What must I do to be saved?

My dad pointed me to an article snippet that quickly caught my attention.  It said, "While 80 percent of American's say they believe in heaven, few people agree on...how we will get there."  The reason I found this interesting is because of how ironic this statement really is.  Many times people make answers so much more difficult then they really need to be.  If I wanted to go to a restaurant called "The Melting Pot," how would I find out where to go?  Naturally I would look for an address, look at a map, and get directions.  If I wanted to go to the Grand Canyon, how would I know where to go?  Again, I would look at something that would tell me where I am, and which direction I need to go to reach my destination.  What would I do if I wanted to go to China, Japan, Paris, or any other location?  I do not wish to belabor this point, but obviously I would seek some sort of direction and guidance in order to reach the destination.  I might even rely on others who know how to get there.

Today, most people would probably say something to the effect of, "If you just do more good things then bad things, if you are a good person overall, then God will probably let you into heaven."  Some may even say that we need to believe in God.  Beyond all of this, there are so many different denominations, creeds, interpretations, and opinions about heaven that it can become very confusing.  So which way is right?  While there are many different ways to get to the Grand Canyon or most other locations, it is wrong to apply the same logic to a place no person alive today has been to yet.  However, it is logical to look for directions from the Supreme Being who actually made everything, and even wrote down everything people need to know.

So, if people want to find out how to get to heaven, why not just look at the best map directions that were ever given.  This is, of course, the Bible.  God has literally "mapped" out what people need to do in order to reach this glorious place.  He does not give several ways to get there or leave it to someone else's opinion.  We find the only set of reliable direction is from Him.  There are even several "landmarks" that let us know we are moving in the right direction.  They are:

 

(1) Hear the good news about Jesus Christ (John 6:45; Romans 10:17; etc).

(2) Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (John 8:24; Romans 10:17; etc).

(3) Repent of sins (Acts 17:30-31; 2 Cor. 7:10; etc).  This means to turn away from a life of sin to a life committed to the Lord.

(4) Confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt 16:13-16; Romans 10:9-10; etc).

(5) Be Baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Galatians 3:26-27; Mark 16:15-16; 1 Peter 3:21; etc).

(6) Remain Faithful until the end (Revelation 2:10; 1 John 1:5-7; etc).  We do this by obeying the commands He has given in the Bible.

 

            This is what God's directions say.  Taking one out or leaving one off would lead a person off course.  We must be very careful following directions from anything or anyone else which says something different than God.  In fact, do not even take my word for it; study God's word for yourself.  God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).  Many people may disagree on how to get to heaven, but let's not make the answer harder than it needs to be.  God has clearly mapped out the answer for us.  All we have to do is follow the best map directions ever given.

 

Brett Petrillo