2. If you were to conduct a phone poll of 100 residents of this city and ask them what is you would likely get a wide variety of answers, such as: “Should the troops be withdrawn from Iraq?” “What should be done to ‘fix’ our economy?” “Should I get married / who should I marry / how can I get married?” “Who should be the next President of the U.S.?” “What career should I choose?” “Should we have children?” “Is abortion wrong?” “What should be done about ‘global warming’?” “When do the holiday sales start / where’s the best place to hunt?”

3. It is unlikely that you would get any “spiritual” answers to your question.  But let’s say you did get some “spiritual” answers- would any of them be the right question? The most important question is not: “What must I believe?” One does not have to believe anything. But everyone will certainly be held accountable for what they refuse to believe, John 3:11-16; 8:24; 8:31-32.

4.  The most important question is also not: “How must I feel?” Many doctrines and religions today have their basis in and on emotion and “inner feelings,” but the religion which is of God comes through understanding His words and following them, Eph.5:17, 8-10. Such does not divorce emotion from religion. It just acknowledges that while feelings can mislead, the word of God does not, Acts 26:9 > Gal.13:1-14 > Acts 23:1. Emotion is certainly involved- absolutely so! Acts 2:42; 1John 3:10; 4:7-8 But emotion is the product of a right relationship with God, not the cause of it.

5.  The most important question is also not: “What must I experience?” If you are waiting for God to call, He already did while you were “unavailable” and He didn’t wait for the “beep” on the answering machine of your life. God has been calling the lost to repentance since the first gospel sermon. Even now, we are “called” by and through the gospel, 2Thess.2:14 > Matt.13:14-15. “Yes,” Saul did have a Damascus road experience. But the experience only got his attention- salvation still came through his obedience to the gospel! Acts 22:6-16

6.  The most important question is also not: “What must God do to or for me?” God has already done all that is necessary for Him to do in order to save you, John 3:16; Acts 10:35. “What must Christ do to or for me?” As a result of Christ’s one time for all time sacrifice of Himself, “the faith” was also one time for all time delivered, Heb.10:10-12 > Jude 3. “What must the Holy Spirit do to or for me?” Likewise, the Spirit has done for us all that is necessary through the provision of the word, 2Pet.1:3 > Eph.6:17

7.  The most important question is: “What must I do to be saved?” This question acknowledges God’s provision for salvation while at the same recognizing personal responsibility for obedience.  The “answer” to the question may vary for different individuals based on their particular location: >to a Jew living under the Law, Matt.19:16-21; Gal.5:1-4 >to one without faith, Acts 16:25-31 >to acknowledged believers, Acts 2:36-38 >to a penitent believer, Acts 9:5-6,9; 22:16 The first one makes a Jew- the next three make a Christian! Where are You?