What Saves Us?
At a food buffet you can choose meats, vegetables and desserts. If you wish, you can leave behind anything you do not like or want. God’s Word is the food for your soul but with it there is No Bible Buffet!
What does the New Testament say saves, justifies and redeems us?
God – Romans 8:33 “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” (Titus 1:3; 1Timothy 2:3)
Jesus Christ – Acts 4:10-12 “Be it known . . . that by the name of Jesus Christ . . . Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Matthew 18:11; Romans 5:10)
Calling On the Lord – Acts 2:21 “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:10 “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (1Corinthians 6:11)
The Spirit of God – 1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
Christ’s Blood – Romans 5:9 “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Galatians 6:14; 1 Peter 1:18&19)
Faith\Belief – Mark 16:16 “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (John 3:16; Romans 5:1)
Repentance – Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said unto them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”’ (Luke 13:3)
Confessing the Lord Jesus – Romans 10:9-10 “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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Baptism – 1 Peter 3:21 “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:” (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38)
God’s Mercy – 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 Ghost;”
The Word – James 1:21 “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”
Works – James 2:24 “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”
Grace – Acts 15:11 “But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 2:8)
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There are many churches that accept some of the passages above but refuse to see others as necessary for salvation. Picking and choosing from scripture is Bible buffet! It is not pleasing to God because “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” 2 Timothy 3:16-17.