Today the debate rages on as it has in the past. Who shall be saved, and who shall be lost? Man has argued this to death in my opinion with little to show for it. This is not God's fault, but man's. Jesus, the very Son of God when questioned would often start with these very words. "What does the scriptures say?" Just think about that for a bit and let it sink in as we look at some scripture. God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). God doesn't want anyone to be lost, but before one can be saved he must come to the knowledge of the truth of God's word. Even though the Lord desires all men to be saved, Jesus says there will only be few who choose the narrow way so they can be saved (Matthew 7:13-14).

But who will be saved? Only the Bible can be trusted with this question!! Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). Only those who do the will of God as found in the Bible can be saved and go to Heaven. No one can obey the will of man and go to Heaven. The Bible says that Jesus "became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him" (Hebrews 5:9). We must obey Jesus if we expect to be saved. Jesus says, "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16). Many people laugh and scoff at what Jesus says about baptism being necessary for one to be saved. They may laugh in this life, but they will not laugh in the next.

What does the Lord do with those who are baptized for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38) so they can be saved (Mark 16:16)? "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47). The Lord adds only those who are saved to His church (Matthew 16:18). There are no unsaved people in the Lord's church. Jesus only has one church (Ephesians 4:4, 1:22-23). He didn't establish any of the many denominations we see in the world today.

But who will be saved? Jesus says, "But he who endures to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10:22). We must faithfully endure to the end of our life here on the earth if we want to be saved. And Jesus says, "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10). Those who will be saved are those who "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). Our number one priority in this life must be to obey God in all things and endure to the end, so we will be saved and go to Heaven.

On the other side of that is, who will be lost? First off, the Lord is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). Those who will not repent will be lost. Repentance is a change of heart which results in a change of our actions in obeying and following God's will. Jesus says, "Unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). Those who will not repent and obey the Lord will be lost. Even though the Lord doesn't want anyone to be lost, the vast majority has chosen the broad way which will lead them to be eternally lost (Matthew 7:13).

Who will be lost? Jesus says, "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him, the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day" (John 12:48). If one rejects Jesus and His words as found in the Bible, he will be lost. Jesus says, "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16). One does not have to do anything to be lost except not believe Jesus. If one does not believe Jesus he will not believe and be baptized so he can be saved. The lost, who do not believe Jesus, say that baptism is not necessary for one to be saved.

Many who did obey the Lord and were baptized for the forgiveness of their sins have become unfaithful and "having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith" (1 Timothy 5:12). If they remain in this situation they will be lost. All those who will not repent but practice the works of the flesh will be lost. We are warned, "Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:19-21). Notice it says "and the like". This is not a complete list. A child of God will be lost if he continues to practice such things. The main reason people will be lost is they don't believe God and His warnings. Because of this "they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth" (2 Thessalonians 2:12).

Eric