(Re-post since I've found a few more ways to get saved.)
Fundamentalist, born-again Christians say there's only one way to get saved. But if you believe the Bible, there's a lot more than that. Here are the ways that I've found so far. Let me know if I've missed any and I'll add them to the list.
- Say the right things.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified. -- Matthew 12:37
- Do the right things.
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life. -- John 5:29
For you render to each one according to his works. -- Psalm 62:12
I the Lord ... give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. -- Jeremiah 17:10
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. -- Matthew 16.27
For we must all appear before the jugment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. -- 2 Corinthians 5:10
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. -- 2 Corinthians 11:15
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? -- James 2:14
The Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work. -- 1 Peter 1:17
I will give unto every one of you according to your works. -- Revelation 2:23
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. -- Revelation 20:12-13
- Believe the right things.
A man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. -- Romans 3:28
Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. -- Romans 5:1
A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. -- Galatians 2:16
For by grace are ye saved through faith. -- Ephesians 2:8
- Do and believe the right things.
Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. -- James 2:17
- Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in strangers, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. -- Matthew 25:34-36
- Be hungry now and never get full.
Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. ... Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. -- Luke 6:21, 24
- Be a peacemaker.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. -- Matthew 5:9
- Make people hate you, avoid you, say bad things about you, and call your name evil for Jesus' sake.
Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven. -- Luke 6:22-23
- Love your enemies, do good to them, and give them lots of money.
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. -- Luke 6:35
- Do what is lawful and right.
When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness ... and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul. -- Ezekiel 18:27
- Do the will of Jesus' father.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. -- Matthew 7:21
- Be a doer of the law.
Who will render to each one according to his deeds. ... For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified. -- Romans 2:6, 13
- Hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. -- Matthew 5:6
- See Jesus and believe in him.
Every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. -- John 6:40
- Believe in Jesus.
Whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. -- John 3:16
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. -- John 3:36
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. -- John 6:47
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. -- Acts 16:31
- Be born again.
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. -- John 3:3
- Be persecuted for righteousness sake.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. -- Matthew 5:10
- Hear the words of Jesus and believe in whoever sent him.
He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life. -- John 5:24
- Be merciful.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. -- Matthew 5:7
- Be born of water and the spirit.
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. -- John 3:5
- Be dead with Jesus.
It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: -- 2 Timothy 2:11
- Be meek.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. -- Matthew 5:5
- Be washed by the Holy Ghost.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. -- Titus 3:5
- Be converted and become like a little child.
Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. -- Matthew 18:3
- Hate your own life.
he man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:25
- Lose your life for Christ's sake.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. -- Matthew 16:25, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, Luke 17:33
- Give a cup of water to a Christian.
For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. -- Matthew 10:42, Mark 9:41
- Be pure in heart.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. -- Matthew 5:8
- Believe and be baptized.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. -- Mark 16:16
- Belong to a household that has at least one believer.
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. -- Acts 16:31
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. -- 1 Corinthians 7:14
- Call upon the name of the Lord.
Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. -- Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13
- Confess Jesus before men.
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. -- Matthew 10:32
Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God. -- Luke 12:8
- Confess with your mouth "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. -- Romans 10:9
- Follow the commandments (at least some of them).
If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. -- Matthew 19:17-19
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life. -- Revelation 22:14
- Keep some of the commandments, give all your money to the poor, and follow Jesus.
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? ... Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. ...thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.-- Luke 18:18-22
- Keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. -- Revelation 14:12
- Love the truth.
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. -- 2 Thessalonians 2:10
- Endure to the end.
He that endureth to the end shall be saved. -- Matthew 10:22, 24:13, Mark 13:13
- Wait until you die and then get baptized (after you're dead).
Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? -- 1 Corinthians 15:29
- Don't judge.
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. -- Matthew 7:1, Luke 6:37
- Forgive people.
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6:14
- Have lots of babies (and be faithful, charitable, holy, and sober).
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. -- 1 Timothy 2:14-15
- Get saved by your spouse.
