What Must I Do to Be Saved?

THE THEOLOGY OF ‘GHOST’

Podcasts are the best.

I especially like listening to The Rewatchables, which is a podcast where a group of 2-4 people discuss their favorite “rewatchable” movies.

During the last episode I listened to they were talking about Ghost. (A movie I haven’t seen before… I know, I know, I should make it a point to watch it.) Since the movie is about someone’s loved one being killed and then returning as a ghost it didn’t take long for the conversation to come to a discussion about the afterlife. Specifically, the discussion was on what type of people “go to heaven” and what type of people “go to hell.” The consensus between the hosts on that episode was that if you at least live a decent life—and don’t murder anyone—you’ll go to heaven.

If you know me at all, I can’t let that go.

GOOD PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN, BAD PEOPLE GO TO HELL?

In all fairness to the hosts who (by their own admission) are not beholden to any sort of biblical theology, they badly misunderstand the way in which the New Testament authors speak to us about the reality of the afterlife, and the means by which those realities will be experienced. Again, in all fairness to them, they have done little more than grab on to what we might call the pop theology of our day, which runs something like this: Good people go to heaven because they’re good and bad people go to hell because they’re bad. What or who determines whether a person is good or bad is largely up for debate but, in the end, it’s our deeds here that determine our destiny there.

To come back to where that previous paragraph began… that sort of belief may be widely held today (even among many Christians) but it is in no way friends with the testimony of the New Testament texts—one in particular that will be our focus for this article.

AN EXERCISED WOMAN

Shortly (and I use that word in a relative sense) after the conversion of Paul, he, Luke, Silas, and some others were traveling around telling people about the good news of Jesus Christ—they were preaching about the kingdom of God. One day they ran into this woman who had a spirit which allowed her to predict the future. As you can imagine, she made bank because everyone wants to know their future. For some reason she followed Paul and his friends shouting, “These men are servants of the most high God, who are telling you the way to be saved!” She was relentless. Her shouting lasted for days. At some point Paul had enough of it and commanded that the spirit in her come out, which it did.

Good for the woman, right? Sort of.

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

She was no longer being tormented by this “future-telling spirit,” and she was no longer making money for the people who owned her—she was a slave—and they didn’t like that one bit. Her owners were so upset that they dragged Paul and Silas into the marketplace so something could be done with them. A crowd gathered and they joined in on the attack and the authorities decided that they were to be stripped, beaten with rods, and thrown into prison. So, to prison they went.

Paul and Silas, being who they were, were praying and singing hymns to God in prison and all the other prisoners were listening to them. All of a sudden, in the middle of their praying and signing, a violent earthquake shook the foundations of the prison, and all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer—who was the one put in charge of making sure none of the prisoners escaped—woke up, saw that the doors were open and that their chains were off, and thought it best to kill himself rather than face the fury of his Roman bosses. Before he could do so, Paul shouted to him, “Don’t harm yourself! We’re all here!” At this the jailer fell trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas and asked them, “What must I do to be saved?”

What would you have said to the jailer?

Well, if you want to be saved, you must live a good life, so you need to take stock of your life immediately. You need to find out whether or not you’ve lived a life worthy of heaven. If you haven’t you need to make a change immediately, because you know it’s only the good who get through heaven’s doors.

Of course, you wouldn’t say that… I hope you wouldn’t say that.

Live a good life and you’ll get to heaven is a recipe for disaster. Live a good life according to whom—according to what? Your standard? My standard? God’s standard? Do we each get to decide for ourselves what “good enough” is? What if I think I’ve lived a pretty good life, but you think I’ve messed up in big way in a few areas? Who decides between us?

Thank God for what Paul and Silas said.

BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16:31, NIV). There it is. How was the jailer going to be saved? By believing in the Lord Jesus. How were his household—his parents, wife, and children—going to be saved? By be believing in the Lord Jesus. And how are you and I going to be saved? Well, you see, we think we have a better understanding than Paul and Silas who lived in a much more primitive time. In order to be saved you need to be a good person. No! The answer remains the same: Believe in the Lord Jesus.

