The Most Demanding Four Letter Word
in The Bible

There is a word in the Bible that is most demanding word in the English language. It is the word “must.” The Greek word which is translated “must” in the New Testament (dei) is derived from a verb which means “to bind.” In Thayer’s Lexicon he stated that this word denotes “any sort of necessity.” Thus, we can safely conclude that there are some items spoken of in the Bible which are of necessity.

What are some of those necessary things? When Nicodemus came to Jesus in the middle of the night, Jesus told him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God . . . Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'” (John 3:5-7 NKJV). It is of necessity that we be born of the water and the Spirit if heaven is our aim. Luke recorded another instance where an individual was told of a necessary action which involved Saul of Tarsus. Saul had been sent by the Jewish religious leaders on a mission to persecute Christians. On his journey to Damascus, the Lord appeared to Saul. After Jesus revealed who he was, Saul asked, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” Jesus responded, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do" (Acts 9:6 NKJV). In Acts 22, it is recorded what was required of Paul. "Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, came to me; and he stood and said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And at that same hour I looked up at him. Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. 'For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. 'And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'” (Acts 22:12-16 NKJV). It was of necessity for Paul to be baptized to have his sins washed away. If it was of necessity for Paul to be baptized so that God would wash away his sins, then it is necessary for you and me to be baptized for the same reason. The third instance which we will refer to is that of the Philippian jailer. Paul and Silas were in a Philippian jail and it was thought that they had escaped. The jailer was about to commit suicide when he was stopped by the two evangelists. He then asked the question that each thoughtful person eventually asks, “What must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30). Paul’s response was, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." (Acts 16:31). There was a problem, however, before the Philippian could believe in Christ, he needed to be taught about the Lord. The text verifies this. “Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized” (Acts 16:32-33 NKJV). It is obvious from the text that when Paul “spoke the word of the Lord” to the jailer and his household, that within that message was the necessity of being baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16), because they were immediately baptized. If it was necessary for the Philippian jailer, it is necessary for you and me.

There are many verses in the Bible which teach of the necessity of you and me doing some things in order to reach heaven (cf. Matthew 7:21-23; James 1:25). These necessities include being born of the water and the Spirit, being baptized that our sins can be washed away, and coming to faith in Christ. It is no coincidence that Jesus told his disciples, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16 NKJV). It is something we must do.