S A L V A T I O N
Works or Grace?
Is heaven a reward which God gives to those who earn it because of their
good life, or is it a gift bestowed upon those who put their trust in
Christ, or is it a combination of both?
I'll have to admit, to believe God is going to reward heaven to those who
earn it by the good life they leads seems mighty logical, on the surface
at least. It God is just, if he punishes evil and rewards good, what
other alternative could there be? What other method would he use in
determining who will be taken into heaven and who will be left out?
When we examine the concept of a person gaining heaven through his own
merits, a major problem occurs. The Bible say it can't be done. Heaven
doesn't come as a reward for anything we've done, but rather as a gift
from God. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; it is the GIFT of
God, not of works lest many man should boast," says Ephesian 2:8,9.
To believe that a person's salvation is secured partially by his own
merits and partially by God's grace also seems logical. But this, too,
is a mistake. Romans 11:6 shoot it down. It teaches that we can't be
saved by a combination of our goodness and God's grace. If salvation come
by grace, then, human goodness is excluded, because the moment the least
bit of personal merit is added to grace, it ceases to be grace, the same
as when a dollar or a dime is charged for a gift it ceases to be a gift.
Grace and works are opposite. They don't mix. If salvation comes by
grace, then it is no more of works. If it come by works it is no more of
grace.
Anyone who could gain heaven by his own merits wouldn't need a saviour-not
Christ or anyone else. He would, in fact, be his own saviour. God would
merely be giving him what he's earned. Ephesian 2:8,9 says, however, that
is not of works lest any man should boast.
If an individual can't earn heaven by the good life that he leads, how can
he earn it? That's just it -- HE CAN'T earn it. God offers is as a gift.
A small boy asked the preacher: "Sir, what can I do to be saved?"
The preacher replied: "Son, you're too late."
"What!" exclaimed the boy. "Too late to be saved?"
"No," said the preacher. "Too late to do anything. You see, son, Jesus
already did it all two thousand years ago."
Christ death was adequate. He paid our debt of sin in full, leaving
nothing for us to pay.
If this is true, where do good works fit in? We don't work to be saved:
we work because we have been saved. Genuine faith always results in good
works. These don't contribute anything toward our salvation, however.
They are the outflow of our devotion to Christ--the result of our
salvation, not its cause.
Can a person be a Christian and not have purity of life? Certainly not,
no more then the sun can shine without giving light. When a person's
commitment to Christ is genuine it always leads to a life of purity.
To depend on one's own goodness for salvation, however, is a terrible
mistake. This do-it-yourself approach throws a person wholly upon his own
resources. He has to earn salvation on his own merits. In some way he
has to settle his debt of sin to God's satisfaction and purge himself form
its guilt. He has to do this on his own or his soul will be lost.
Knowing this was impossible, God provided another way for us to be saved-by
his grace. It's the way of "substitution"--of Christ the innocent dying
for man the guilty, of Christ paying the debt of sin which we owe, of
Christ forgiving the wrongs we have committed because he died in our place.
The story is told of two young men who attended a college together. After
graduation one became a successful lawyer and later a judge. The other
became a drunk. One day the drunk was tried and found guilty for an
offense he had committed. His former classmate was the presiding judge.
The lawyer present wondered what the judge was going to to under such
trying circumstances. To his amazement the judge pronounced the heaviest
penalty the law would allow upon his friend. The, leaving the bench, he
went over to the clerk and paid off the debt in full.
God sat upon his judgement throne and passed the heaviest penalty the law
would allow upon sin, and then he came to earth in the person of Christ
and paid off that debt in full.
As was said before, Christ didn't pay for some of our sins and leave the
rest for us to pay. He paid for the ALL. "He who know no sin was made to
be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him...God
commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died
for us...Christ hath once suffered for sin, the just for the unjust, that
he might bring us to God...Once in the end of the world he appeared to put
away sin by the sacrifice of himself? ( 2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 5:8; 1 Pet.
3:18; Heb. 9:26).
In the economy of God salvation is based on a system of substitution--of
Christ the innocent dying for man the guilty--of Christ paying the debt
which man owes--rather than on a system of man earning salvation by his
own merits.
The person who seeks to gain salvation as a reward for the good life he's
lived is placing his faith in himself--is what he has done. The person
who seeks to gain heaven by means of God's grace is placing faith in
Christ--in what he has done. Which of the two is more likely to
succeed-the one who places faith in himself or the one who places faith in
Christ?
Once in the end of the world Christ appeared to put away sin by sacrifice
of himself. His death was adequate. Nothing more is needed. This
doesn't set aside good works and the need for purity of life. It merely
puts them in their proper place--the result of salvation, not its cause.
There's a lot of difference between trusting in oneself and trusting in
Christ.
If you've been placing faith in yourself--in that which cannot save--I
urge you to shift your faith to Christ who can. The Bible says he is
willing to save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by him--the rich,
and the poor, the young and the old, the good and the bad--come just as
you are; Christ will do the rest (Hebrews 7:25). I urge you do do it
without delay. Tomorrow may be too late!
by David Lawrence
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What am I supposed to do to become a Christian? That's the most
important question you will ever ask.
In the 19th century, Thomas Guthrie, a Scottish preacher, responded to
that very question. And his answer may surprise you!
DO! It is not up to us to make ourselves worthy of eternal life, nor
attempt to merit it, or wait until we are holy to come to Christ.
Salvation is not of works, but of faith. "Not by works or righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us....through
Jesus Christ our Savior" (Titus 3:5-6).
We have nothing to do the, but to believe, to open the door and receive
Him into our hearts.
Salvation come not by doing, but by believing and receiving. FIRST,
realize that you are a sinner who needs help. "For all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
NEXT, believe that Christ has already paid the penalty for that sin.
"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
THEN, accept what Christ has done on your behalf. "If you confess with
your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised
Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
WHAT'S A PERSON TO DO TO BE SAVED? Trust the One who has done ti all
for you!
FIRST...GOD LOVES YOU!
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life"
(JOHN 3:16).
SECOND...MAN IS A SINNER AND SIN HAS SEPARATED HIM FROM GOD!
"For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin"
(ECCLESIASTES 7:20). "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God" (ROMANS 3:23).
THIRD...JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY REMEDY FOR SIN!
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He
might bring us to God" (1 PETER 3:18). "Nor is there salvation in any
other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we
must be saved" (ACTS 4:12).
FOURTH...YOU MUST RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOUR.
Jesus calls this experience the "new birth." He told Nicodemus: "unless
one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (JOHN 3:3).
We invite you now to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal
Saviour. Upon doing so, you will become a son (daughter) of God forever.
"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children
of God, even to those who believe in His Name" (JOHN 1:12).
Pray this prayer and mean it with all of your heart:
Dear Lord Jesus, I now realize I am a sinner. I accept the fact that you
died for me on the cross of Calvary. I now open my heart's door and
receive you as Saviour and Lord of my life. Please take full control of
me and help me to be the kind of Christian you want me to be. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer in all sincerity, you are now a child of God.
We invite you to let us know you made the decision to accept Jesus into
your life. If we can be of any further help to you, or you have some
questions, please leave a message We will be happy to respond to you.
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