You got saved, now what? What does the Bible say? Does the Bible say, “Go have a personal relationship with Jesus?” No, it does not say that, but it sounds good. So what’s next? Get baptized! Why? There are two main reasons. Check the verses below.
Mark 16:15-16
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. NKJV
Luke 7:29-30
29 And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers ejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. NKJV
Mark 16:15 above is pretty well self-explanatory. If you have Matthew 7:21 living on the inside of you which says that, no one who does not do the will of the Father will be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, then you will understand Luke 7:29-30. If you do not get baptized, you will reject the will of the God for your life after you hear the Word, and only those who “do the will of the Father make it into Heaven. Get it?
Matthew 7:21-23
21 “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. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ NKJV
The only people who are going to Heaven, “do the will of the Father” (Matthew 7:21 above). And the only people you will remember after you get to the new Heaven are those who made it to Heaven (Isaiah 65:17). Therefore, the people who refuse to do the will of the Father will never come to mind again after they burn in hell.
Isaiah 65:17
17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. NKJV
Don’t allow those who have no idea what they are talking about to lead you astray. Yes I know they look the part and have many followers, and sound so spiritual, but that is all an attempt to deceive you (2 Corinthians 11:3-5, 13-15). The bottom line is that if you really got saved then you will know in the least that the verses I am showing you are true (John 7:17). Get Baptized!
If that describes you then I want you to know that the tares grow with the wheat (Matthew 13:24-30, 37-43). In other words there is a huge group of people around you that have no plans of doing the will of the Father, and they will stop you if you let them (Proverbs 4:14-16). They are the ones who will talk you out of the verses that I will show you, and there are many more of them than there are of us who desire to do what is right (Luke 13:22-28, Colossians 2:8, 2 Peter 2:18-22).
If your desire is to do the will of the Father, then you have a new family now and the only people who are in it have the same desire as you They too want to do the will of our Father in Heaven (Mark 3:31-35). Know that everything that has Christian written on it, ain’t (isn’t) necessarily Christian. We have to test everything and only hold on to the good (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Mark 3:31-35
31 Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.” 33 But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” 34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.” NKJV
Be on the lookout (BOLO) for these new brothers and sisters of yours because they are the ones we are commanded to love by Jesus Himself (John 13:34-35, 1 John 3:23). These are fellow disciples.
John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” NKJV
We need to love everyone in the way described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (patient, kind, forgiving, etc.), but we are especially looking for members of our new family (Galatians 6:10). Why? Loving our brothers by helping them with the things that they need is the evidence that we belong to the truth and that the love of God is in our hearts (1 John 3:16-19). Imagine that. The evidence is not that you go to church or sing in the choir or even volunteer at the church, but that you love the brothers; by this all men will know that you are a disciple of Jesus (John 13:35 above).
The people of this world love, but you will always find that they either support the wrong message (1 Corinthians 10:20), or that they love in order to receive back what they give (Luke 6:32-34), or they give for recognition (Matthew 6:1-4).
Galatians 6:9-10
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. NKJV
1 John 3:16-19
16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. NKJV
This doesn’t mean that we need to go and provide a home for a prostitute to do her business just because she came to church. No, the will of the Father is that we live a holy life which includes avoiding sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5), and love does not delight or take pleasure in evil or sin (1 Corinthians 13:6). Therefore, we do not even associate with anyone who calls their self a Christian, but is sexually immoral (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; NKJV
Christian means Christ follower or disciple (Acts 11:26). To say that I am a Christian is to say that I follow Christ. Those who follow Christ do not walk in darkness. It is impossible to follow Christ into sin. No, somewhere over the years we have replaced “shall be saved” with “born again right now,” and that is why we have to ignore Romans 10:6-8 when we are leading someone to Christ, but this seemingly happened long before our days. Just keep acknowledging Jesus as the Lord of your life and He will make your paths straight through suffering (Proverbs 3:6, 18:21, James 3:2-12, Hebrews 12:4-14).
