Insights through questions
By Jerry Batson, Th.D.
Special to The Alabama Baptist
These questions have been the doorway through which we think about theological topics such as the nature of Christ, the nature of man and the nature of truth. This week’s question is actually two questions — questions that cause us to think about salvation.
The first of these questions was put to Jesus by His disciples in the aftermath of His encounter with the rich young ruler. Jesus commented on the rich young man’s sorrowful departure with the comment about it being easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter God’s kingdom. The disciples’ question was, “Who then can be saved?” (Matt. 19:25)
Multiple Bible passages are quite clear and unanimous with the answer. One of the most memorized and quoted verses in Scripture is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
‘Whoever believes’
The answer to the disciples’ question about who can be saved is simply “whoever believes.” In like manner Romans 10:13 declares, “For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” Again the answer to the question about who can be saved is “whoever.” No one is beyond the reach of saving grace.
The second question about salvation makes the issue personal. A jailer in Philippi voiced this question when he asked Paul and Silas, “What must I do to be saved?”
The crucial movement in the two questions about salvation is the movement from “who” to “I,” thus making the question about salvation a personal matter. The answer given was, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31).
Recapture the experience
We might summarize the biblical responses to these questions about salvation in four parts. First, we must recognize the need for salvation. Second, we must respond to the gospel by accepting the good news that Christ came into the world to save sinners. Third, we must repent of our sins and choose to turn from sin to the Savior. Fourth, we must receive Christ by faith, trusting Him in our hearts and confessing Him with our mouths (Rom. 10:9–10).
Most of us who will be reading these words have long since answered for ourselves the questions about salvation. However, it serves us well to go back and recapture the personal experience of embarking upon the Christian life.
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