"This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved"

(Acts 4:11-12) KJV

When the Son of God and the Savior of the world speaks, everyone must respond in some way.  They may renounce His claims or they may accept Him and follow Him with a responsive faith.  This is the choice that lies before the world.

Defining a Responsive Faith

What is involved in "accepting Christ?"  What did the people do in the first century to become His disciples?

Accepting Christ involves believing in Him as the Son of God.  "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creation.  He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:15-16 KJV).  The deity of Christ must be believed: "... for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins" (John 8:24 KJV).  Believing any proposition is possible for an intelligent mind only if the evidence is capable of supporting it.  The Word of God provides this evidence.  "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17 KJV).  This word records Jesus' teaching, His sinless life, and His miracles.  An eyewitness of these came to the Savior by night, saying, "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him" (John 3:2 KJV).

Accepting Christ demands repenting of one's sins.  After the apostle Paul spoke in pagan Athens, he concluded saying, "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent:  Because he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead" (Acts 17:30-31 KJV).  Repentance is an act of the human will; it is the determination to cease doing evil and begin doing good, or cease disobedience and begin obedience.  It is preceded by sorrow for sin.  "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation..." (II Corinthians 7:10 KJV).  It necessarily results in a changed life.

 Accepting Christ includes a confession of faith in Him as Lord.  Paul wrote this to the disciples at Rome, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus ... thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9-10).  See Matthew 10:32-33; Acts 8:36-37; I Timothy 6:12 (KJV).

Accepting Christ requires baptism (a burial in water) for the remission of sins.  Ananias said to Saul of Tarsus, "And now why tarriest thou?  Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16 KJV).  Sprinkling and pouring for baptisim were introduced in the second century and were unknown to the New Testament church.  "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-4 KJV).

Baptism is commanded by our Savior.  It is fatal to ignore any command of our Savior.  There are no non-essential commands.  "He still lives and sits on David's throne at the right hand of God" (Acts 2:22-37 KJV). 

Finally, salvation demands a daily obedience in the service of Christ (See Luke 9:23; I John 1:7; Revelation 2:10 KJV).