For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? -- 1 Corinthians 7:16
- Turn yourself over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so your spirit may be saved. (For fornicators only.)
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you ... deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. -- 1 Corinthians 5:1-5
- Abandon your home and family for Jesus' name's sake.
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. -- Matthew 19:29, Mark 10:29-30, Luke 18:29-30
- Hate your father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and your own life.
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children,and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. -- Luke 14:26
- Don't be a serpent or a viper, and make sure none of your ancestors were prophet killers.
Ye are the children of them which killed the prophets ... Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? -- Matthew 23:31-33
- Try to enter through the strait gate.
Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. -- Luke 13:23-24
- Become an Israeli citizen.
And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. -- Romans 11:26
- Don't defile yourself with women. (Be a virgin male.)
...the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. -- Revelation 14:4
- Don't be ashamed of Jesus.
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. -- Mark 8:38
- Don't let anyone see you do anything good.
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. -- Matthew 6:1
- Don't let anyone say anything nice about you.
Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! -- Luke 6:26
- Be given by the Father and come to the Son.
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. -- John 6:37
- Be chosen (predestinated) by God.
For many are called, but few are chosen. -- Matthew 22:14
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate ... Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. -- Romans 8:29-30
For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. -- Romans 9:11
He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Having predestinated us ... according to the good pleasure of his will. -- Ephesians 1:4-5
- Be poor, not rich.
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. --Matthew 5:3
Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. ... But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. -- Luke 6:20, 24
Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. -- Matthew 19:23-24
But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. -- Luke 6:24
Ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. -- James 5:1
- Be sad.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. -- Matthew 5:4
- Cry a lot.
Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. -- Luke 6:21
- Don't laugh.
Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. -- Luke 6:25
- Be last.
But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. -- Matthew 19:30, Mark 10:31
- Be more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees.
Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. -- Matthew 5:20
- Eat the bread that comes down from heaven.
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. -- John 6:50
- Eat Jesus' body and drink his blood.
Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. -- John 6:53-54
- Just ask.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. -- Matthew 7:7-8
- Love God and your neighbor.
He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. -- Luke 10:26
- Believe in the foolishness of preaching.
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. -- 1 Corinthians 1:21
- All you need is love.
Love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God. -- 1 John 4:7
22 comments:
I've had a special fondness for the absurity of this verse since I saw it on godisimaginary website:
Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. -- Matthew 18:3
How the hell does one 'become like little children'?!
It's gotta be childbirth (with some conditions)!
1Timothy 2:15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing, provided they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty
I think they mean becoming childlike in mindset, ie. naïve and unquestioning. Not a particularly good message if you ask me, but oh well.
Nice! Good one Chris!
Actually, Steve already has that one, but cuts the verse off. I actually like (for laughing purposes) the rest of the verse because if the child isn't fully faithful and loving the deal is off.
Good stuff, Steve. Now do a list of the ways you can lose your ticket to heaven.
That list would be longer. Here is one to get you started:
Don't put your money in the church offering basket when it comes around:
Mat 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Hi there Steve,
I can answer your question on what is necessary to be saved. There are a lot of things you have wrong in your article/post. Here is the link to a blog that I have just set up www.getyourselfsaved.com you can download the free Ebook or just read from the site. That should straighten out any confusion you have.
I am thoroughly impressed though with your Biblical research, well done indeed for that.
As you know (and quoted Matthew 7:7b) in your post, "seek, and ye shall find;" it is heartwarming to know that although your present Biblical spectacles are glaringly smudged with anger, that you respect and have enough interest in God's Word, enough to devote so much of your life to it with this blog.
It would be a shame if you didn't give those spectacles a smear clean now and then and see what the true message of God really is and how easy it is to accept His free offer.
Please feel free to totally ridicule my book and comments on your blog.
May God speedily Bless You with better sight.
Robert.
#29 - be a member of a saved person's household.
Acts 16:31
The Philippian jailer asks, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” To which Paul and Silas respond, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.”
