The question then becomes why did you "obey" and the guy next door didn't/doesn't?
It's really an important question for many reasons, not the least of which is evangelism.
Why did your ears hear the Word and others didn't?
The Word of God obviously convicted me and caused me to realize that I was a sinner and I needed to obey Christ in order to be saved. I was saved by believing in Christ, repenting of my sins, confessing His name, and being baptized for the remission of my sins.