First, it is a blood-bought church, Acts 20:28: "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

The membership is the church, the highest scriptural calling. A member is a king and a priest unto God the Father, Rev. 1:6: "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever."

The greatest question from all of mankind today is: what must I do to be saved? This statement brings it to an individual matter. Each one of us stand on our own. This writer cannot answer to God for anyone but myself. This question suggests not what I may or what I should do, but what I must do. The word "I" is not what God, the Holy Spirit or Christ should do, but what I must do. God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit have already done their part. Now, God, Christ and the Holy Spirit all had a part in the divine plan. Therefore, if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature-IICor. 5:17. Heb. 9:11-12 says "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."

They have perfectly executed their divine plan - IIPeter 1:3: "According to his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."

The do is not what I get, think, feel, or believe; but what I must do. The word "do" suggests activity on the part of mankind. God saves by the gospel - Rom. 1:16-17.

Man also saves - Acts 2:40: "And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation." It says save yourself with many other words and he testified saying save yourselves.

Take the word "do" out of christianity and you destroy it. You have never heard of any inspired man telling an unsaved person there was nothing for him to do to be saved, and you never will either.

To be saved denotes the purpose of complying with the conditions set forth by the apostles. To be saved is the object sought. To be saved also suggests that saving is done by another. But how? Is there anything more dependable than the Bible? Surely we can depend on it. If this question was asked a hundred times, should we read all the answers? Certainly so. But it is asked only 4 times: one of them was under the law of Moses - Mat. 19:16-22: "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God: but if thou wilt 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. (verse 20:) The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? (21) Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions."

It was under the law since Christ had not died on the cross yet. But did the young man do it? No. His love for riches were a stumbling block to him. For him to have done so would have fitted him better for the work later - "if thou wilt be perfect." He didn't answer the call after asking the question. He went away sorrowful. He would have obeyed if the Lord had told him something that pleased him. Do we get the lesson?

Let us study this side of the cross - the day of Pentecost. There were all kinds of people there. They had crucified the Christ. Peter's sermon pointed out their sin. Some people made fun of him, saying "these men are full of new wine." The ones that listened were convicted of their sin. They cried out, "men and brethren, what shall we do?" Why did not Peter tell them to believe? They wanted to know what to do to be saved. They were already believers. It was time for them to do something; hence, repent and be baptized.

Is there any difference in repent and being baptized? They are coupled together with the conjunction "and," both unto the remission of sins. Baptism puts us into Christ where remission of sins is. Salvation requires more than faith and a change of heart. Satan doesn't care how much we believe; those Pentecostians had all these, that is faith and change of heart. But they wanted to know what they still lacked. First, they accused the apostles of being drunk. What would some preachers of today tell them? We know your are saved. But what did the Holy Spirit do? A few years later-Let's take a look at Paul. Here is the third time. Saul, as he was first known, was mentioned in Acts 7:58-59, "And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." What a man.

Later in Phil. 3:6: "concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." Paul said his conscience was clear - Acts 26:9: "I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth." Here Paul was before Agrippa. All the time his conscience was clear, but was he right? A thousand times, no. Conscience is only safe as long as it is guided by truth.

But what about Paul's conversion? The light was brighter than the noonday sun. Here was Christ. Note it was noonday. Then the question. Why didn't Christ tell him what to do? This event was all a miracle. Acts 22:10: "And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do." What did he tell him? What would modern preachers tell him? Did he obey? Certainly! He went to Damascus and prayed for three days, without food. What did Ananias tell him? Pray more, Paul. Only believe, don't you know you are saved? Can't you feel the presence of the Holy Spirit? No, he didn't do that. Then what did he do? He told him to arise and be baptized calling on the name of the Lord. Paul had already believed. He had a change of heart. He was ready to know what to do. Can we depend on this?

One more will complete our four questions. Paul and Silas were in the Philippian jail. They sang praises to God; at midnight there was an earthquake. The doors opened; everybody's bands loosened. The jailer roused out of sleep thinking the prisoners had fled, and was about to kill himself when Paul said, "Do thyself no harm: for we are all here." Here is the fourth time: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" What was the answer? Believe in the Lord.

We need to take first things first. The jailer was an unbeliever. What happened then? Acts 16:30-32 says, "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. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house." Why all this? So he could believe. What happened then? The jailer washed their stripes and was baptized; he and all his. Paul had been told to be baptized and wash away his sins. What was the jailer's baptism for? Remember Paul was the preacher.
     We have three answers to the same question:
     1. The jailer was told to believe. Why?
     2. The Pentecostians were told to repent and be baptized.
     3. Paul was told to arise and be baptized, washing away his sins
         (he had already repented).

They were all on the same road. All did the same thing. Non-believers were told to believe. Believers were told to repent. One who believed and had repented was told to arise and be baptized and wash away his sins.

Everything is ready. We are without even an excuse. Friends, where is you name? What doth it profit? Mat. 16:26: "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" If we are lost Chirst died in vain. Heaven is a prepared place.

Rev. 14:13: "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."

Rev. 3:5: "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."

Rev. 21:27: "And there shall in no wise enter into in any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."

Rev. 22:14: "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."

II Cor. 5:10-11: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest in your consciences."

Phil. 4:3: "And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life."

Rom. 1:16: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

Heb. 11:6: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

II Pet. 3:9: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

Mat. 10:32: "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven."

Acts 2:38: "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Gal. 3:26-27: "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

I Cor. 12:13: "For by one Spirit are we baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."

Rev. 2:10: "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

All of this is why I am a member of the Church of Christ. The church is big enough to hold the entire world of people. Jesus died for all. We that are living in this land of Bibles are without excuse. Remember, God said it; I believe it; that settles it. The Bible is right!