Believe.
Trust.
Give your allegiance not to an idea, not a pie in the sky hope, not a modern day invention of how we measure good and bad. Not even for a second.

If you want to be saved, place your faith in the only person who is able, and not only able, but the only person who made salvation possible. Place your faith in the only person who made salvation a reality. Place your faith in the only person who, after all the rejection he experienced by a world he came to save, held out his arms and said if you come to me, I will have you.

That’s the message Paul and Silas had for a 1st-Century jailer, and it’s the same message we have for a 21st-Century world. It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that. Sure, we can talk about how belief ought to come with a change in how we live our lives, but that is a different discussion. Not an unimportant discussion—just a different discussion.

We must have an answer for the one who asks what they need to do to be saved, and our answer does not have to be any more complicated than believe in the Lord Jesus.

Exegetical Meditations (45)

The exclusivity of Jesus is not something the early church “grew into” after they had time to work out the details.

As early as Acts 4 we find Peter and John arrested for preaching about Jesus rising bodily from the dead. Their arrest, however, didn’t deal with the problem because, as it says in verse 4: “…many of those who listened to the message believed…” The next step was obvious: a trail before the Sanhedrin court.

As part of the trial, Peter finds himself before a crowd and thus preaches the truths of God and the importance of Jesus. The same Jesus whom they crucified but whom God raised from the dead. Peter continues by not only testifying to the centrality of Jesus, but to the exclusivity of Jesus.

“And there is salvation in no one else,
for there is no other name under heaven
that is given among people
by which it is necessary to be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Really?
No one else?
This is a bit intolerant, isn’t it?

Of course it is!

Why in the world would the early church be tolerant to any view that said someone other than Jesus was their salvation? There was no one else to go to, because no one else had said or done the things Jesus said and did. Further than that, no one else had been killed and yet rose bodily to life from the dead. Finally, no one else had offered this gift of deliverance to the world like Jesus.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

And here in lies the wonderfully inclusive nature of the the strict exclusivity of Jesus. The church testified then and, when in her right mind today, continues to testify to the truth that there is salvation in no other than Jesus. All the while announcing this message of good news not to a special group of people or a particular part of the world, but to all people everywhere no matter who they are.

John saw the reality of this truth while exiled to Patmos. In his words: After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9).

There are many so-called lambs out there offering a so-called salvation. But there’s only one to whom the great multitude will stand before in the end.

New Testament Outline: Acts 9-12

Chapter 9

Saul is breathing out threats and murder against the disciples and on his way to Damascus he is confronted by the risen Jesus. For three days Saul could not see and he did not eat or drink. Jesus reveals himself to a disciple, Ananias, and tells him that he is to go to Saul. He tells him that Saul will suffer for the sake of Jesus. Ananias finds Saul and then Saul regains his sight and is baptized. Saul meets with the disciples in Damascus and proclaims Jesus in the synagogues. The Jews plot to kill Saul but he escapes to Jerusalem and preaches about Jesus. Peter heals Aeneas. Dorcas (Tabitha) dies and his brought back to life.

Chapter 10

God reveals himself to Cornelius—a Gentile—and tells him that Peter will visit him. Peter receives a vision from God and Jesus tells him that what God has made clean, do not call common. Peter goes to Cornelius and tells him that God showed him that he must preach the gospel to Cornelius. Peter preaches the gospel saying that God shows no partiality. The Holy Spirit falls on the Gentiles who heard the word preached to them.

Chapter 11

The circumcision party confronts Peter because many Gentiles were believing in Jesus. He explains why the gospel was preached to them. The persecuted believers travel to Antioch. In Antioch the church gathers together and there they are first called Christians.

