Tag: Grace

Access to God Comes Through Jesus Christ

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FLOYD ROGERS

Everything believers experience in their relationship with God rests on His grace. It is based on His kindness and love that no one can earn. This grace became available because of what happened at the cross. Without the blood of Jesus being poured out for sin, there would be no way to come near to God’s holiness.

Since people are sinful by nature, something needed to change to allow us to be near a holy and perfect God. That change came through Jesus. The Bible teaches that there is only one way to reach the Father, and that is through His Son. Jesus made this possible when He gave His life.

By dying on the cross, Jesus opened the way for people to receive God’s grace, not just for a moment, but for all time. Through Jesus alone, the door to God’s presence and grace is open.

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the Man Christ Jesus,

1 Timothy 2:5

The Power of Grace in Christianity

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JEFF TURNER

Throughout history, people have been drawn to hear the message of Jesus. In the Gospel of John, we see that while large crowds often gathered to listen, many left when faced with difficult truths. One example appears in John chapter 6, where Jesus tells the people, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them.” This statement caused great offence then, and it continues to trouble many today.

The heart of the issue is pride. Every person is born into a state of sin and unbelief, and pride is a central part of that condition. This pride fuels countless false religions, all built on the idea that people can earn their way to salvation through good deeds. But Christianity teaches something entirely different — that salvation is not something one can achieve through effort.

People often resist this message because it means admitting their complete helplessness. Without God’s intervention, without Him drawing us, no one would come to faith. Faith is essential, yet it is not something we produce on our own. It is a response made possible only through God’s grace. This truth, though hard to accept for the proud human heart, should lead us to humility and gratitude.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

The Insufficiency of Good Works for Salvation

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JEFF TURNER, JR.

Have you ever wondered how a person can truly be made right with God? Many believe that by doing good deeds, following religious customs, or adhering to a set of rules, they can earn God’s favor. However, the core message is that salvation is a gift, freely given by grace through faith alone, and not based on anything we do.

Think about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. After they sinned, they tried to cover themselves with fig leaves. The scripture in Genesis chapter 3 describes this covering as “tophar,” meaning a self-made, insufficient covering. But God provided a different covering, using the skins of an animal. This covering is described with the Hebrew word “labash,” a full suit provided by God, pointing to a complete and divine covering.

The idea of covering sin is also seen with Noah, who used pitch to “kafar” or cover the ark. Similarly, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would “kapor” or atone for sin. This highlights the need for a covering for sin. The ultimate covering, it is taught, is through the sacrifice of the “lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”. Believing in this sacrifice is what “kafar” or covers you.

Consider Abraham, who was declared righteous by faith before he was circumcised. It says, “faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness”. This shows that righteousness comes through faith, not through rituals like circumcision. King David, who lived after the law was given and was circumcised, also spoke of the blessing of the person “to whom God credits righteousness apart from works”. It is written, “blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, whose sins have been covered”.

The concept of “blessing” is often mentioned. In the Old Testament, blessing is connected with the presence and grace of God. Psalm 1 says the blessed person delights in the law of the Lord. In the New Testament, blessing is equated with salvation and being close to God.

In contrast, the attempts to earn God’s favor through our own efforts are described in stark terms. Isaiah 64:6 says, “all of us have become like one who is unclean. And all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags.” This imagery describes our attempts to cover our own sins through good works. Our efforts are insufficient and even offensive to God.

The salvation offered is not something to be earned or bought. It is like food your mother cooks for you. It would be an insult to try and pay for something freely given out of love. God’s salvation is not for sale; it is received by faith through grace. Trying to earn it through righteous acts is like offering “filthy rags”.

Religious rituals, such as circumcision, are also not the basis of salvation. Circumcision was a sign and a seal of the righteousness of the faith Abraham already had while he was uncircumcised. Similarly, baptism is a sign of being a follower of Jesus after salvation, not the means of salvation itself. The true seal of salvation in the New Testament is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians chapter 1 speaks of believers being “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise”.

Finally, salvation is not achieved through following rules or laws. The law’s purpose is to show us our sin, like a mirror revealing a flaw. It cannot save us. The promise given to Abraham was through the righteousness of faith, before the law was given. If salvation were based on the law, then faith would be meaningless. The scripture says, “For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed”. Our salvation is guaranteed because it is based on God’s grace and received through faith. This salvation is a past tense reality – we “have peace with God” and “have been justified”.

Instead of trying to work for salvation or relying on rituals and rules, the focus should be on receiving the free gift of God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. This is a guaranteed salvation, signed, sealed, and delivered.

Can Salvation Be Taken Away? A Biblical Answer

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JEFF TURNER

A well-known passage on salvation, Ephesians 2:8-9, says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” This makes it clear that we cannot do anything to earn our salvation. Since salvation is a gift from God, some people might wonder if it can also be taken away.

To answer this, we need to see if the Bible says there are things that would cause God to take away salvation. The answer is no. There is nowhere in the Holy Scripture that says God would remove our salvation under any circumstances. In fact, the opposite is true. Romans 8 asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” It continues by stating the firm belief that nothing “neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

Nothing can separate us from God’s love once we have received salvation as a gift through faith. Perhaps a better question is have you asked God for the faith that leads to salvation? Consider Matthew 7:21-23 says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

Defending the Gospel: Faith Alone in Christ

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TEXAS GOSPEL VOLUNTEER

The gospel of Jesus Christ is of utmost importance, and getting it right is crucial. Many different versions of the gospel exist, but Scripture makes it clear that there is only one true gospel. In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he strongly emphasizes the necessity of being faithful to the gospel he received through the revelation of Jesus Christ. He warns that deviating from the true gospel has eternal consequences. In Galatians 1:10-12, Paul makes it clear that his mission is not to please men but to serve Christ. The gospel he preached did not come from human teaching but directly from Jesus Christ. This divine origin underscores the authority and purity of the message of salvation.

The early church faced a significant controversy regarding the purity of the gospel. Paul and Barnabas had established churches in Galatia during their first missionary journey, but soon after, trouble arose. Satan always seeks to distort the truth, and certain men from Judea began teaching that Gentiles must be circumcised to be saved. Acts 14:25-28 records how Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch and shared how God had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. However, Acts 15:1 tells us that some men insisted that circumcision was necessary for salvation, leading to great distress among believers. The apostles and elders in Jerusalem gathered to address this issue. The Pharisees argued that Gentiles must follow the law of Moses, but Peter said that God had purified the hearts of the Gentiles by faith and that salvation is by grace alone. The Jerusalem Council concluded that Gentile believers were not bound by the Mosaic law for salvation, as stated in Acts 15:23-29. This declaration reaffirmed that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone.

Despite the clarity from the Jerusalem Council, Paul later received troubling news that the Galatians were turning away from the gospel of grace. The Judaizers had infiltrated the churches, discrediting Paul’s apostleship and promoting a false gospel that mixed grace with works. Paul immediately addressed this in Galatians 1:1-5, asserting his divine calling and emphasizing Christ’s sacrifice for sins. He expressed shock that the Galatians were so quickly embracing a different gospel, one that perverted the truth. Galatians 1:6-9 warns that anyone preaching another gospel, even an angel, should be accursed. This highlights the severe consequences of distorting the gospel message.

Understanding and defending the gospel is a responsibility of every believer. Some Christians today lack knowledge of their faith and cannot articulate the gospel clearly. Time is spent on worldly pursuits, but little effort is given to studying God’s Word. Investing in quality resources and spending time in Scripture is essential. A personal relationship with God requires more than just intellectual belief; it requires repentance and faith in Christ. A tragic reality is that some profess to be Christians yet cannot explain salvation. If one cannot explain how to be saved, how can they be sure they are saved? True conversion involves acknowledging sin, repenting, and trusting in Christ’s finished work on the cross. Salvation is not simply a ritual or an intellectual agreement; it is a desperate cry to God for mercy, leading to a transformed life.

False gospels abound, teaching that salvation is achieved by faith plus good works. Many believe that their good deeds contribute to their salvation, yet Scripture refutes this idea. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that salvation is a gift from God, not of works, so that no one can boast. Some teach that faith alone is insufficient, contradicting the clear teaching of Scripture. The Council of Trent anathematized those who hold to justification by faith alone, but Paul steadfastly proclaimed that justification is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Doesn’t adding works to the gospel imply that Christ’s sacrifice was not enough, which is a dangerous and false teaching?

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not to be compromised. Paul’s words serve as a warning against those who distort the truth. We must have the courage to stand firm in the true gospel, despite opposition. Evangelism and defending the faith will be met with resistance, but our confidence rests in the grace of God. Salvation is a free gift, and we must proclaim it rightly.