“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

This question came from the lips of a jailer in the city of Philippi. A great earthquake opened the doors of the prison cells, including the cell that housed Paul and Silas, followers of Jesus Christ who were imprisoned because of their faith in Him.

The jailer, supposing that all of the prisoners had escaped and that he would certainly be punished unto death by the Roman authorities, was going to kill himself with his own sword. However, when he discovered that Paul and Silas, who earlier had been singing praises unto God, and all of the other prisoners, instead of fleeing, had remained in the prison, he recognized that there was something in their lives that he needed. Thus he cried out, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30) Their answer was life changing, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31)

What does it mean to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? What does it mean to be saved?

1.  To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ means to agree with God’s word that you are a sinner. – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

2. To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ means to agree with God’s word that you are a sinner who deserves the punishment for sin – “For the wages of sin is death” (Roman 6:23a). “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8)

3. To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ means to agree with God’s word that you are a sinner who deserves the punishment for sin, that you cannot save yourself, and that your only hope is a Savior – “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23b).

4. To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ means to agree with God’s word that you are a sinner who deserves the punishment for sin, that you cannot save yourself, that your only hope is a Savior, and that Jesus Christ is the only Savior – “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (I John 5:11-12).

5.To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ means to agree with God’s word that you are a sinner who deserves the punishment for sin, that you cannot save yourself, that you need a Savior, that Jesus Christ is the only Savior, that you are trusting in Him and Him alone for forgiveness of sin and that you are surrendering to Him as the Lord of your life – “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

If you want to repent (turn away from sin) and place your trust in Jesus Christ as God in the flesh who died in your place as the sacrifice for your sin, if everything inside of you is saying "do it"....don't delay, use this prayer to help guide you, make it your very own, and just say: