ROMANS 5
Salvation is God’s Grace FREE GIFT to us. Unmerited.
A Gift not to be worked for but to be received.
“But not as the offence, so also is the FREE GIFT. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the GRACE OF GOD, and THE GIFT BY GRACE, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath ABOUNDED unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is THE GIFT: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the FREE GIFT is of many offences UNTO JUSTIFICATION. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive ABUNDANCE OF GRACE and of the GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the FREE GIFT came upon all men UNTO JUSTIFICATION of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be MADE RIGHTEOUS.” (Romans 5:15-19 KJV)
How are we made righteous then? Is it by us doing good works? By not sinning (even though we should not)? By religious rituals? By attending a church building? By helping the poor? These are all things we should do after Salvation but NOT as a requirement of our justification and righteousness. No, instead out of great gratitude and love for what God did for us. For GOD’S GREAT love for us is so higher than any love that we can bestow on others, that HE became flesh (Jesus The Christ) and died horribly on the cross so that we might be saved and with Him for all eternity. No greater love is there than what God has done for us, even when we were once His enemies.
Some believers are teaching and telling believers… ‘there is too much talk about grace, Salvation is not eternal, you must add to what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross. Add good works. Add religious rituals. Add doing good. Add not sinning again.’ The list goes on and on.. Yet what we really need is to realize God’s GRACE is ABOUNDING TOWARD US CONSTANTLY.
Believe it. Accept it. Walk in it. Walk in the Law of Liberty we have in Christ! He shed His blood so that we could have this GREAT GRACE.
From this truth will flow out of us good works. Not forced good works to keep us saved! No! Good works with the right motive and that motive is showing grace to others and sharing what God has done for us.
