Okay...so the last few days, I have had these discussions on "what it takes for someone to be saved..." You must first realize my spiritual background and that I grew up and am currently in a Pentecostal denomination. We constantly had altar calls, hands raised to signify we wanted to be saved, looked at our neighbor and asked the question, walked to the altar with our friends, had people lay hands on us and pray, the "repeat after me" prayer all in the name of becoming saved and experience the life changing salvation that knowing Christ brings.
With that said, I was asked, "What does the Bible say one must do to be saved?" Being highly trained, a graduate of a Christian College, an Ordained Minister and a student of the Bible...immediately my mind raced, in Sword Drill fashion, to Romans 10:9-10 where it says,
Romans 10:9 NIV - YouVersion.com: Online Bible: "9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."
So, that posed the next question..."Do you have to go to an altar, repeat after me, raise your hand or really even pray a prayer of repentance?" Or is it more like saying the words, "I believe"? It has been an interesting few days to say the least. Now I am curious, what do you think?
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I typically point people to the book of John. The "disciple that Jesus loved" wrote his book with the salvation experience in mind. If you do a word search in John, not once will you find the word repentance, altar, etc.
When one does believe many argue (and I would concur) that the repentance is implicit in receiving Christ.
In addition, I believe we often make the mistake of asking people to do things that Christ Himself never required, e.g., bow heads with eyes closed, come to the altar, etc. Many do this because they don't want the person to be embarrassed.
If memory and study serves me right, most of the disciples died in service to the Lord, carrying His message of salvation to the then ends of the earth.
We need to be faithful followers like they and preach the gospel in season and out, without regard to whom it may offend, embarrass, etc.
Ultimately, however, the salvation experience is obtained by faith alone, in Christ alone, and not necessarily accompanied by any outward acts (tongues, baptism, et al).
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