Articles
What Saves a Person?
Question- I am confused by all the answers I get about what saves a person. Can you help me
understand?
Answer- God saves 2 Timothy 1:8-9; Jesus saves Matthew 1:21; His Blood saves Ephesians 1:7; Grace
saves Ephesians 2:8; Mercy saves Titus 3:5; Gospel saves 1 Cor. 15:1-2; Love saves John 3:16; Hope
saves Romans 8:2; Works save James 2:24; Hearing saves Mt 7:24-27; Faith saves Ro 5:1, 10:1; Belief
saves Acts 16:31; Repent saves Acts 17:30; Confession saves Ro 10:9-10; Baptism saves1 Pet 3:21;
Calling on the Lord saves Romans 10:13 and we are told to Save ourselves Acts 2:40.
None of these “alone” save us. They are also not competing concepts that work against one another and
make God an “author of confusion” which He is not (1 Cor. 14:33). The confusion that arises on the
subject of salvation, or any other is not from God but arises from men. God has revealed to us “all things
that pertain to life and godliness.” (2 Peter 1:3). His word is clear, but men have confused it by setting up
their own creeds and denominational ideas to divide men and confuse them. The reason is to “draw away
disciples after themselves.” (Acts 20:30). This is what moves many people to forget about religion and
churches and give up on pursuing God’s truth and salvation.
In the above list of things that save us 5 of them are what God does on His part to save us and the others
are what God has given us as His works for man to obey and implement to please God and follow His
will. Obedience to God is essential and nothing He tells us to do is trivial or can be ignored. We are
commanded to understand what the will of the Lord is, as we study His directions in His word. He has
provided us with all things in His inspired word (2 Tim. 3:16,17), so that we can be complete and
furnished thoroughly unto all good works.
God is not trying to confuse us. He wants all of us to be saved (2 Pet. 3:9). He is longsuffering to us so
that we have a chance to come to Him. However, we must follow His directions and sometimes we need
help understanding His directions (Rom. 10). We must be careful to be wise in our study with others and
always take what God says in His Word over what men say. Family, preachers, friends and
denominations are not the final word on what saves us. We leave you with this passage from God as
revealed to us by Paul in Romans 3:4- “let God be true and every man a liar.” Be careful in your bible
study to follow the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).
