How does one become saved?
Here is how Paul and those with him answered that question:
"And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:30-31).
All the apostles said "repent and be baptized." An unrepentant soul will not be saved. Repentance must come first.
Before a person could be baptized with water that person must first believe, as witnessed by the following exchange between Philip and the eunuch:
"And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:36-37).
Before the eunuch was baptized with water he was already "born of God" because he believed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God:
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God..For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 Jn.5:1,4-5).
There can be no doubt that the eunuch received eternal life and was "born of God" before he was baptized with water. The repenting from one's previous sinful lifestyle happens after one is already saved.
If all it takes is something as simple as faith alone, why does the Bible have so many books? What purpose is there for a majority of the the New Testament?
Here is one of the reasons why the gospel of John was written according to John himself:
"And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (Jn.20:31-32).
If God is unchanging, why does He require obedience for hundreds of years, then suddenly change His mind? Simply because He came to us physically? He had shown Himself many times in the Old Testament.
The LORD has not changed in regard to how a person is made right in His mind, as witnessed by what is said here about Abraham:
"And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness" (Gen.15:5-6).
The LORD demands obedience from those who are already saved.
Those who do not understand that salvation is by the grace of God through faith alone do not understand, much less believe, the gospel which saves. They have been deceived into believing a counterfeit gospel:
"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Cor.4:5-6).
Beware of those who unwittingly serve the god of this age and leave a path of destruction in their wake:
"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works" (2 Cor.11:13-15).
Don't be a victim and since your eternal destiny is in the balance depend on nothing but what the Scriptures say because:
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet.5:8).
