There are many people who claim that all we need is ‘belief’ to be saved. Are they right?
Well, that’s certainly what Paul said.
Acts 16:31
[ The Jailer Converted ] They said, “ Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
So they are right, all we need is belief. But it must be a belief which changes us – indeed, we have to leave sin behind and turn to God.
Acts 26:15-20
15 And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; 17 rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’
19 “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.
James 2:17-20
17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
The Gospel Paul made known was that Christ died for our sins, that he was buried and raised again on the third day, and that he was seen by many others.
1 Corinthians 15:1-15
1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
Paul was clear that saying you know God is not enough – you can not deny God with your words or actions.
2 Timothy 2:12
If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.
Scripture is clear that certain people will suffer a second death:
Revelation 21:8
But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
So if people do not turn from sin and turn to God though faith in Christ, then no, they are not saved.