Chapter 12

Herod the king kills James, the brother of Jesus, and he goes after Peter as well. Peter is arrested, but the believers pray earnestly for him. Peter is set free from prison and arrives at the house of some disciples. Herod is angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. The people of Tyre and Sidon begin to worship Herod and then an angel of the Lord strikes Herod down because he did not give God the glory.

New Testament Outline: Acts 5-8

Chapter 5

Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, sell some property and give the money to the apostles, but they hold back some for themselves. Peter confronts Ananias and Sapphira about this and they both die. The apostles continue to do signs and wonders among the people. The apostles are arrested and then set free at night by an angel of the Lord. They continue to teach about Jesus. They’re beat and charged not to teach in the name of Jesus. They rejoice for being counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus.

Chapter 6

The number of disciples is increasing and some are going without food. The apostles decide to appoint deacons to focus on the distribution. Stephen, one of the deacons, is arrested.

Chapter 7

Stephen speaks before the high priest. He goes through the Old Testament story up to Jesus. His speech culminates in the condemnation of those who have rejected the message of God. Those listening to him could not deal with what he was telling them so they stoned him.

Chapter 8

Saul approves of the stoning of Stephen. Philip preaches about Jesus in Samaria. Simon, a magician, believes in Jesus. Simon sees that the Holy Spirit is given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands and he offers money to be able to give the Holy Spirit. Peter rebukes his faulty thinking. Philip runs into an Ethiopian Eunuch reading the prophet Isaiah. The eunuch believes and is baptized.

New Testament Outline: Acts 1-4

Chapter 1

Luke begins this book by addressing Theophilus, the person he’s writing to, and explaining the reason for this book. Jesus orders the apostles to stay in Jerusalem until they are given the promised Holy Spirit. Jesus leaves the apostles by ascending into heaven. The apostles choose Matthias to replace Judas who betrayed Jesus and killed himself.

Chapter 2

During the day of Pentecost the apostles and others are all together in one place and they are all filled with the Holy Spirit. They speak in different languages and each one hears the other speaking in his or her language. Some there think they’re drunk but Peter stands up and teaches that the prophet Joel talked about this. Peter then goes on to teach about God, Israel, and Jesus. The believers are all together in one place devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, and to the breaking of bread.

Chapter 3

Peter and John are on their way to the temple to pray when a man lame from birth is being carried. The man sees Peter and John and asks them for alms. Peter and John both look directly at the man and Peter commands him to stand up and walk. The man they healed clings to Peter and then Peter teaches those at Solomon’s Portico about God and Jesus. 

Chapter 4

The priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees arrest Peter and John. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, speaks to the council and teaches them about God and Jesus. After speaking the council decides they cannot keep them from talking. They threaten them and then let them go. Peter and John go back to the other believers and tell them what happened. They pray. All the believers were together in heart and soul. They testified to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and they took care of each other so that no one was in need.

Exegetical Meditations (31)

“So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.” (Matthew 27:5, NIV)

“(With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out.)” (Acts 1:18, NIV)

When working through lists of biblical “contradictions” it doesn’t take long before you run into the one with Judas and his death.

The indictment usually goes something like this. In Matthew’s gospel, he tells us that Judas hung himself. But, in Acts, Luke tells us that Judas fell headlong and his body burst open with his intestines spilling out. The “contradiction”—they tell us—is obvious. He can’t both die by hanging and falling headlong at the same time.

The ones leveling this accusation of a “contradiction” often lament that even two gospel writers couldn’t get their stories straight.

Poor, poor gospel writers. If only they had met more often to make sure they were telling the same story.

They then they use this “fact” to begin their onslaught against the rest of the Bible’s consistency and eventually its trustworthiness. Admittedly it’s not a bad plan. If the Bible is grossly and embarrassingly “contradictory” over the same story between two gospel writers, who knows what else is wrong. Probably quite a bit.

