It’s been an excellent journey discovering what the Bible says about specific topics. I could create a long opinion piece for you, or even craft a short and engaging summary. Maybe those are tasks to consider later – but for now I think the best way is to let the scripture speak for itself. It’s a powerful topic and the Bible teaches some things you’re unlikely to hear in your local church. But which authority do we really believe?
What does the Bible say about What Salvation is?
“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”Titus 3:4-7 NKJV
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”John 1:12 NKJV
“Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent”John 17:1-3 NKJV
“To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins,”Luke 1:77 NKJV
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV
What does the Bible say about Why we need salvation?
“Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”—”Genesis 3:22 NKJV
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—”Romans 5:12 NKJV
“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)”Romans 5:17 NKJV
“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”Romans 5:9-10 NKJV
“so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”Romans 5:21 NKJV
“Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” John 8:34-36 NKJV
What does the Bible say about who must be Saved?
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”Romans 1:16 NKJV
“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,”Acts 17:30 NKJV
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”Titus 2:11-14 NKJV
“And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.’”Acts 2:21 NKJV
“and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”Luke 24:47 NKJV
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.””John 3:16-21 NKJV
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”I Timothy 2:3-4 NKJV
“But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,”II Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV
“And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.””John 6:65 NKJV
“Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”Acts 13:48 NKJV
“But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”John 10:26-29 NKJV
What does the Bible say about How we are saved?
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.””Acts 4:12 NKJV
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “ LORD, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:14-17 NKJV
“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”II Corinthians 7:10 NKJV
“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”II Corinthians 5:18-20 NKJV
“Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.”II Corinthians 5:11 NKJV
“And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.”Luke 7:29-30 NKJV
“And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’”Acts 22:16 NKJV
“And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.”Acts 10:48 NKJV
“and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”II Thessalonians 2:10-12 NKJV
“even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;”Romans 3:22 NKJV
“to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Romans 3:26 NKJV
“that 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. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.””Romans 10:9-11 NKJV
“but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”Acts 26:20 NKJV
“So they went out and preached that people should repent.”Mark 6:12 NKJV
“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”Ephesians 1:13-14 NKJV
“Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”Acts 2:38 NKJV
“There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”I Peter 3:21 NKJV
“Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”Matthew 3:8-11 NKJV
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”James 4:8 NKJV
“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.””John 6:54-58 NKJV
“He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”John 12:25-26 NKJV
“But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.”II Thessalonians 2:13-15 NKJV
“And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it? ” So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbour as yourself.’ ” And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.””Luke 10:25-28 NKJV
“Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?” He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.””Luke 3:8-14 NKJV
““Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.””Matthew 25:44-46 NKJV
“Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.””Matthew 19:16-17 NKJV
“Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.””Luke 7:50 NKJV
“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”James 2:24 ESV
“Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”Luke 13:23-24 NKJV
“But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”Romans 2:5-10 NKJV
“Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.”Luke 8:12 NKJV
“And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.”Acts 16:30-34 NKJV
What does the Bible say we are saved from?
“John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”Mark 1:4 NKJV
“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”Romans 6:4 NKJV
“In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”Colossians 2:11-12 NKJV
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”John 8:31-32, 34-36 NKJV
“While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.”II Peter 2:19 NKJV
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”Romans 6:1-18 NKJV
What does the Bible say about when salvation is complete?
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”Philippians 3:12 NKJV
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”I Corinthians 1:18 NKJV
“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”Romans 13:11 NKJV
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5 ESV
“But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.”I Thessalonians 5:8 NKJV
“so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”Hebrews 9:28 NKJV
“who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”I Peter 1:5 NKJV
“receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”I Peter 1:9 NKJV
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”Romans 5:8-10 NKJV
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”I Timothy 6:12 NKJV
“keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”Jude 1:21 NKJV
And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”Matthew 24:12-13 NKJV
“And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”Matthew 10:22 NKJV
“For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,”Hebrews 3:14 NKJV
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,”Philippians 2:12 ESV
What does the Bible say about losing our Salvation?
“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;”Hebrews 3:12 NKJV
“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.”I Corinthians 15:1-2 NKJV
“But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.”Jude 1:5 NKJV
And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”Matthew 24:12-13 NKJV
“Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.”I John 2:24 NKJV
“If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”II Timothy 2:12-13 NKJV
“Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.”Hebrews 4:11 NKJV
“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”Hebrews 10:26-31 NKJV
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”Hebrews 6:4-6 NKJV
““I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”John 15:5-6 NKJV
“They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.”II Peter 2:15, 17, 20-21 NKJV
Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”I John 3:24 NKJV
“In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.”I John 3:10 NKJV
“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”I John 2:3-6 NKJV
“And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”I John 2:17 NKJV
Salvation is a gift from God that allows us to be reconciled with Him (Titus 3:4-7) and allows us to become God’s children (John1:12) by the remission of our sins (Luke 1:77). Because of Adam’s sin, sin reigns in the human race and has resulted in death (Rom 5:12) and in God’s wrath towards us (Rom 5:9-10). It has also separated us from God. We need to be freed from our sin (John 8:34-36 & Rom6:1-18) so that we can be saved from God’s wrath and reconciled to Him. We are saved to receive eternal life (Rom 5:21). God has chosen (2 Thes 2:13) and appointed (Acts 13:48) certain people and calls them to salvation, but the scripture also says He wants all men to be saved (1 Tim 2:3-4). We can only receive salvation through Jesus and no-one else (Acts 4:12) but we need to repent to receive that salvation (2 Cor 7:10). We need to hear the gospel (Rom 10:17) and then respond in faith with repentance, confession (Rom 10:9-11), baptism in water (Act 22:16 & 10:48) and in the Holy Spirit (John 3:5, Titus 3:5 & Acts 11:15-16) and then bear works that show our repentance (Acts 26:20, Mark 16:17) by keeping Christ’s commandments (Luke 10:25-28 & Matt 19:16-17 & Luk 3:8-14). Our salvation is spoken of as a process and an end goal rather than a past event or current status (1 Pet1:5&9 & 1 Cor1:18 among others) and is spoken of as something we can lose or not reach (2 Pet 2:15-21; John 15:5-6; Heb 6:4-6; 2 Tim 2:12; among others).