by Jeremy Paschall
“What must I do to be saved?” If you pose that question, you will often hear someone answer that it does not matter what you believe or practice religiously. They will tell you that if you sincerely do what you believe to be right and live a good moral life you will be saved. This is certainly a comforting idea and one that is readily accepted by many (if not most) religious people, but does the Word of God support this notion? Let’s think about a man named Saul:
Now Saul…went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” (Acts 9:1-6)
Saul was a very religious and sincere man. Thinking that it was God’s will, he was willing to travel considerable distances to punish those who he thought were in rebellion against God. But was his sincere religious activity enough for him to be right with God? It obviously was not, because the Lord told him to continue to Damascus where he would learn what more he needed to do. If he was saved because he was a sincere man, why would there be more for him to do? Consider a man by the name of Cornelius:
Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius…a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Now dispatch some me to Joppa and send for a man name Simon, who is also called Peter… (Acts 10:1-6)
Cornelius was obviously a very religious and sincere man. He feared God, prayed regularly, and did many good deeds. But was his sincere religious activity enough for him to be right with God? It obviously was not. There was clearly more that he needed to learn and obey, and that is why he was told to send for Peter. If he was already saved because he was a sincere religious man, why would he have needed to send for Peter? Look at a man named Apollos:
Now a Jew named Apollos… came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. The man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. (Acts 18:24-26)
Clearly Apollos was a sincere and religious man. He passionately and boldly taught from the Scriptures. But was his sincere religious activity enough to make him right with God? It obviously was not, because it was necessary for Aquila and Priscilla to more accurately explain to him the will of God. If he was misguided about the will of God, how then could he be saved?
Clearly the Scriptures teach that sincere religious activity alone will not save you. Sincerity is absolutely necessary (Matthew 23:13-33), but our specific actions must be according to God’s divine will — not our own (Matthew 7:21).