rightly divide it if we want to make since of it, and understand it. Paul tells us in Romans 11:13 that he is our apostle, not the twelve. He also tells us that 2Corinthians 5:16 that we do not know Christ after the flesh, which is His earthly ministry to the Jews alone.
Romans 11:13. For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
2Corinthians 5:16. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
The twelve are not apostles of the Gentiles, their ministry was to the Nation Israel alone. The Lord Jesus Christ tells us that the apostle Paul is the only apostle of the Gentiles, He also tells us that Paul's message did not come from men, it came by revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven. My friend there is a lot of really good information it these next five verses!
Galatians 1:8-12:
v8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Read this verse and ask yourself, what gospel is Paul talking about, is there more than one gospel? The answer is: the gospel of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery and yes! We must believe God, because, He says there were two gospels: Number one is the gospel of the circumcision and number two is the gospel of the uncircumcision. The circumcision is under the law and the uncircumcision is under pure grace. Gospel one is set aside for now, but it will be reinstated during the tribulation, when the body of Christ is removed!.
v9. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Here in a short space of writing God warned us twice about men or even angels preaching a different message than that of the apostle Paul.
v10. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
v11. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
v12. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Therefore understand, we are Gentiles, and we should follow Paul as he followed the Lord Jesus Christ. That means that our spiritual direction should only come from the writings of the apostle Paul, but we can learn from the other Scriptures. Go back to Romans 11:13 it says that Paul is our apostle. Our spiritual directions can not come from the twelve nor can it come from the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ and the twelve's gospel is for the nation of Israel only. Whether we like it or not, the kingdom gospel is for the Jews only, under the law. When a Gentile begged Jesus for help this was His answer.
Matthew 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
This next verse very clearly explains that the Gentiles were without God in this world, and that we had no hope. But now!
Ephesians 2:12-13 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
v13. But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
At the right time, Christ chose the apostle Paul a Jew, out side of the nation Israel to be the apostle of the Gentiles and a pattern for everlasting life; our message of salvation, can only come from a Jew. The apostle Paul fits that bill perfectly through the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we must follow Paul as he followed the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven. Because Christ's earthly ministry was to fulfil the covenant promises made to the fathers, Jews only. Therefore Christ could not attend the needs of the Gentiles, until after His death burial and resurrection and ascension back to the Father's right hand.
1Timothy 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
The Scriptures clearly show that Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles. I am surprised that so many well studied men fail to see this fact. But, actually when you consider that, if the Lord Jesus Christ does not know you, you can not understand what He is saying, these things will be hid from you. If Paul's gospel is hid it is hid to them that are lost! How do we know that this is true? 2Corinthians 4:3-4 clearly explains this premise.
Read Acts 9 very carefully where the Lord Jesus Christ chooses the apostle Paul to reveal the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. Paul's gospel is the gospel of the grace of God it is the mystery that was hid in the mind of God before the world began. Christ did not allude to the mystery while He walked on earth. The Prophets did not know about the mystery either. The dispensation of the grace of God is for the growing of the church the body of Christ. Paul only went to the Gentiles after his three years in Arabia.
So why are we not preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, Paul's gospel in every pulpit in the world? We definitely should not neglect these writing's of the apostle Paul. The Holy Spirit clearly explains here what the consequences are in the next two verses.
2Corinthians 4:3-4
v3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
v4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
1Corinthians 15:1-4
v1. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
v2. By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
v3. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
v4. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
2Corinthians 4:3-4
v3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
v4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
After Paul was saved on the road to Damascus, the Gentiles now have a way to God. But the Jews still guarded the door with a passion, they even forbid Paul to speak to the Gentiles. But through God's grace anyone who believes the gospel, 1Corinthians 15:1-4 has an open door to the throne room of God's grace. It is not our own works that opens the door; it is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ's finished work on the cross alone that saves us and opens that door.
We must believe that Christ died for our sins,He was buried, He arose again after the third day, then He returned to the Father , so that He might send salvation to the Gentiles. My friend I can not find any other Scriptural way to be saved except by believing the gospel that Paul preached. Again if you say Lord Jesus I am sorry for all my sins I want to except you as my personal savior; and you do not believe Paul's gospel, just think about it before you answer, how can you be saved? Read again 1Corinthians 15:1-4 especially verse 2.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit;
God said, the Gentiles had no part in the covenant promises of Israel: They are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, salvation is through the Jews only. The Samaritan woman at the well was a half Jew, and she admitted to the Lord Jesus that salvation came only through the Jews. And that is what Paul is saying. This is very important, before Paul's ministry to the Gentiles the Gentiles had no hope, and they were completely lost. But now.
