0084. Salvation Is a Gift

Salvation Is a Gift

"The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom_6:23).

Salvation being God’s gift, is wholly independent of what we are or of what we do. Eternal life is received by faith; it is not a reward for service. Eternal life is wholly of grace; and, being of grace, it is not of works. Grace represents an unmerited bestowal. If salvation depended upon what we are, it would lie beyond the reach of all, because there "is none righteous, no, not one".

If salvation was dependent upon our merit, we could never have any assurance of salvation because we would never know whether we had done enough to merit eternal life. The Word of God, however, clearly establishes the fact that "the gift of God is eternal life", and God’s gifts and callings are without repentance. We mean by that, God does not give us something today and retract His gift tomorrow. That is the proverbial Indian way of giving. God’s gifts are unconditional; He places no strings upon them. When we know the gift of God, we know that we have a salvation that is made secure in the grace of God.

Sinners, come, for grace is free,

Gladly given unto thee;

Wilt thou then on Christ believe,

And His wondrous gift receive?

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR