The Most Important Question Ever Asked

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Let’s consider a question today and know that a greater question has never been asked, nor has a greater answer with any greater meaning ever been given. All of that’s coming up today from the International Gospel Hour. Stay with us.

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It’s time for our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jay Webb, and welcome to our study today as we embrace God’s Word to help us meet the challenges of today. Let’s open our Bibles and open our heart for this time of Bible study with our speaker Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the Churches of Christ.

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Here’s Jeff. Well, thank you always to our J-Web. And greetings to all of you, our faithful listeners and those of you that may be finding our broadcast for the first time. Welcome to the International Gospel Hour, online or on the air since 1934. And we’re a long-running radio broadcast of the Churches of Christ. As a matter of fact, we’re under the oversight of the West Fayetteville, Tennessee Church of Christ. And our address is P.O. Box 118, Fayetteville, Tennessee 37334. Thank you for being with us today here from the International Gospel Hour. Let’s talk about the most important question ever asked. And here we go. From Acts 16, verses 30-34, we see the Philippian jailer and his response to Paul and Silas after an earthquake freed the prisoners from that dungeon. The Bible says that he, that is the Philippian jailer, brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? So they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household. Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them, and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household. Now let’s notice that question. Verse 30 He brought them out. The jailer brought out Paul and Silas and said the most important question ever asked. Sirs, what must I do to be saved? What? Well, that’s a question. That’s a word that’s going to bring forth a question and a question of importance. What must? There’s no other choice. This has got to be done. The jailer saw his situation. I, what must I? Well, that makes it personal. We can blame no one else for our decision, and we can only praise God if we make the right decision. What must I do? Friends, there is action. There is a change. There is a decision that must be made. That is a word that implicates action, that we are going to do something. I have to respond to what I am about to hear. What must I do to? That is specific. It’s aiming toward doing something, accomplishing the fact. Okay, I’m going to do this, and I’m going to do this specific thing. What must I do to be? Well, when we see the word be, we think about the prefix be in the word become. We think about the prefix be in beatitude, Matthew 5. And so to be a total change unlike before. I think it’s the words of Shakespeare quoted throughout the centuries. To be or not to be, that is the question. What must I do to be saved? Totally opposite of lost. A life that was to be set for Jesus Christ. It was the late Charles Cobb from the pulpit of the Central Church of Christ in Nashville on February 27, 1955 who put it this way. It is commonly admitted by all men that a greater question has never been asked than nor has a greater answer with any greater meaning ever been given. Yes, friends, that was the introduction to our broadcast today. And you know those words were over the radio airwaves in 1955. And they are once again presented here through International Gospel Hour. Indeed, friends, this is a great question. And it is the most important question ever asked. So today we’re going to study, What must I do to be saved? We’ll be back in a moment. But first, we’re going to defer to our J-Web for about 30 seconds. And then we’ll be back with our study.

