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Objective

In this lesson, we’ll see that we should respond to God’s work of salvation by turning from sin and putting our complete faith in Christ.

Key Verse

Acts 16:31: So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Introduction

If salvation is God’s work, then do we play no role at all? Does God just pick the ones He will save? The Bible teaches that we have been given a choice to follow God. Throughout Scripture, we see God calling people to make decisions:

Genesis 2:16-17: And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Joshua 24:15: But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

Romans 10:13: For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Revelation 22:17: The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

Is there a contradiction between God’s calling and our choice? No. The Bible teaches both truths together. Think about this example: When one person decides to propose marriage, they may plan carefully for the relationship and even prepare a home together. But when the proposal comes, the other person must be willing to say yes and enter into that covenant relationship. Both the initiative of one and the willing response of the other are necessary.

The Bible teaches that our response is to repent of our sin and receive by faith what God has freely offered to us. Salvation does not depend upon our works. Salvation depends upon the grace of God. Even our faith itself is a gift from God:

Ephesians 2:8-9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

Titus 3:5: He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

What is our role in salvation? We are called to three essential responses:

• To hear the truth
• To obey the truth
• To continue in the truth

In this lesson, we’ll look at these three responses of our heart. We’ll see that they are a work that God does by faith through the Holy Spirit. We’ll also look at several examples in the Bible that show us how people come to salvation.

Hearing the Truth

There is power in the Word of God. But the Word must be heard. And it must be heard not just by the ear but by the heart.

Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Romans 10:13-17: For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Jesus told the Parable of the Sower to describe different kinds of hearts that hear God’s Word (Mark 4:3-20). In this story, a farmer scatters seed on four different types of ground. Some seed falls on the hard path and is quickly snatched away by birds (verse 4)—this represents hearts that are hardened to God’s truth, where Satan immediately takes away the word that was sown (verse 15). Other seed falls on rocky ground and springs up quickly but withers when trouble comes (verse 5-6)—these are people who receive God’s Word with joy but have no deep roots, so they fall away when persecution arises (verses 16-17). Still other seed falls among thorns and is choked out by the worries and desires of this world (verse 7)—these represent people whose hearts are overcome by life’s worries, the deceitfulness of wealth, and desires for other things (verse 19). But some seed falls on good soil and produces a great harvest (verse 8)—this represents hearts that truly hear, understand, and obey God’s Word, bearing fruit thirty, sixty, or a hundred times what was sown (verse 20).

There are those who turn away from the Word, and there are those who hear and receive:

Mark 4:1-20: Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed…”

Acts 17:32-34: When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” At that, Paul left the Council. Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

The Holy Spirit prepares the hearts of those who hear. The Holy Spirit also gives power to the message that is spoken and the messenger who delivers it:

Acts 1:8: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Obeying the Truth

It is not enough to hear the Word of God. We must also obey it:

Mark 4:24: “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.”

The Holy Spirit works upon our hearts when we hear the Gospel. There are two ways we should respond in obedience to the truth. We are to repent and believe:

Mark 1:15: “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Acts 20:21: I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

Repentance is a change of heart. We must recognize that we are sinners and then turn from our sin:

1 Thessalonians 1:9: For they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

Isaiah 55:7: Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Repentance is an important part of the message of the Gospel:

Luke 24:47: And repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

We must also turn toward God in faith. Jesus taught that we must put our faith in Him:

John 11:25-27: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Paul taught that we must believe in Jesus Christ for salvation:

Acts 16:31: They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Romans 10:9-10: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Ephesians 1:13: And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.

What does it mean to put our faith in Christ? It means complete commitment and total surrender to Him as Lord of our lives. Jesus taught clearly what it means to follow Him. Faith is more than a profession of the mouth—it is a changed life. It is not just calling Him Lord, but leaving everything to follow Him. This is what true conversion is all about:

Luke 9:57-62: As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 10:38: Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

(Notebook Moment: What does it mean to you personally to “take up your cross” and follow Jesus? What areas of your life might God be calling you to surrender more completely to Him?)

Continuing in the Truth

The Bible tells us to abide in Christ. We are to be steadfast in the faith. We are to walk in the truth. We can only do this by the power of the Holy Spirit working within us. But we must choose to be obedient and faithful:

John 15:4-6: Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

Hebrews 2:1-3: We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.

Matthew 24:13: But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

1 Corinthians 10:12: So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!

Jude 24: To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy.

Our salvation does not depend on our faithfulness—our salvation depends on the faithfulness of God. But we are commanded to continue in the faith. This demonstrates that our faith is genuine and shows that God’s grace is truly working in our lives. Our abiding in Christ involves our will and our choices, but we can only do this by the grace of God and through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit who strengthens us and enables us to persevere.

(Notebook Moment: How do you see God’s grace enabling you to continue in your faith, especially during difficult times? What practical steps help you “abide” in Christ daily?)

Examples in the Bible

The Bible gives many examples of how people come to salvation. In each of these examples, we see that we do not earn salvation. We accept by faith what God already has offered to us.

Abraham is the greatest example of faith. The Word of God was spoken to him and he believed God:

Genesis 15:4-6: Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This one will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Romans 4:21-24: Being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

Naaman the Syrian is another example of how we believe. What does this story teach us in 2 Kings 5?

• We must hear the Word (verses 2-5) – Naaman learned about God’s power through a young servant girl
• We must repent from our own pride (verses 11-13) – Naaman was angry that the cure seemed too simple
• We must be obedient to the Word of God (verse 14) – Naaman humbled himself and obeyed God’s command

The river didn’t heal Naaman. Rivers are just rivers—they are not holy or special. Naaman was healed because of his obedience to the Word of God.

The Prodigal Son – Jesus tells this story in Luke 15:11-32. What does this teach us about salvation?

• We are completely lost in our sin (verse 16) – The son found himself feeding pigs and starving
• We must repent and turn back to God (verses 17-19) – The son came to his senses and decided to return home
• The Father receives us with love and grace (verse 20) – The father ran to meet his son while he was still far off
• We must accept all that God offers to us freely (verses 22-24) – The father gave his son a robe, ring, and celebration

Cornelius – The story in Acts 10 also teaches us the pattern of salvation:

• God had prepared the heart of Cornelius to receive the Word (verse 2) – He was devout and prayed regularly
• The Holy Spirit sent Peter to bring the Word to Cornelius (verses 19-22) – God orchestrated their meeting through visions
• Peter preached the Word of God (verses 34-43) – He explained the gospel message clearly
• The Holy Spirit drew Cornelius and his family to salvation (verse 44) – God confirmed their faith with visible signs

(Notebook Moment: Which of these biblical examples encourages you most in your own relationship with God? How do you see similar patterns in your own journey of faith?)

Conclusion

All scripture testifies that salvation is by God’s grace through faith. It is God’s work, not ours. This is how we come to salvation. But this is also how we continue in our walk with the Lord:

Colossians 2:6: So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him.

We must continually hear, believe, and follow the Word of God. And we must teach others to do so as well:

John 15:7-8: If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

The beautiful truth of salvation is that while God does all the work of redemption, He invites us to participate in this relationship through our response of faith. We hear His voice calling to us, we obey by repenting and believing, and we continue by His grace to walk with Him day by day. This is not a burden but a privilege—to know the God who saves us and to live in fellowship with Him forever.

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