Check all that you think are necessary to get to heaven:
All roads lead to heaven
Maybe a better phrase is "I hope all roads lead to heaven." Without omniscience, we cannot say "all" with certainty. We don't know. We do know, through scripture passed down from the omniscient God, that broad is the way that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13). One narrow way leads to life (Matthew 7:14). The narrow-minded have a finite belief in an easy way concocted by themselves (their efforts) to get to heaven while rejecting the infinite wisdom of an all-knowing God who already made a way with a simple command to be obeyed: believe. Jesus Christ is the object of salvation leading to heaven, rather than our hope that all roads lead to heaven.
Be sorry for your sins
While it is good to be sorry for your sins, it is not required for salvation. Instead, an understanding of what is sin, who has sinned, who has not sinned, and why sin separates mankind from God in heaven is what will precede your change of mind about Jesus and belief in Him as the One who can save you from the penalty of sin. The object of salvation from sin's penalty is Jesus Christ, not your ability to be sorrowful. For an understanding of sin, review the
Bad News page on our site so that the
Good News makes sense.
Be willing to turn from your sins
Just like being sorry for your sins is not required for salvation, neither is being willing to turn from your sins a requirement for salvation. Instead, an understanding of what is sin, who has sinned, who has not sinned, and why sin separates mankind from God in heaven is what will precede your change of mind about Jesus and belief in Him as the One who can save you from the penalty of sin. The object of salvation from sin's penalty is Jesus Christ, not your willingness to turn from your sins. For an understanding of sin, review the
Bad News page on our site so that the
Good News makes sense.
Turn from your sins
Which ones? What if you forget one of them? What if you slip up after turning from them? You don't need to turn from your sins to be saved. The object of salvation from sin's penalty is Jesus Christ, not your finite effort to turn from them (if you know what they are and can avoid all of them). Turning from sin is a result of being saved and that result is not instantaneous but a process over time (sanctificaiton). For an understanding of sin, review the
Bad News page on our site so that the
Good News makes sense.
Keep the Ten Commandments
When should you start keeping them? What if you've already broken one of them (James 2:10)? No one can keep the Ten Commandments as the depth of each commandment is very deep even though the commandment itself is short. Also, Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath rest, so there are now nine for us to try to keep. If we try to keep the Sabbath rest ourselves, then we are not trusting Jesus to be the Sabbath rest and we sin. Coveting, hating, lying, making God's name out to be meaningless (vain) by breaking man's laws that are not against God's laws (e.g. speeding on the highway, cheating on taxes) breaks His commandments. This is all to show that man cannot keep the Ten Commandments. It is hopeless and you need to understand that, but do not despair! That is why Jesus came to save us from our sins. Only He, as God and man, could pay the infinte fine for sin. He is the One who is our hope and He is the One on whom to believe (the object) for salvation.
Pray the sinner's prayer
This is not found in the Bible. Prayer is a tool for believers who wish to communicate with God. However, it is not the method for salvation. If someone changes his/her mind about Jesus and believes and then prays, then that is the prayer of a believer. "Praying" a special incantation is not a part of salvation: believing on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation is what is required. Praying after salvation may be used to communicate thankfulness to God for His grace and mercy on your life.
Pray to receive Christ
The act of praying is not what brings salvation. In a sense, it is like hoping that Christ will find you worthy of His gift. Only God can judge the heart (Luke 16:15; Acts 15:8) regarding what is leading someone to pray, but faith in Christ is what leads to salvation, not a prayer or offer to receive Christ. He has already offered you the gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9) and it is your responsibility to believe. Jesus Christ is the object of salvation and belief/faith in Him is the command to be obeyed. After salvation, prayer is a way for believers to communciate with God.
Ask Jesus into your heart
What if He doesn't fit? How does He get in there? What if your heart is defective, would he want to be in there? This is a statement that has confused many people and it is a statement not found in the Bible. Instead, the Bible clearly states that we are to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Jesus is the object of our belief and we believe by using our mind, not by opening an organ or following a clever metaphor.
Invite Jesus into your life
For tea? What if He prefers someone else's life? Maybe your life is too complicated or you don't really have much time to give Him because you work too much? You don't have much to offer since you are finite and He is infinite. Instead, Jesus offered His life for YOU and invites you to be with Him because He loves you. That's the best gift of all, but you must believe in Him (changing your mind, putting your trust in Him).
Believe on/trust in Christ alone
If you believe there are other requirements to be saved, then you missed the part about "Christ alone" (John 14:6). If you are confused about this, then read through the
Good News presentation or
contact us and we can help you understand. Once you understand the requirement of the gospel for salvation, then will you obey it and believe?
If you were brave enough to reject all other methods used to try to "get saved" and chose this one (believe on the Lord Jesus Christ), then congratulations! After you have changed your mind about Jesus Christ and believe on Him alone for salvation, then you become one of God's elect and are destined for eternal life with God in heaven (John 3:16). If you have believed, then would you
share that with us?
Confess Jesus before men
Confessing Jesus before others is an act that a believer will do by nature. It is not a requirement of salvation. In this case the object is the act of confessing, but in the case of salvation the object is Jesus Christ (the One who can save).
Be water baptized
Water baptism is a command for those who have believed, but it is not a condition of salvation. There is an order: Repent [change your mind] and [then] be baptized (Acts 2:38). In the case of John 3:16 or Acts 16:31, believe. The Bible never commands unbelievers to be baptized in order to be saved or to be marked or set aside for salvation at a later date. The object of Salvation is Jesus, not water or the act of being baptized. The significance of baptism is to show others that you have been given new life by faith in Jesus Christ and you identify with his death, burial, and resurrection from the dead.
