Is Salvation Really Free?
“Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin, and the slave does not remain in the house forever, but the Son does; so if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:34, 36).
Picture this scenario. You don’t own a car and can’t afford one, not even close. But you highly desire a trip driving across the country to Los Angeles. That is your ultimate goal, with loving family there waiting on your arrival in the city of angels. It’s just not going to happen. But then a man comes on the scene and to your surprise buys you a new car, giving you the keys! No cost for you, free and clear, as this man hands you the title. The car will allow you to make the trip you so desire, but you realize it is not an automatic thing. You still must intentionally plan the trip, you must service the car, you’ll need money for gas and food, and you will need to physically drive it the 2,000 miles to the destination. While making this trip you must focus on the road, studying the map and making the appropriate turns, lest you get on another path and end up at the wrong destination. This long journey comes with a cost.
My question is: In the big picture of making this journey to Los Angeles, is it free or does it cost you? Well, you might say, it’s not so simple. The car to get you there is completely free, but what you must contribute to make the journey comes at a price. In reality, there is a free element and a cost element.
I use this illustration to compare with our trip to heaven, the salvation we need for the journey, and I think it can be helpful. Jesus did for us on the cross what we cannot do, he purchased our salvation by his perfect blood sacrifice for our sins. This is the free element, we cannot earn it ourselves, Jesus did all needed to purchase our redemption. But this salvation is not forced on anyone. To make this journey to heaven with Jesus as the conduit, we must engage, we must believe in him, decide to become a disciple and follow him, then in faith do just that. This element of our salvation is not free. It doesn’t require perfection, we earn nothing (grace), but real faith goes where the object of our faith says to go.
All who accept Jesus as Messiah and who place their faith in him are told to “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (Acts 2:38, 39). This is not an afterthought, not an asterisk to the salvation process, it is crucial as we put on Christ (Galatians 3:27). Are we earning something when told repentance and baptism are needed? Hardly. Rejecting sin, we imitate death, holding our breath, as someone else lowers us into the water grave to be born again, of water and Spirit (John 3:5; Rom. 6:1-5).
But it doesn’t end there, it’s just the beginning. We must now walk by faith, with God’s Word as our guide, in an atmosphere of repentance, seeking God’s path (2 Cor. 5:6-10; Heb. 4:12; 2 Peter 1:3-11; Acts 2:42, etc.). There is a balance between what God provides free through Christ, and what we must do as a follower. It is certainly by grace through faith in Christ (Eph, 2:8-10), but we are told that faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26). We continue in the flesh to sin and cannot earn salvation, Jesus provides the path to heaven, but we must follow our Savior in faith, we must walk that path! This is the paradox of our salvation, free and not free. To go to either extreme is dangerous.
“The wage of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). Thank God for the free-gift, but then make sure it’s through Jesus Christ as your Lord.
Cross Point: In covenant relationships, God has always done his part, but we must do ours. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and work his pleasure. (Phil. 2:12-13).
Picture this scenario. You don’t own a car and can’t afford one, not even close. But you highly desire a trip driving across the country to Los Angeles. That is your ultimate goal, with loving family there waiting on your arrival in the city of angels. It’s just not going to happen. But then a man comes on the scene and to your surprise buys you a new car, giving you the keys! No cost for you, free and clear, as this man hands you the title. The car will allow you to make the trip you so desire, but you realize it is not an automatic thing. You still must intentionally plan the trip, you must service the car, you’ll need money for gas and food, and you will need to physically drive it the 2,000 miles to the destination. While making this trip you must focus on the road, studying the map and making the appropriate turns, lest you get on another path and end up at the wrong destination. This long journey comes with a cost.
My question is: In the big picture of making this journey to Los Angeles, is it free or does it cost you? Well, you might say, it’s not so simple. The car to get you there is completely free, but what you must contribute to make the journey comes at a price. In reality, there is a free element and a cost element.
I use this illustration to compare with our trip to heaven, the salvation we need for the journey, and I think it can be helpful. Jesus did for us on the cross what we cannot do, he purchased our salvation by his perfect blood sacrifice for our sins. This is the free element, we cannot earn it ourselves, Jesus did all needed to purchase our redemption. But this salvation is not forced on anyone. To make this journey to heaven with Jesus as the conduit, we must engage, we must believe in him, decide to become a disciple and follow him, then in faith do just that. This element of our salvation is not free. It doesn’t require perfection, we earn nothing (grace), but real faith goes where the object of our faith says to go.
All who accept Jesus as Messiah and who place their faith in him are told to “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (Acts 2:38, 39). This is not an afterthought, not an asterisk to the salvation process, it is crucial as we put on Christ (Galatians 3:27). Are we earning something when told repentance and baptism are needed? Hardly. Rejecting sin, we imitate death, holding our breath, as someone else lowers us into the water grave to be born again, of water and Spirit (John 3:5; Rom. 6:1-5).
But it doesn’t end there, it’s just the beginning. We must now walk by faith, with God’s Word as our guide, in an atmosphere of repentance, seeking God’s path (2 Cor. 5:6-10; Heb. 4:12; 2 Peter 1:3-11; Acts 2:42, etc.). There is a balance between what God provides free through Christ, and what we must do as a follower. It is certainly by grace through faith in Christ (Eph, 2:8-10), but we are told that faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26). We continue in the flesh to sin and cannot earn salvation, Jesus provides the path to heaven, but we must follow our Savior in faith, we must walk that path! This is the paradox of our salvation, free and not free. To go to either extreme is dangerous.
“The wage of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). Thank God for the free-gift, but then make sure it’s through Jesus Christ as your Lord.
Cross Point: In covenant relationships, God has always done his part, but we must do ours. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and work his pleasure. (Phil. 2:12-13).
Posted in Cross Points