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Let me begin by firmly stating this: If anything is serious enough to warrant careful study and knowing everything that there is to know about a subject, it is the answer to the question: "What must I do to be saved?" If I get every other theological question right and get that one wrong, then I will still be lost! Paul was addressing the importance of knowing what it is to be saved when He wrote:

Some people have wrongly taken this to mean that they can believe anything that they want to and be saved, but that is not what it means. What Paul was saying is that we cannot rely upon what someone's personal opinion is about salvation, or even church tradition, but every person needs to sit down and examine ALL of the scriptures and determine what the scriptures say is necessary for salvation. Paul said that we need to do so "with fear and trembling" making sure that we get it right!

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The first question is this: Is there more than one plan of salvation for us today? Can you believe one way and I believe one way and we all still go to heaven? Let's answer this scripturally:

Paul said that there was "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." So that tells us that there is only one "faith" or way to believe to be saved. And there is only one correct way to be baptized.

Jesus certainly backed up Paul's claim about there being only one way in to heaven. "Strait" here means "extremely narrow." And Jesus said that is a narrow "gate" (not gateS) that leads to eternal life. We could go on with more scripture, but it is clear that the scriptures teach that there is only one way to be saved.

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The main question then arises by asking "what then is that one way to be saved?" When we look at our texts it would SEEM that Peter and Paul disagreed. Our focus of the lesson tonight is to answer did they disagree, and if so, then which one is the one way to be saved?

Let's start with Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. After preaching a sermon about Jesus and believing that He was the Messiah, the listeners were convicted in their hearts and realized that they had done wrong in crucifying the Messiah:

Peter gave a three part command: Repent (which means to turn around from willful sin and ask for forgiveness), be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (which means to be completely immersed in water with the name of Jesus Christ called out over you), and to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (just like Peter and the other believers had just done in Acts 2:1-4). In verse 40 he told them to do this to "Save yourselves" so Peter believed what he told them was necessary for salvation after Calvary. Are we still in the Dispensation of Grace? Yes, so then that means that Peter believed that we who are still alive during this time of Grace must still do those three things to be saved: Repentance, Water Baptism in Jesus name (remember that there is only one baptism," and receiving the Holy Ghost just as they did on the Day of Pentecost.

Keep in mind several facts:

1. The Day of Pentecost message of Repentance, being baptized in Jesus' name, and receiving the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in a heavenly language was not just for the Day of Pentecost or just for the Jewish people because the Samaritans (half Jewish/half Gentiles) received the same experience later in Acts chapter 8, and the Gentiles received it in Acts chapter 10. Both times Peter was involved so it is obvious that Peter never ever changed his message.

2. Jesus had told Peter that he had the "keys to the kingdom:"

Peter had just realized that Jesus was the Messiah, and in return Jesus told him that upon that revelation He would build the church. However you interpret that verse, it is obvious that Peter was the one who would be given the "keys of the kingdom of heaven" to establish the church. A "key" unlocks something that was unable to be opened. Jesus came and died so that we might be able to enter into heaven despite having sinned. The "keys" (notice that there is more than one: keyS) were given to Peter! When Peter stood and preached at the Day of Pentecost and said "Repent, be baptized in Jesus' name, and receive the Holy Ghost" he was revealing the three "keys" to get into heaven! If you do not believe that or disagree, then show me in scripture what the "keys" are?! There is no other place! No Bible scholar will disagree that it was upon the Day of Pentecost that the church began and so it follows that the "keys" are obviously "Repentance, Water Baptism in Jesus' name, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost just as the 120 received in Acts 2:1-4!

3. Peter preached that day with all of the other disciples, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus' brothers and sisters standing and listening (Acts 1:13-14; Acts 2:14, 37). And not ONE of them objected to his message on salvation. Not ONE disciple, or even Jesus' family had a problem with Peter preaching "Repentance, water baptism in Jesus' name, and the Holy Ghost" as being how "to save yourselves from this untoward generation!"

4. No serious Bible scholar of any belief will argue that we are not in the same time of Grace today. It is obvious that the Rapture of the church has not taken place and so we must also still obey the "keys" to the kingdom of heaven! If you want to go through the gate of salvation and make it to heaven, then you need to Repent, be baptized in Jesus' name, and receive the Holy Ghost!

