How is one Saved: Knowing that Christ Died or a Deep Understanding of Why Jesus Died?

Ancient Manuscript: Gospel of Thomas

Saying: 1

My Reflection on Verse:

The Gnostics believed that salvation came from within a person.  The process was not due to an outward experience.  Knowledge and understanding is the very essence of understanding God. 

Many of us accept Jesus at face value.  We understand that Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and on the third day arose from the grave.  With this information we come to accept Jesus in our life with what we can physically see. 

In this saying of Jesus it becomes apparent the responsibility of the person to use their mind to understand the gift that God freely gives.  It goes deeper than what we can see but it is the inner knowledge to understand God.  It is through understanding of all the mysteries contained in the Gospel that keeps a person from perishing.

In this way of thinking it is not only about accepting Jesus but understanding the reason behind accepting Jesus.  A deep inner thought in which you look at the sayings and decode what is written.  A person must use their mind to accept the grace of God.

Questions:

Do you believe that you have to have a deep understanding of the mystery of God to be saved?  Do you believe you can accept that Jesus died for your sins and arose from the grave and because of this knowledge one can be saved?  Is it possible that it is a combination of the two understanding why and accepting that it did happen and in these two things one is saved?