John 8:12
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” NKJV
There are many other people called Christians that we do not associate with according to what is written. See my blog post “Calling Jesus Lord is not a license to ignore God’s Word” for a list with the verses included. The lists include not being partners with those who have a dirty mouth (Ephesians 5:3-7). Turn away from those who are boastful, proud, disobedient to parents, un-thankful, without self-control, and lovers of pleasure (2 Timothy 3:1-7). Withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the teachings (2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14). Stay away from those who teach a man-made doctrine that isn’t written (1 Timothy 6:3-5, Romans 16:17-20, Acts 20:29-32, Proverbs 30:5-6, 1 Corinthians 4:6-7).
I’m not saying that I am any better than any of these people or that I haven’t been on these list myself, but I am just teaching you what is written. I have found that the only way to stay off these lists is to stop hanging out, or even eating with people who are on them. Why? It will change your habits point, blank, period (1 Corinthians 15:33-34), just like a friend of the world becomes and enemy of God (James 4:4), or even a person with their mind-set on the things of this world is hostile toward God (Romans 8:5-8, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). There is no way to associate with these people and keep your habits holy. Try and force yourself to live like you are supposed to live and see for yourself. You can’t do it if you violate these verses. A little leaven will leaven the whole lump point, blank, period (1 Corinthians 5:6).
I didn’t write it, God did. Argue with Him about it if you don’t like it. I’m just called to teach it and that I will do since the people I will eventually be living with love and accept the truth as I do (2 Thessalonians 2:10).
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. NKJV
There is a big difference between accepting the truth, believing it, and repenting when we fall short of it, and just ignoring it altogether, but still declaring that Christ died for our sins. Yes Jesus died to take away our sins, but He also came to destroy the devil’s work in us (1 John 3:4-10). Check the verses below. To get saved and stop there is the same as not allowing Christ to do a work in us. We must continue to follow the instructions as they are written.
1 John 3:4-10
4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 10 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. NKJV
My mission is not to go out and have people repeat a sinner’s prayer. If you just gasped for air, then make sure that you close your mouth and continue reading without saying anything. My mission and the mission of every servant of the Lord is to make disciples of Jesus Christ in keeping with the Word of the Lord written in Matthew 29:19-20. Part of that process is to get saved people baptized. Guess what the other part is?
Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. NKJV
You might be thinking that there are evangelist called by God to go out and get people saved, and you would be correct. However, evangelists who are called by God do not speak against what God has written as if people are to say Jesus is Lord and stop, or say it and then follow the evangelist, or to be lead off in a different direction not even written in scripture. No, the evangelist God has called will hand you off to a pastor/teacher who will speak in accordance with God’s Word to grow you up in faith and knowledge and prepare you to serve the Lord (Ephesians 4:11-15). What we see today are evangelist who are good at what they are called to do, but they make lousy teachers, or prophets who can prophesy just enough to seem spiritual, but they are afraid to teach the doctrine of Jesus, or encouragers who are leading millions to their death by searching the Bible over to find verses to please the ears (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
This you can be sure. Disciples of Jesus are making disciples of Jesus in keeping with our mission according to Matthew 28:18-20 above. People who are working for their own glory don’t follow Jesus and therefore it doesn’t matter to them whether you get baptized and obey Jesus or not (John 7:18). They will tell you whatever it takes to make you follow them rather than feeding you what is written so that you will have an inheritance among the saints (Acts 20:29-32). If you never hear that you need to obey Jesus, you can be sure that whoever you are listening to is not working for Jesus because if they were concerned for your soul they would in the least make sure that you knew that you need to obey Jesus.
Why? Jesus is the source of eternal salvation for those who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9) and He will not make His home in those who do not obey Him (John 14:21-23). Disciples of Jesus will see to it that you are baptized and that you obey Jesus, or observe what he commanded in keeping with our mission statement in Matthew 28:18-20 above.
Hebrews 5:9-11
9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” NKJV
John 14:21-24
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. NKJV
Now does that say to ask Jesus to make His home in our hearts or have we got something to do? Do you see the difference in just telling people to have a personal relationship with Jesus and teaching people to obey Jesus Christ? When did Jesus say He would make His home in our hearts according to the Word of Jesus above? So tell me this. If I came across one of the devil’s disciples, who appear as ministers of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:13-15), would he teach me to obey Jesus? No, he is going to tell you that I am wrong, but you believe the verses, which are in his Bible too.
