The Path to Salvation

According to Jesus

"Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened." — Matthew 7:7-8

"Don't be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom." — Luke 12:32

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Have you ever wondered what Jesus Himself taught about salvation? In a world filled with countless interpretations and religious traditions, Jesus' own words provide the clearest guidance on this most important journey.

Many today suggest that salvation is simple—perhaps requiring nothing more than a momentary decision or acknowledgment. Yet Jesus consistently described salvation as a path to be walked, a gate to be entered, and a life to be lived. He spoke of a narrow way that few would find, cautioning against the broad road that leads to destruction.

"Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it." — Matthew 7:13-14

"Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in, and will not be able." — Luke 13:24

For the sincere seeker, the question isn't "What's the minimum required for salvation?" but rather "What did Jesus actually teach about the path to eternal life?" This document presents the complete picture of salvation as taught by Jesus Himself—not filtered through later interpretations or traditions, but drawn directly from His words in scripture.

Through diligent and prayerful study of Jesus' teachings, we have identified fourteen aspects of the path to salvation that Jesus clearly presented. Each element is supported by Jesus' direct words, forming a comprehensive guide for those who truly desire to follow Him all the way to eternal life.

In support of the path to salvation as laid out for us by Jesus, we have provided scriptures to substantiate each step’s significance and necessity.

Be Drawn by the Father:

"All those whom the Father gives me will come to me. He who comes to me I will in no way throw out... This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day... No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'They will all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who hears from the Father, and has learned, comes to me." — John 6:37, 39, 44-45

This is the least understood of all the steps on the path to salvation, but it is also the easiest, as it requires no effort on our part. Jesus teaches us that the very beginning of our salvation journey isn't our own initiative—it's God's. Before we take a single step toward Jesus, the Father is already at work, drawing us to His Son. This divine invitation is the foundation of all that follows. How might you recognize this drawing in your life? It often appears as:

This drawing is God's grace in action—the Father Himself preparing your heart to receive His Son. Jesus emphasized that no one can come to Him unless the Father draws them, highlighting the beautiful truth that salvation begins with God's initiative, not our own.

When you feel this drawing, recognize it as the Father's personal invitation to you. Though you cannot create this drawing, you can respond to it—by listening, by seeking, and by allowing yourself to be led to Jesus.

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Hear the Gospel:

"Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God's Kingdom, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and God's Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News." — Mark 1:14-15

"He said to them, 'Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.'" — Mark 16:15-16

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Respond to Jesus' Call:

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me." — Revelation 3:20

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Believe In Jesus:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life." — John 3:16

"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned." — Mark 16:16

"Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn't come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." — John 5:24

"They said therefore to him, 'What must we do, that we may work the works of God?' Jesus answered them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.'" — John 6:28-29

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Confess Jesus is Lord:

"Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven." — Matthew 10:32

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?' She said to him, 'Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God's Son, he who comes into the world.'" — John 11:25-27

"Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, 'Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!' Nathanael said to him, 'How do you know me?' Jesus answered him, 'Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.' Nathanael answered him, 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!' Jesus answered him, 'Because I told you, "I saw you underneath the fig tree," do you believe? You will see greater things than these!' He said to him, 'Most certainly, I tell you all, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.'" — John 1:47-51

"Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and finding him, he said, 'Do you believe in the Son of God?' He answered, 'Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him?' Jesus said to him, 'You have both seen him, and it is he who speaks with you.' He said, 'Lord, I believe!' and he worshiped him." — John 9:35-38

"He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus answered him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.'" — Matthew 16:15-18

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Repent:

"I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way." — Luke 13:3, 5

"I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." — Luke 5:32

"I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance." — Luke 15:7

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Be Baptized:

"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned." — Mark 16:16

"Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." — Matthew 28:19

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Enter Through the Narrow Gate:

"Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it." — Matthew 7:13-14

"I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture." — John 10:9

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.' — John 14:6

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Follow Jesus:

"If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him." — John 12:26

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." — John 10:27

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Become Childlike:

"And said, 'Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.'" — Matthew 18:3

"Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God's Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it." — Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17

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Deny One’s Self:

"He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, 'Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? For what will a man give in exchange for his life?'" — Mark 8:34-37

"If anyone comes to me, and doesn't disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can't be my disciple. Whoever doesn't bear his own cross, and come after me, can't be my disciple... So therefore whoever of you who doesn't renounce all that he has, he can't be my disciple." — Luke 14:26-27, 33

"Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him." — John 12:24-26

"As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, 'Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?' Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God. You know the commandments: "Do not murder," "Do not commit adultery," "Do not steal," "Do not give false testimony," "Do not defraud," "Honor your father and mother."' He said to him, 'Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.' Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, 'One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.' But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions." — Mark 10:17-22

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Obey Jesus’ Commandments:

"'If you love me, keep my commandments.... One who has my commandments, and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him...' Jesus answered him, 'If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him. He who doesn't love me doesn't keep my words. The word which you hear isn't mine, but the Father's who sent me.'" — John 14:15, 21-24

"If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and remain in his love... You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you." — John 15:10, 14

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?' Then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.' "Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn't fall, for it was founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn't do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall." — Matthew 7:21-27

"He said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.' He said to him, 'Which ones?' Jesus said, 'You shall not murder.' 'You shall not commit adultery.' 'You shall not steal.' 'You shall not offer false testimony.' 'Honor your father and your mother.' And, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" — Matthew 19:17-19

"Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law? 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. This is the first and great commandment. And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." — Matthew 22:36-39

"He answered them, 'Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.' He said to them, 'Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.'" — Mark 7:6-9

"'If you love me, keep my commandments.... One who has my commandments, and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.' Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, 'Lord, what has happened that you are about to reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?' Jesus answered him, 'If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him. He who doesn't love me doesn't keep my words. The word which you hear isn't mine, but the Father's who sent me.'" — John 14:15, 21-24

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Partake of Jesus’ Sacrifice:

"He said to them, 'I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I tell you, I will no longer by any means eat of it until it is fulfilled in God's Kingdom.' He received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, 'Take this, and share it among yourselves, for I tell you, I will not drink at all again from the fruit of the vine, until God's Kingdom comes.' He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.' Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.'" — Luke 22:15-20

"'Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that anyone may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.' The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' Jesus therefore said to them, 'Most certainly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don't have life in yourselves. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he who feeds on me, he will also live because of me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven—not as our fathers ate the manna, and died. He who eats this bread will live forever.'" — John 6:47-58

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Bear Fruit:

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer. Every branch in me that doesn't bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can't bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man doesn't remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned." — John 15:1-6

"Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. A good tree can't produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn't grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire." — Matthew 7:17-19

"Bear good fruit or be destroyed." — Luke 13:6-9

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Do Good Works:

"Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work." — Revelation 22:12

"Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father." — John 14:12

"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will tell those on his right hand, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?' The King will answer them, 'Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' Then he will say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.' Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most certainly I tell you, because you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me.' These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." — Matthew 25:31-46

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Be Righteous:

"For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven." — Matthew 5:20

"If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire, 'where their worm doesn't die, and the fire is not quenched.' If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be quenched— 'where their worm doesn't die, and the fire is not quenched.' If your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out. It is better for you to enter into God's Kingdom with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire." — Mark 9:43-47

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Make Whatever Sacrifices are Necessary to Finish What We Started:

"Whoever doesn't bear his own cross, and come after me, can't be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn't first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? Or perhaps, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, everyone who sees begins to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build, and wasn't able to finish.' ...So therefore whoever of you who doesn't renounce all that he has, he can't be my disciple." — Luke 14:27-30, 33

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Endure to the End:

"But he who endures to the end, the same will be saved." — Matthew 24:13

"Teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." — Matthew 28:20

"You will be hated by all men for my name's sake, but he who endures to the end, the same will be saved." — Mark 13:13

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Conclusion: The Complete Path of Discipleship

The path Jesus describes isn't a checklist of isolated requirements but an integrated journey of discipleship. Each aspect flows naturally from the others: being drawn by the Father leads to hearing the gospel, which prompts belief and confession, which naturally leads to repentance and baptism. As we follow Jesus through the narrow gate, we become childlike in our trust, deny ourselves, and obey His commands. Partaking in His sacrifice connects us to His life, enabling us to bear fruit and do good works. Our growing righteousness requires sacrifice and endurance—all the way to the end.

Jesus promised this path wouldn't be easy, but He assured us it would be worth it:

"In the world you have trouble; but cheer up! I have overcome the world." — John 16:33

"Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." — Matthew 11:28-

The beauty of Jesus' path to salvation is that while it demands everything, it also provides everything we need for the journey. The same Father who draws us continues to strengthen us. The same Jesus who calls us walks alongside us. And the promised Holy Spirit guides and empowers us every step of the way.

For those who follow this complete path—not seeking shortcuts or easier alternatives—Jesus offers this extraordinary promise:

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand." — John 10:27-29

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