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Let’s begin, friends. So they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved in thy house. Verse 31. They questioned, What must I do to be saved? Here is the answer. And this he indeed heard, and he asked, What must I do to be saved? And here is the answer. So they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved in your house. But friends, notice that he kept listening. You know, in Matthew 15, verse 10, Jesus called the multitude and said unto them, Hear and understand. We need to hear. When we ask a question, such as the most important question, then we have set ourselves up and placed ourselves to hear the answer. And Jesus, as he told the multitude, hear and understand. Hear, we must listen. In John 9, 35 and 36, concerning the man born blind who was healed by the Christ, Jesus had heard that they had cast him out, and when he had found him, he said unto him, Do you believe on the Son of God? And he answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? You see, he heard the answer, but he needed to know more. He kept listening. What about in Acts 8, 30 and 31, when Philip ran to the eunuch who is sitting there in the chariot, and he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, Do you understand what you are reading? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. So you see, he wanted to hear, he wanted to listen to what he needed to do. In Romans 10 verses 14 and 17, the question is asked, How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? Well, friends, when we look at that verse by itself, it tells us that faith only is not enough. Notice, they want to call on Him whom they have believed. And so, friends, when we believe, and true biblical faith moves us to do what God commands us to do. Verse 17 of Romans 10, So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So first of all, this the jailer heard, he asked the question, here’s the answer, but he kept listening. He needed to know more. Yes, friends, when we hear, and faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, we must believe on Christ. I mean, Jesus said in John 8, 24, For if you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins. And in Hebrews 11 and verse 6, For without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. So you see, friends, faith moves us to come to Him and to seek Him. In John 3 and verse 16, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. In John 20, 30, and 31, many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through his name. Friends, nobody will doubt the importance of hearing and believing concerning one’s salvation. We’re all together. But you know, friends, the account does not stop here. They told him to believe on the Lord. They said, now notice verse 32. Then they spoke the word of the Lord unto him and to all who were in his house. Well, friends, he had to keep hearing. And like the man born blind, the jailer needed to know more in order to believe. And let’s think about it. They spoke the word of the Lord to him. He was ready to hear. He was ready to believe. But let’s think for a moment. What word of the Lord had been heard previously to those that believed? What about repentance of sin? I mean, repentance of sin was very clear in the early days of Jesus’ ministry. Matthew 3 in verse 2 and Mark 1 in verse 15. And in Luke 13 verse 3 and repeated in verse 5, I tell you, nay, but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. in Luke 24, appearing before the eleven, who were terrified and frightened in Luke 24, 37. They were unbelieving and amazed in verse 41. He said the following that we note from Luke 24, 44-49. He said to them, These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning me. and he opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then he said to them, Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem, and you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you, but tarry or remain in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” Well, they go back to Jerusalem, Acts chapter 1. But then when Peter and the apostles preached in Acts 2, and in verse 37 they said, Now friends, Here we find Paul and Silas speaking the word of the Lord, and the word of the Lord taught repentance. It clearly preached repentance before. There is no doubt it was taught to the jailer and his family at that point. And indeed, friends, it would be preached later. Paul on Mars Hill in Acts 17, 30 and 31 pled for them to repent, to change. Also in Romans 6, verses 1 and 2. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid! How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? What about when Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 7, verses 9 and 10, how godly sorrow brings one to repentance? And in 2 Peter 3, verse 9, how God would plead for all men to come to repentance. So friends, the word of the Lord that they were speaking unto him, we just simply see what was being taught before. Yes, he needed to hear in order to believe, but when he believed in Christ, he wanted to believe in the teaching of Christ, and repentance of sin is clearly there. What about confession of Christ? Did not Jesus teach in Matthew 10, 32 and 33 that, Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Jesus taught confession, the word of the Lord. And what’s interesting, in John 12, 42 and 43… The Bible says, among the chief rulers, also many believed on him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. Did you notice that, friends? Yes, they believed on him, but they failed to confess him. May I ask you a question? Is that faith a saving faith? You know, there are a lot of people that say, I believe in God, but they don’t live it. What about when Philip told the eunuch in Acts 8 and verse 37? You know, the eunuch asked for the chariot to stop. He said, Here is water. What hinders me to be baptized? What did Philip tell him? If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. His confession of faith. Now, friends, as these words of the Lord were spoken before, no doubt they would be spoken at this time and even to this very day. And then afterward, what do we note from Romans 10 and verse 10? You see, with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. They said, they spake, but friends, we’ve got more to come. I’m going to pause for about another 30 seconds or so. A few words from our Jay Webb. He talked earlier about our previous shows that are available online. But also, here’s a way that you can see the International Gospel Hour. Here is our Jay Webb.