2 Corinthians 11:3-4
3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted — you may well put up with it! NKJV
Go and ask your pastor if you need to get baptized and if you need to obey Jesus. If he says no to either one of those, then you will know that he either does not know what he is doing, or he is a Minister of Satan (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). He could be something like an encourage r but he is not called by God to teach. Either way do not put up with it because those who do not obey the gospel will not make it point, blank, period. Read these next few verses and ask yourself if anyone who does not obey the Gospel will make it.
1 Peter 4:17-19
17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. NKJV
2 Thessalonians 1:8-10
8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. NKJV
Those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ will not make it. We have got to obey Jesus before he will make His home in us, and we have got to get baptized before we will accept the will of God for our life. Getting saved into the Kingdom of Christ (Ephesians 2:6-8, Colossians 1:12-14) is just the beginning. Christ living in us is our only hope of glory.
The Apostle Paul was in labor working with the Galatians until “Christ was formed in them” (Galatians 4:19). He prayed that the Ephesians would have the same thing; that “Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith” (Ephesians 3:17). He wanted to see the Thessalonians again so that he could “perfect whatever was lacking in their faith” (1 Thessalonians 3:10). Every act of disobedience by the Corinthians would be punished, “once their obedience was made complete” (2 Corinthians 10:6).
Paul was concerned that people were not going to have Christ living on the inside of them and I’m afraid it is still happening today and probably more so. False teachers, called by men, but not called by God, have infiltrated the entire church to the point that they are now the leaders. They have totally cut out whole passages of scripture that they never teach and no one stands up to say “Wait a minute, stop!” Like 2 Corinthians 11:4 says, “We put up with it!”
2 Corinthians 11:3-4
3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted — you may well put up with it! NKJV
Read the next passage of scripture over and over.
Colossians 1:27-29
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. NKJV
Christ in us is our only hope of glory, and when will Christ make His home on the inside of us according to the Word of the Lord written in John 14:21-23? Paul warned every man and taught every man, laboring and striving with that very message, but where is that message today?
If reading the Bible is something new for you then you may be confused by the many different letters. Why would Paul teach one group this and another that? He didn’t. All of those things, Christ formed in you and obedience, are connected. What we have are Paul’s writings and not his actual sermons when he was with the different groups of people. However, we do know that the Apostle Paul taught the same things in all the churches according to the Word of the Lord written in 1 Corinthians 4:17 below.
1 Corinthians 4:17
17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. NKJV
Therefore, what Paul taught the Corinthians, he also taught the Ephesians, and so on. He did not have to teach every single thing to every different church “by letter” because in most places he taught face to face. That’s why different letters cover different things, but in a lot of cases they cover the same things. Now back to the teaching.
We have all fallen short of the glory of God, but through Christ, the Son of God, living on the inside of us, we are returning to that glory (Romans 5:2, Hebrews 2:10, Colossians 1:27), and that happens through obeying the truth, which is the Word (John 17:17), and Spirit (John 6:63). Those who actually preach the Gospel will call people to the sanctifying work of the Spirit and belief in the truth, which will require people to hold to the teachings (2 Thessalonians 2:13-15, 1 Corinthians 15:1-2).
2 Thessalonians 2:13-15
13 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, 14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. NKJV
Notice according to those verses that the Gospel Paul preached called people to salvation through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and believing the truth. And then he tells them to hold fast to the traditions they were taught. Most Bibles use the word “teachings” in this verse instead of traditions, but either way it was the traditions he taught; obey Jesus, get baptized, etc.
Paul was teaching that the people’s conduct would change (made holy, sanctified) by the Spirit and believing the truth. The truth is the Word of God (John 17:17). This is very much in line with Paul’s teachings to other churches.
Romans 8:12-14
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors — not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. NKJV
Acts 20:32
32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. NKJV
Notice here we have the same teaching. By the Spirit the people were to stop (put to death) living the way they were living, since living according to the flesh would mean certain death. The Word itself is able to sanctify and give an inheritance, since the Word is also Jesus (John 1:14). The Word itself is not only Jesus and truth (John 17:17), but the Word itself is also Spirit (John 6:63), and He works all by Himself on the inside of those who believe Him (1 Thessalonians 2:13), because He, the Word, is alive (Hebrews 4:12). You may not understand that yet, but just accept it and believe what the Word says.
John 1:1-4
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. NKJV
John 1:14
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. NKJV
John 6:63
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. NKJV
1 Thessalonians 2:13
13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. NKJV
Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. NKJV
Why is the Word so important? You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free (John 8:31). It does not say get saved and you will be set free. It does not say have a personal relationship with Jesus and you will be set free. No, it says you shall know the truth, and the truth (Word) will set you free. Disciples of Jesus remain (abide) in the Word to the point of being set free; that is to the point in which they “know the truth” (John 8:31-32). Let me put it this way. The people who are going to Heaven, get saved, get baptized, and then they “never” put their Bible down. They read the Word out loud (faith comes by hearing Romans 10:17), or position themselves to hear the Word until they “know the truth.” After knowing the truth, the truth itself sets us free.
John 8:31-32
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” NKJV
1 Corinthians 15:1-2
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain. NKJV
1 John 2:24-25
24 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. 25 And this is the promise that He has promised us — eternal life. NKJV
Those who do not preach the Gospel only lead people into what is called a sinner’s prayer, and then they spend a lifetime avoiding the verses I have shown you. Notice back up in John 8:31 that disciples of Jesus abide (remain) in His Word. That’s all the time (Hebrews 5:14). Notice in 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 above that if we do not hold to the Word that was preached we believe in vain. We must “hold to the Word” (the teachings). By the way, that verse says “saved if.” In other words “if” means it is conditional. That one verse shatters the “once saved always saved” movement for those who know the truth, but that’s a different Sunday. In other words, I will teach on that at a different time. Now back to the teaching.
When you got saved you should have heard that you need to continue in your faith (Colossians 1:21-23).
Colossians 1:21-23
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight — 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. NKJV
Through Christ we were reconciled to God to the point of being holy in God’s sight, blameless, and above reproach, but that is conditional depending on if we continue in our faith, as it is written in verse 23 above. The whole Christian life is lived by faith (Romans 1:17), and therefore if we decided to live the Christian life we would have to live by faith.
How do we live by faith? We were given a measure of faith when we came to the Lord (Romans 12:3). In fact, this was the gift of God that enabled us to come to the Lord (Ephesians 2:8, John 6:44). More faith comes and grows as we hear the Word (Romans 10:17), and pursue more faith (1 Timothy 6:11, 2 Thessalonians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 8:7, 10:15).
We hear the Word in order to learn the Word in order to participate in the promises found in scripture in order to receive the things that have been given to us by God. (2 Peter 1:3-4).
2 Peter 1:3-4
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. NKJV
For example, by simply seeking to enter God’s Kingdom and God’s righteousness first in our life, God will give us the things that we worry about every day (Matthew 6:25-34). If we shrink back from living by faith then we can lose or forfeit our very soul. This is also one of the many verses that proves that the “once saved always saved” movement is based on false doctrines.
Hebrews 10:36-39
36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 37 “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. NKJV
Notice that only after we have done the will of God, we will receive what is promised (verse 36), but if we shrink back from living by faith we can draw back to perdition (destruction of the soul).
So if you just got saved or if you have been saved for twenty years, but are just now getting serious about being a Christian, get baptized, read the Word of God from the New Testament out loud and never put it down. Read Luke 3:7-14 to find out what baptized people are supposed to be doing. Allow the Word of God, as you hear it, to judge your attitudes and thoughts (Hebrews 4:12). Never side with anyone who tries to teach you something that is not written (1 Corinthians 4:6). If you have any questions, ask. Asking is free and there is no donation box on this site. I’m Alan Ballou; a servant.
