What Must We Do to be Saved? (Calvinism VS. Apostles)
“What must WE DO to be saved” (Acts 2:37, Acts 16:30)?
Calvinism: Nothing. God did it all. If we had to do something, we would be earning our salvation.
Peter: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:37-38)…“Repent and be converted so that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19).
Paul: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:30-31).
The apostles clearly did not hold Calvinist theology. God has requirements, and if someone wants to be saved, he must do what God requires—repent[1], be baptized/converted[2], and believe on the Lord Jesus.[3] These are God’s requirements for salvation.
Isn’t this Works-Based Salvation?
Doesn’t this mean we are earning our salvation? Absolutely not! An unsaved person is like a man drowning in the ocean. Unless someone throws him a life preserver and pulls him in, he will drown. However, just because someone throws him a life preserver does not automatically mean he is saved. The man must still grab the life preserver (repent/believe) so that his rescuer (Jesus) can save him.
The act of grabbing the life preserver (repenting/believing) doesn’t save us. The rescuer (Jesus) saves us. But the rescuer has told us (in his Word) that he has requirements. So if we meet those requirements, he will save us. If we don’t, he won’t.
Keep in mind, also, that no amount of good works can undo our past sins. Even if we did nothing but good works going forward, those good works would not save us because our past sins condemn us. It only takes one sin to condemn us, and we’ve all sinned. Therefore, no amount of good works going forward can undo our dire situation.
But God has graciously sent his son Jesus to die for our sins. However, he has told us in his Word that he applies that sacrifice only to those who repent and believe on his son (see above).
This is the biblical view of salvation.
By Alex Polyak, Answering Calvinism, 3/10/26
[1] Repentance means changing your mind and heart about sin, turning away from it and turning toward God, resulting in a transformed life.
[2] There are two views of what “baptism” refers to in this passage. Some say it refers to water baptism, while others say it refers to spiritual baptism. I hold the spiritual view because of what Peter says a few verses later: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). So in Acts 2:38 Peter says, “Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins”; and in Acts 3:19 Peter says, “Repent and be converted so that your sins may be blotted out.” Peter seems to be equating baptism with conversion, which is spiritual. Keep in mind, water baptism is important too, but that’s more of a profession of faith.
[3] To believe on Jesus means to trust him enough to do what he says.