What must Man do to receive Eternal Life?

Question

I don't think that any Christian would disagree that Jesus Christ is the only way to God and to your inheritance. But what is man's responsibility? That's what this question is addressing.

What do I need to do in order to receive eternal life?

_{Answers may represent the views of any denomination or professing-Christian group, but should be backed up with scripture -- and please make answers comprehensive.}

Answer 1

As you have said, in John 14:6 Jesus tells us that "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Paul and Silas tell their jailer in Acts 16 what he must do to be saved.

Acts 16:29-34 NIV
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

Man's responsibility is to "believe in the Lord Jesus". They do not mention any other acts required by the jailer to be saved. The jailer and his household did get baptized, but Paul and Silas did not say this was necessary for their salvation. (For more on believers being baptized, see If we are saved by grace, then why does Jesus say we must be baptized in both spirit and water?)

I also believe that we must commit to following Christ's lead. As mentioned in James, even demons "believe" in Christ.

James 2:18-19 NIV
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

Although there should be deeds as a result of our faith and following Jesus, these deeds are not our salvation.

Romans 3:27-28 NIV
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Answer 2

When Peter preached the Gospel to the crowd assembled on the Day of Pentecost, many believed his words:

Acts 2: 37-38

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Clearly belief, or even profession of belief, is not enough. It's necessary to repent of your sins, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Also, keep in mind the words of Christ:

Matthew 22: 35-40

35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Also,

John 14: 15, 21

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

...

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Jesus equates loving God, the highest commandment of all, with keeping all his commandments.

Answer 3

Romans 10:9

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.

That in a nutshell is the essence of the Gospel. Confession and belief are man's responsibility.

Answer 4

A couple passages that I always turn to that represents the theme throughout scripture are John 3:16-18, and Ephesians 2:4-9:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ~ John 3:16-18

God has "elected" that anyone who believes in His Son, Jesus, and follows Him will be saved. Contrariwise, He has "elected" those who reject His son to eternal death in hell.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ~ Ephesians 2:4-9

Note the boldened portion (v. 8-9). We are saved by grace, through faith, not works.

I realize these are only 2 passages, but I assure that these represent a consistent theme throughout scripture in that God offers salvation to all, and that all who accept this gift (via belief in His son, having faith in Jesus alone) will live in heaven. Nothing you can do can save you (Ephesians 2:9), therefore it is faith in Christ alone that saves you.

That said, some may say the fact that you place your faith in Christ is an action you make, or in other words, placing your faith in Christ is a "work." But this is misunderstood, because it is like receiving a gift from a a loved one. They offer the gift, and you have the choice to accept or deny it. Likewise, God initiated the relationship by offering us the gift of salvation, and we have the choice to accept it through faith in His Son or deny it through rejection of His Son.