This is reiterated again in 1 Cor 7:14.
Chris and Jake,
Thanks for pointing out the conditions for getting saved by having babies in 1 Tim.2:14-15. I've added them to the making babies method of salvation. (Sorry it took me three years to get around to it!)
Good one Jeff!
I've added it to the list.
Here's one Steve,
Luke 10:25-28 (Contemporary English Version)
The Good Samaritan
An expert in the Law of Moses stood up and asked Jesus a question to see what he would say. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to have eternal life?"
Jesus answered, "What is written in the Scriptures? How do you understand them?"
The man replied, "The Scriptures say, `Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.' They also say, `Love your neighbors as much as you love yourself.' "
Jesus said, "You have given the right answer. If you do this, you will have eternal life."
--S.
Thanks sconnor.
But isn't that #49?
But isn't that #49?
Oh, man -- I read through your list twice! How did I miss it? Der.............
Hi Steve. I hope you don't mind, but I translated your post to portuguese in my blog. I gave you due credit, of course.
I guess in 1 Corinthians 1:21 there is another way to be saved, if you believe in the "foolishness of preaching":
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Thanks Christiano. That's a good one!
I've added it to the list.
My absolute favorite Bible verse seems to say that you don't actually need to deal with the question of salvation, as long as you don't make any promises to God that you will be good enough for salvation. Deuteronomy 23:21-23 says "When you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not put off its fulfillment; otherwise the Lord your God will require satisfaction from you and you will be guilty of sin. If you choose not to make a vow, you will not be guilty of sin; but if you voluntarily make a vow to the Lord your God, mind what you say and do what you have promised." (REB translation) Nice little loophole God left, huh? Just don't make any vows to God, and you're home clear; he won't expect you to keep any promises, and you won't be guilty of sin! Forget the question of salvation; just don't promise to be good enough to be worthy of it, and God won't expect it. No contract, nothing to breech, no unrealistic expectations, it's all good. Even us atheists can keep that verse!
I am greatly enjoying your statistical tracking of divine anthropocidal events. Please keep it up!
Just de-lurking to offer two teensy-weensy gramatical niggles. No#29 - either "after your death" or "after you're dead" would both be more correct than "after your dead". No#36 - "strait" is not an old-fashioned spelling of "straight" - it is, in fact, a different archaic word meaning "narrow." We still use the word in a maritime sense - eg. the "Straits of Magellan".
Sorry to come over all school-marmish...if you've read "Eats, shoots and leaves" you'll know where the impulse comes from. :)
Thanks, Scotlyn, for the corrections!
Scotlyn, you're not alone; it's because of that book that I became a grammar stickler.
Steve, I might be a little hazy on this, but isn't there something on how to be "saved" in the Book of Revelation? I'm not sure, but I'm just throwing it out there.
I have an essay at
http://www.godlessgeeks.com/LINKS/JesusEthics.htm
that people here may like. I went through the four gospels and collected everything Jesus says about what we should DO. It's quite a list. And it's very important, because Jesus says we have to DO as he says to enter Heaven. From the essay:
What might disqualify you? What would keep you OUT of Heaven? To start with, failing to follow Jesus' teachings. Matthew Chapter 7: (also Luke chapter 6)
24 "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; 25 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; 27 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."
Misty,
Thanks for the Deuteronomy verses. They're a great compliment to Judges 11:28-40. Most believers who defend this story claim that god doesn't ask for or demand that Jephthah sacrifice his daughter. But, per your Deutoronomy citation, since Jephthah made his vow to god to sacrifice "something" in exchange for success in battle, J would have been guilty of sin had he not followed through. I mean, under those circumstances, who wouldn't gut their daughter and burn her body and entrails on an altar to "create a pleasing scent unto the lord"?
I am really enjoying you peoples naivete......fabulous.
So making babies saves you? Lol, I've always thought the Bible was too cruel to women but God does give them a bit more privilege that men don't have.
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