From my perspective, however, it’s not the gospel writers who haven’t paid close enough attention to the stories they were writing; it’s the readers searching for “contradictions” that haven’t really understood what they’ve read. It’s funny how, on this side of The Enlightenment, a lot of us often assume we’re seeing what those before us couldn’t see.

Let’s go over the facts of the story and see if an answer to this accusation of a “contradiction” can be offered. First let’s look at the information given to us from Matthew in his gospel and then the information from Luke in Acts.

Matthew
Matthew begins by telling us that Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders (27:3) and then announced his betrayal before all of them (27:4). Next Judas threw the money into the temple and left because they chief priests and elders wouldn’t accept it from him, and then he went out and hung himself (27:5).

That’s the story presented by Matthew of how Judas died. He was remorseful over the arrest of Jesus and his role in it, he gave back the money, and then he killed himself.

Luke in Acts
Luke tells us about Peter who stood up among a group of Christians (1:15) in order to put into biblical perspective what had just happened with Judas (1:16-17). Then (and this part of the text being in parentheses probably means this is Luke’s comments on the events and not an actual part of Peter’s speech) Luke tells us that Judas “bought a field” with the money he received where he fell headlong and his body burst open with his intestines spilling out (1:18).

That’s the story presented by Luke about what happened to Judas after the betrayal of Jesus. He “returned the money” and then fell headlong in a field that was purchased with that same money.

The most striking thing to me when both of these stories are put side-by-side is the fact that Matthew and Luke aren’t actually telling the same story. Matthew is telling the story of how Judas died—hanging. Luke is telling the story of what happened to Judas after he died—fell headlong and his insides burst out.

For a long time and even now those who have seen a “contradiction” between these two stories have assumed that Luke was writing about how Judas died. I don’t see it that way. I don’t think Luke was telling us how Judas died; he was telling us what happened after he died. And that changes everything as far as “contradictions” go with Judas and his final moments.

What does this mean for us?

I think the main thing it means is that we shouldn’t worry so much when people tell us the Bible is filled with “contradictions”, because most of them—like the Judas thing—can be explained just by carefully looking at the text. For nearly 2,000 years people have been reading, studying, and thinking about the New Testament. They’ve been thinking about it in Greek, Latin, Syriac, German, Spanish, Dutch, French, and English—not to mention the scores more that could be listed.

That’s a lot of different people looking at the same stories.

And, in all that time, the common perception by those who take the texts seriously is that they are reliable and consistent. Now, this isn’t the same thing as saying there’s nothing to work through when it comes to putting it all together; instead, it’s a way of saying that, with the right motives and with the appropriate effort, the “contradictions” seem to melt away.

This means, in part, that you can enjoy your New Testament—and your entire Bible for that matter. And, if something comes up in your reading or from something someone has said that looks like there’s inconsistency in the text…relax, read, think, pray, and expect to see unity rather than chaos.

The Ethiopian Eunuch, Philip, and English Bibles

What in the world could the Ethiopian eunuch and Philip have to do with English Bibles?

I hear you, I hear you. Let me explain.

In Acts 8 Philip is told by an angel of the Lord to go south to the road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza (v. 26). On his way to the road he met an Ethiopian eunuch who was in his chariot. The Holy Spirit told Philip to go to the chariot and stand near it (v. 29). As Philip ran to the chariot, he heard the eunuch reading from Isaiah (v. 28), so Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading (v. 30). The eunuch said he couldn’t unless someone explained it to him (v. 31). So, Philip took the passage the eunuch was reading (Isaiah 53:7-8) and explained to him the good news about Jesus (vv. 32-35).

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
    and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
    Who can speak of his descendants?
    For his life was taken from the earth.” (Acts 8:32-33, NIV)

The eunuch believed and was baptized and then Philip was “taken away” from the eunuch and the eunuch went on his way rejoicing (vv. 36-39).

The story of the Ethiopian eunuch and Philip is a wonderful story of God’s mercy and grace in working through individual people to give the gift of salvation to someone who previously knew nothing about Jesus. God did this and still does this all the time. He loves to save people who know nothing of him.

Another wonderful aspect of this story has less to do with the actual story and more to do with how one particular detail of the story sheds light into our relationship and trust with English translations of the Bible. Perhaps you have noticed, in reading this passage before, a footnote at the end of the Isaiah 53:7-8 citation (provided the Bible you use has footnotes). This footnote (at least in the NIV2011) says: “Isaiah 53:7, 8 (see Septuagint).” The footnote is there to indicate that these two verses in Acts 8:32-33 are actually a quotation of Isaiah 53:7-8. The New Testament does this all the time and it’s nice to be able to see the quotations for what they are and where they come from. The other section of the footnote has to do with the translation of Isaiah 53 that is referenced—the Septuagint.

What’s up with that? Why the pointer to the Septuagint?

The Ethiopian eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53, but the words he was reading were a translation of the original Hebrew into Greek. This can be easily seen by comparing verse 33 in the citation in Acts 8 with Isaiah 53:8. You’ll quickly notice that a good number of the words are different. The difference is because the reading you have in Isaiah 53:8 is from the Hebrew, but the reading you have in Acts 8:33 is from the Greek Septuagint. Now, the Septuagint being reference to is a formal Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible that was probably completed in the 3rd or 4th Century AD (although it began in the 3rd or 2nd Century BC), so it’s not the actual text used by the eunuch; however, the eunuch is still using a Greek translation of the Hebrew, which is what the Septuagint is.

What does this mean to me?

It means that just like the eunuch was able to read and understand the message of Isaiah 53:7-8 (albeit with help from Philip) even though he was reading a Greek translation of the Hebrew, we’re able to read and understand the message of Isaiah 53:7-8 (albeit with help sometimes from others) even though we’re regularly reading an English translation of the Hebrew. This means, in part, that you can trust your English Bible.

Some have made a good business out of tearing down solid, trustworthy, English translations of the Bible either to encourage (often through fear) others to learn the original biblical languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek), or to encourage others to read from a specific English translation. They tear down the NIV because they don’t think it’s as accurate as the KJV. They tear down the NASB because they think it’s more difficult to understand than the NLT. They tear down the CSB because it’s a denomination specific translation. They tear down the ESV because it’s considered a translation for the conservative Christian. The reasons are numerous, but they’re often misguided.

Are all English translations good?

I’m all for making sure we reading from solid and trustworthy translation of the Scriptures and (by God’s grace) nearly any popular English translation you pick up will fall into that category. There are those translations out there that specifically add to, take away, and edit the Scriptures to fit they’re specific theological stances (something like the New World Translation would fall into this category). The wonderful thing is that the KJV, NIV, NRSV, NLT, ESV, NKJV, NASB, CSB, LEB, NET, and RSV don’t fall into this category.

It’s important to be on the same page here. I’m not saying that every good English translation is equal. I’m also not saying that every English translation their own specific blunders. However, I am saying that most of the popular English translations available to the English speaking world are trustworthy.

Therefore, with all that said, let’s follow the example we find in Acts 8 with the Ethiopian eunuch and Philip, and trust the English translation of the Bible we have without thinking that we’re missing something because we’re reading a translation.

Translation is a good gift from God. Without translation most of us wouldn’t know Jesus. Let’s receive that good gift and give thanks to God that he’s had mercy on us to give us the Scriptures in a language we can read.

The Heart of Paul on Display

“And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:22-24)
 

Paul is led by the Holy Spirit to Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit has told him that he will be imprisoned and afflicted. Paul does not view his life as having any value or as being precious to himself. Paul’s is motivated to finish what Jesus has called him to do in his life and his ministry by making known the good news of the grace of God.

This is the new heart of Paul on display as it has been rescued and held by God.