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The issue today is "did Paul believe something different from Peter?" If so, then which one is the ONE FAITH!? This is a question in some people's minds only because the majority of the denominations and churches today simply lead people in what is known as the "sinner's prayer." Despite Peter's message, most churches do not teach Repentance, Water Baptism in Jesus' name, and receiving the Holy Ghost as being necessary for salvation. Some choose to ignore those "keys" altogether, and some teach that they are "extra" things that are just good to do. Usually they have never really searched the scriptures with an open mind or heart but have just taken "someone's word for it."

Typically they base their salvational formula on one passage of scripture that is found in the Book of Romans which was a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Rome telling them that he wanted to one day come visit them. Let's read the passage again:

Typically what these churches say is that to be saved one has to "confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God raised Him up from the dead," and they are eternally saved. It is very convenient, and not near as much trouble as commanding to Repent, and having to baptize people in water, and teach them how to yield to the Spirit of God. Just think! According to this theology, to be saved, all one has to do is just "call upon the name of the Lord and confess that you believe that He was raised from the dead!" Sounds easy!

But such theology definitely contradicts Peter's teaching. Confessing that you believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah and that you believe that He was raised from the dead is not repentance. Repentance is admitting that you have sinned against God and asking His forgiveness. Also what about water baptism? Jesus, Himself, commanded that:

Obviously, churches that teach all one has to do to be saved is obey Romans 10:9, do not focus on these scriptures! And we have not even read all of the scriptures about receiving the Holy Ghost!

So the question is this: Did Paul preach a different salvational message than Peter? Let's go to Acts chapter 19 and see what Paul did preach in person on his third missionary journey to Asia:

Paul traveled to the town of Ephesus and met some disciples of John the Baptist there. He rebaptized them in the name of Jesus Christ and prayed them through to the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. Notice that verse 2 states that they had believed on Jesus Christ already, but Paul obviously did not think that it was enough. SO IN ACTS CHAPTER 19, PAUL PREACHED THE SAME SALVATIONAL DOCTRINE THAT PETER PREACHED IN ACTS 2! He preached Repentance, Water Baptism in Jesus' name, and receiving the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues!

These events in Acts 19 started an Apostolic revival in Ephesus. Acts 19:8-10 tells us that Paul stayed in Ephesus for 2 years and three months preaching and teaching! In Acts chapter 20:2-3 we find that Paul then traveled into Greece and stayed there for three months. During those three months, he wrote the book of Romans which was to the church in Rome. The book of Romans was then written less than three years after Paul preached Repentance, Water Baptism in Jesus' name, and receiving the Holy Ghost in Acts chapter 19! It is very doubtful that Paul changed his message in that short time, especially considering Paul's urging to the Ephesian elders to not stray from his teaching (Acts 20:17-38).

So the answer to our questions is "no, Peter and Paul did NOT disagree on salvational issues, and their agreement is the ONLY way to be saved!" But what about Romans chapter 10? Then why was it written if it is not the complete salvational formula. The answers to the questions become clearer when we take the verses "in context" with the rest of the letter.

In Romans chapter 16, we find the people in Rome to whom the letter was actually written. They included:

1. Priscilla and Aquila - (Romans 16:3-5) - The Jewish couple won to God by Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:1-3) and who had gone and established a church in Rome.

2. Adronicus and Junia - (Romans 16:7) - Were relatives of Paul who had been Christians before Paul had been converted! While Paul was persecuting the church before his conversion, He actually had family members witnessing to him! Adronicus and Junia were a Jewish couple who had served Jesus Christ longer than Paul had!

3. Herodian - (Romans 16:11) - Another Jewish relative of Paul who had gone to Rome to establish a church.

4. Rufus and his mother - (Romans 16:13) - was the son of the Jewish black man, Simon who carried Jesus' cross on the way to Calvary (Mark 15:21). (We know that Simon was Jewish because he was in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.) They had apparently moved to Rome to establish a church.

Altogether there are greetings to 26 individuals in Romans chapter 16 to which the letter was addressed. All of them had been in ministry for some time and two of them, Adronicus and Junia, had even served Jesus longer than Paul had! What is the point? These people had no need of Paul to tell them to Repent, be baptized in Jesus' name, and to receive the Holy Ghost for they had already done those things! These people were pastors and founders of churches and did not need to be convinced of the "keys to the kingdom of heaven" but rather needed encouragement and guidance in other theological matters.

So what theological question was Paul addressing when he wrote to "confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe that He was raised from the dead!" That is found in Romans 10:9. Let's take it in context. Romans chapters 9-11 are addressing a question that many of the pastors in Rome had. As we have noted above, many of them were Jewish, and had no problem believing that God could save the Gentiles. Some of them, however, believed that God would never give the entire Jewish nation another chance at salvation. Think about that for a moment and also realize that many people today believe that God has "forgotten about the Jewish people" and that they are no longer His special nation. That is false teaching! For example Zechariah in the chapters 12-14 clearly prophesied that the Jewish people will be given an "extra" chance to be saved because of the promises that God made Abraham. Jesus taught the same thing saying that God would turn back to the Jewish people after "the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." After the Rapture of the church, God will again turn back to the Jewish people and allow those that are still alive to have a chance to accept them as the Messiah just as the people before Calvary rejected Him.

We do not have time to read ALL of Romans chapter 9-11 but I will point out the highlights. Notice that all three chapters are to answer the questions of the pastors about the Jewish nation and to prove to them that God will once again return to the Jewish people and give them a second chance after the Dispensation of Grace is over.

What Paul was saying was that God will once again turn back to the Jewish people AFTER that the time of the Gentiles is over! That is AFTER THE TIME OF GRACE AND THE CHURCH, the Jewish people will have a chance to be saved! Will they have to Repent, be baptized in Jesus' name, and be filled with the Holy Ghost? No, because it will be AFTER THE RAPTURE of the church! The time of Grace and the church will be over! It will be a new dispensation!

So when Paul stated that "there is no difference between the Jew and Greek" and "all that call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved," he was simply stating that God will extend His mercy once again to the Jewish people just like He has upon the Gentiles! Gentiles can be saved today despite our past sins because of His mercy, and God will once again turn to the Jewish people with mercy despite their past sins!

"To Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead" IS a salvational formula, but not for the time of Grace! It will only work for the Jewish people who are alive AFTER the Rapture of the Church, the time of Grace, and the Wrath of God! Right now, we are in the time of Grace and so we must obey the "keys to the kingdom of heaven" which by both Peter and Paul's teaching is "Repentance, Water Baptism in Jesus' name, and receiving the Holy Ghost just as they did on the Day of Pentecost."

If you are a Gentile, then the only hope you have of being saved is to obey these "keys to the kingdom." If someone told you that you were saved by "confessing with your mouth" then they contradicted scripture! If you are a Jewish person, then you do not want to take the chance of having to survive the Wrath of God that will come after the Rapture of the Church because Zechariah said that two-thirds of all of the Jewish people would be killed (Zechariah 13:8-9)! Even if you are Jewish, you want to obey the "keys to the kingdom" and go in the Rapture of the Church to make sure you are saved!

Back in Biblical times and even today, there are two basic types of unbelief among the Jewish people: 1. Those who believe that the Old Testament is real and that there is life after death but do NOT believe that Jesus was the Messiah. 2. Those who are agnostic and think that there is NOT life after death therefore Jesus was not raised from the dead and the story of Calvary is just a fairy tale. To Confess with their mouth the LORD Jesus takes care of the first group because they will have to admit that Jesus is the Messiah and Lord. To believe in their heart that Jesus was resurrected will take care of the second group because they will have to admit that there is life after death! Romans 10:9 IS a salvational formula but to the Jewish people who are still alive AFTER the Rapture of the Church and AFTER the Wrath of God has been poured out on the earth.

Many people try to defend their false doctrine by quoting Romans 10:13:

That statement in itself is true. At it's most basic formula, the salvational plan of God has ALWAYS been to "call upon the name of the Lord." But HOW YOU CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD HAS ALWAYS DEPENDED UPON THE TIME IN WHICH YOU LIVE! In Moses' time the proper way to "call upon the name of the Lord" was to offer a sacrificial lamb through the High Priest. In the future AFTER THE RAPTURE of the Church, the correct way for the remaining Jewish people to "call upon the name of the Lord" will be to "confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus and to believe in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead." But on the Day of Pentecost in his sermon, Peter quoted that exact scripture:

Exactly 17 verses later he told them exactly HOW to properly "call upon the name of the Lord" in the Grace dispensation by telling them:

The proper way for us to be saved in the time in which we live is to Repent, Be baptized in Jesus' name, and be filled with the Holy Ghost as they did on the Day of Pentecost! Peter and Paul did not disagree, but rather agreed that this was the "one faith," and "one baptism!" Don't miss out on heaven! Make sure you have obeyed the scriptures!