v12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
v13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
I hope you do not tire of seeing some of these verses over and over many times such as: Ephesians 2:12 because it is the clearest indication of where the Gentiles stood, before Christ saved Paul and sent him to be the apostle of the Gentiles. Do you recall, what Jesus told the apostles that brought Him the request that some Greeks wanted to see Him? Did you read any where, that Jesus said, bring them right in and I will speak to them? Jesus said:
John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
This verse above tells them that He must die and raise again before salvation can be opened to the Gentiles. In the passages below Christ tells us through the apostle Paul that we should not follow Christ's earthly ministry because it is to and for the nation Israel only, and it is under the law. Whether we like it or not, Christ's earthly ministry was to the Jews only and it was totally under the law. Is there a better reason that we should not follow the gospel of the kingdom? No! Not that I can find Scripturally. The best reason is: we are not Jews, and we are not under the law. The gospel of the kingdom is not to the body of Christ!
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Galatians 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
My friend hopefully in Christ we are led by the Spirit, therefore we are not under the law! In these next few verses you will find our marching orders which are completely different from those of the twelve. Besides we are not the priests of God the Jews will be. We are the Ambassadors for the Lord Jesus Christ.
2Corinthians 5:16-21
v16. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
v17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
v18. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
v19. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
v20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's' stead, be ye reconciled to God.
v21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
"The Roman Road to Salvation"
Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Romans 10:9 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.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved
The apostle Paul wrote these six verses and they are thoughtfully called the Roman road to salvation. Follow the Roman road by faith in Christ's finished work on the cross and be saved. If you can not agree with the Roman road then your fate is sealed in these next 2 verses.
2Corinthians 4:3-4
v3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
According to the Scripture there is no other gospel under heaven given to men where by we must be saved. Understand this, if Paul's gospel is hid or veiled to us, then Scripture says we are lost. Really I can not see any other way to read this verse. Look at verse 4 it tells us how we are blinded and lost.
v4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
The kingdom gospel has been put on hold for now, but, it will be reinstated along with the nation Israel during the tribulation. And at that time this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world by 144,000 young Jewish missionaries 12,000 from each tribe. I hope you too can see by this that the great commission belongs to the 144000 Jewish missionaries and not to the church the body of Christ.
In the tribulation those believing and excepting the testimony of those 144,000 missionaries, the Antichrist will almost certainly have them killed. Please note, these 144,000 young missionaries are all Jews. The following verse tells us why this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world.
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
In other words if one is to be saved during the tribulation one must believe the gospel of the kingdom and be put under the law. The church the body of Christ must be removed before the tribulation can begin. This is not hard to understand, because you can not mix law and grace. Therefore the gospel of the grace of God can not exist during the tribulation. The gospel of the grace of God will be just as useless to the world during the tribulation as the gospel of the kingdom is for us today.
The Great commission was given to the twelve by the Lord Jesus Christ before He ascended back to the father. But the twelve did not win Jerusalem first, then all Israel, so they could go into all the world and preached the gospel of the kingdom to every creature, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit. Gentiles who believed would become Jewish proselyte. under the law.
There would have been no need for the Jerusalem council, there would have been no need for Paul and his helpers to go to the Gentiles and the eleven to stay with the Jews only. In fact Christ would not have needed the apostle Paul for the Gentiles. Most of Christendom is missing this point altogether because, Christ had already assigned the great commission to the twelve; Christ said, go ye into all the world and preach the gospel of the kingdom to every creature. Look, Acts 1:8 gives the order in which they were to carry out their great commission.
Did you know that the twelve never left Jerusalem even during Saul's persecution of the Way? The Lord Jesus Christ chose Saul in Acts nine that he should go unto the Gentiles. The twelve still tried to win the nation Israel to Christ. The great commission belonged to the twelve! Did you know that the great commission is fully under the Mosaic law? My friend the great commission and water baptism are both Jewish rituals and both are under the law. The church the body of Christ is not under the Law. There is NO salvation outside of Paul's gospel of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery.
Therefore we must not try to mix law and grace because they are not the same! Finally the church the body of Christ must be removed from planet earth before the tribulation can begin; because, God has not chosen us for wrath. The body of Christ must be taken out of the way; only then can the gospel of the kingdom be preached in all the world by the 144,000 young Jewish missionaries. (Matthew 24:14).
Thanks for reading this page; I pray that God has opened the eyes of your understanding to the truth.
What must I do to be saved? Believe the Gospel 1Corinthians 15:1-4 and be saved!