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When they said and they spake, let’s see the response of the jailer and his family. We go back to verse 33. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. You see, friends, he washed their stripes. He tended to their care. And he also was washed through baptism. You know, we spoke moments ago about hearing and believing. Watch this. Mark 16, 16. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be condemned. Isn’t it something how belief and baptism are tied in there together, that one must believe and is baptized? What about in repentance? We affirmed moments ago that repentance is necessary. Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. You see, these were people that believed they needed to repent and to be baptized. What about moments ago when we looked at Philip when he told the eunuch, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Acts 8 and verse 37. He made that confession of faith. And then they commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and he baptized him. What about the Apostle Paul of whom we have referred to several times in our study here of things that he had taught there on Mars Hill in Acts 17? What about his own conversions? In Acts 22 and verse 16, what did Ananias say to him? And now why do you tarry? Why do you wait? Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. So, friends, he took them the same hour. They said, they spake, he took. He was baptized. Notice that same hour. Nobody delayed their obedience. On Pentecost, that same day, Acts 2 and verse 38, they responded. The same day, there were added unto them 3,000 souls. In Samaria, there was no delay. Acts 8 and verse 12, not even the eunuch we noticed moments ago. In Acts 8 and verse 36. Now, you may be wondering, Jeff, are you saying that one has to be baptized in order to be saved? Friends, it’s not what Jeff says. It’s what the Bible says. And isn’t it interesting that we noted every part we’ve looked at? Believe and repentance and confession. And right there with it you find baptism. Baptism into Christ. Baptism into water. And friends, isn’t it amazing how that’s what we are commanded to do? But stay with me. They said, they spoke, he took, and rejoiced. Look at verse 34. Believing in God with all of his house. When Paul and Silas said, Believe, they spoke more unto him. He took them, and his household was baptized, and now they have something in which to rejoice. Believing in God with all of his house. Now notice, friends, notice what all entails believing in God. You see, when we’re in verse 34, he rejoiced believing in God with all of his house. Do you suppose part of believing in God was his baptism? Without a doubt. Friends, we noted that in the scriptures stated earlier. Do you suppose that believing in God embraced the confession of that faith? Without a doubt. Do you think believing in God embraced repentance of sin? Absolutely. So, friends, when they told him to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and he would be saved, he had to hear what he needed to do. That’s why they spoke the word of the Lord unto him. For faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So, you know, at this point, friends, I would like to ask you a question. As the jailer in his household, would you like to hear more of what is said in answer to that important question, what must I do to be saved? Friends, I realize and respectfully would disagree with many other broadcasts that are of a biblical nature if they’re teaching something other than what we have brought forth today. We are concerned with what the Bible says, and that’s what we’re going to bring forth here on this broadcast. We would like for you to think on these matters. And let me pause here with a very important and a very emphatic invitation, if you will. We like to encourage our listeners to continue good Bible study in between our broadcast. To take the things we’ve talked about and to study therein. Friends, what we’ve talked about today is very simple. But, you know, like the eunuch, sometimes we need someone to come and sit down and talk with us. We have a very special offer through International Gospel Hour that if there are individuals such as you who are listening to our broadcast but would like to speak to someone that’s more into your area, friends, our broadcast goes throughout the world through a number of options including Obviously, it’s hard to reply to every phone call and it’s hard to reply to every request. But we try to do our very best to do so. And one thing that we offer is for a local Church of Christ in your area to visit or talk with you. Now, listen and hear me out because I’m very careful with this. I’m very careful in the fact that That we’re not going to tell people when we receive a reply from someone, I don’t reach out to a church of Christ in that area and say, hey, go see these people. We will not do that. We like to respect your privacy. We like to respect things in the proper way. But if you are interested in the things of which we’ve talked about and want to study them further with someone in your area, then here’s what we do. You can call us at our toll-free number, 855-444-6988, and just say, I would like to speak with a local Church of Christ. That’s all you have to say. Now, what we will do is, at that point, we will call you back. We will have a conversation with you, and we will lay out a plan for the church to reach out to you. And usually we do that by the simplicity of a phone call. And then when you receive that phone call and you’re comfortable with that, then you all can pursue from there on. And we’ve done that before. I’m reminded of a young man that called us and heard our broadcast. And he called and I suggested the same to him. We worked through it properly. And he was able to study and to be just like that jailer. He rejoiced in his obedience to the gospel. So that’s a tool and that’s an offer that we make. But here’s another one. we’d love to send you a Bible study material by mail. That’s right, by mail, for you to study and to look through these things. Here is our J-Web with the details of how you can receive a free home Bible study.

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An additional Bible study by mail is now available from International Gospel Hour. It’s titled, God and Man, How to Be Saved from Sin. This study booklet addresses a number of questions about the salvation from God to man. And friends, like all materials, it’s free. Call us toll free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, address and just say God and man. Or you can go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab, and leave us the same information, name, address, and type God and man in the message box. Another Bible study that is free from IGH. And our friends at godandman.com. That’s god-and-man.com. And, you know, since you can’t see it, let me just spell that out for you. We’d love to hear from you.

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So, yes, friends, I realize that Jay gave you that in detail, but we want to be able for you to access that. Maybe you’d like to access it online, and that is fine. But we also realize a lot of our listeners do not have the online accessibility. My mother lived to be 89 years of age, and the Internet never visited her house. And so we respect that and we know that. That’s why we’re able to mail out this material. And we’re thankful that we can do so. God and Man, How to Be Saved from Sin. It’s a fantastic study booklet. And again, you can have it free, 855-444-6988. Everything that we offer through our broadcast is free. And we want you to be comfortable and know that when you gather with us to study the Word of God, we’re going to seek out those things that be of God through His Word. And we’re going to know His will for our lives. Friends, let’s think on these things because, again, this is the most important question ever asked. What must I do to be saved? And we need to make certain that we get it right. I really appreciate you joining me today for our studies here from the International Gospel Hour, and I look forward to our next study together. Thank you again for joining me today. I’m Jeff R. G., and friends, keep listening.

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Thank you for listening today. To God be the glory. And we hope that our study today will draw you closer to His Word to walk in His way. Feel free to listen to our other programs at our website at internationalgospelhour.com and join us next time.