Put Jesus on the throne of your life
Who's running the show here? You or Jesus? Who is the Lord of all? Jesus is the Lord of all whether you believe it or not. Since He is Lord already, you can't put Him on the throne of your life. Your offering and your effort to acknowledge Him as Lord of all isn't what saves you from eternal condemnation. Even the demons believe that there is one God and tremble (James 2:19), yet they refuse to obey God. You, however, have been given life and given a choice to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the object here, not your offer or effort.
Make Jesus Lord of your life
Many preachers claim, "If He isn't Lord of all, He isn't Lord at all" meaning that if you haven't "made" Jesus the Lord of your life then you aren't saved. In regard to salvation, the object of salvation is Jesus and not your ability to "make" Jesus Lord of your life. Your responsibility is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, meaning you have changed your mind about who He is, what He has done, and what you must do (believe).
Surrender your life to Jesus
What is the object here? It is you and your effort. Being a finite being, what does that mean to an infinite God? God gave Himself as a ransom for mankind and He gave a requirement for salvation: believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, the object of our faith and the only One who can save us.
Give your heart or life to Jesus
This sounds like a nice thing to do, but it won't save you from eternal condemnation. Jesus is the object of salvation, not your offerings or gifts.
Promise to live for Jesus
Our promises can never be kept. If we decide to sleep in longer, then we are choosing to use that time selfishly rather than for Jesus, right? What about the time we spend watching TV, movies, surfing the Internet, shopping, caring for the elderly, or taking children to events? That time could have been spent living for Jesus instead, right? Where are our priorities? Does the promise apply 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or just on Saturday or Sunday? Do you see the futility of this promise? There is no absolute line at which point we live for ourselves or others versus living for Jesus. With salvation, there is an absolute line and that line is the point in time in which you beleive on the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from your sin. You get to that point in time when you agree with God in scripture that you are a sinner, you need salvation from your sin, you change your mind about your condition and who is the One who can save you, and you believe God. Jesus is the object of salvation, not us or our promises to Him.
Commit your life to Jesus
How much of it? All of it, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Should you sleep? What if you become mute or paralized? This is a nice jesture from a finite being to an infinite God, but it won't save you from your sins. We're covering the requirement for salvation in this quiz and the object of salvation is Jesus Christ and not your efforts to show your love for Him. Believers may show their love to Him by growing in knowledge and sharing His gospel with others, but that comes after salvation.
Get your life turned around
How far around? 180 degrees? That assumes you were going exactly in the opposite direction from heaven. Well, it is true that we are all condemned already (John 3:18), but the object in this case is our own effort. The object of salvation is Jesus Christ and Him alone. No extra effort on our part helps us get there. Jesus = 100%, not Jesus=99%, man=1%. Either we believe or we don't believe. We show that we don't believe by believing that we need to add our own effort to our salvation from sin. Jesus paid the penalty for sin in full (John 19:30).
Go to church more than a few times a year
If you choose to attend a church with solid Bible teaching, then good for you! If you choose to attend a church with teaching that is contrary to the Bible, then we'd prefer you attend it less to never and find a good church instead. However, attending any kind of church (good or bad) won't save you from eternal condemnation! Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ is your responsibility, not the responsibility of the Church to do that for you. Head-knowledge of the Bible can be an obstacle of faith if your goal is to learn about the Bible rather than put the teachings of the Bible into practice (especially believing on the Lord Jesus Christ). Your effort at getting to church is not the object of salvation.
Turn away from the world
Does that include avoiding our neighbors who are worldly? Bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33). While believers should be careful with whom they associate, it doesn't mean they should avoid those who are worldly. However, it is difficult to become a believer without hearing
the gospel (Good News). A believer will progressively drift away from the world with maturity, but one who does not yet believe cannot be saved by turning away from the world. Jesus is the object of salvation, not our ability to turn away from the world which has a limited degree of effectiveness depending on the person.
Forsake all
Does all mean all or only all of something specific? All of your worldly goods? Even your clothes (you could get arrested)? What if you forsake the wrong thing? The object of salvation is Jesus Christ, not your finite ability to forsake all of a few things. Discipleship isn't a requirement of salvation. Careful reading in the Bible by means of context helps shed light on many misunderstood passages. In regard to salvation, which this quiz is about, forsaking worldly things isn't required and even for disciples in this day with the scriptures completed, forsaking all is not required. There was a reason and purpose for Jesus' disciples to do what they did and that work has been completed.
Follow Jesus
Following Jesus has to do with discipleship and only believers can be disciples. Jesus is the object of salvation, but following is not the means of salvation. Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ is the means prescribed by God for salvation from the penalty of sin (eternal condemnation).
Do the will of God
God would like it if you would do His will. If it means you have believed God and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, then congratulations! If it means you are hoping to do God's will or good deeds to earn your way to heaven, then you are missing the mark. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and THEN you may do the will of God in your life.
Do your best, sincerely
Sincerety won't prevent an accident from happening just like sincerely trying to do your best or doing good won't prevent eternal condemnation for those who will not believe (John 3:18). Only by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ will you be saved (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9).
All of the above
None of the above
If you believe there is another way, then what is it (John 14:6)?
Let us know and we can help you understand what is written in the Bible or read through the
Good News presentation on our web site and then try this quiz again. Once you understand the requirement of the gospel for salvation, then will you obey it and believe? If you have believed, then would you
share that with us?
