Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.
At some point of time in life, we find every man looking for ways to be good and to be known as good. Among the many reasons for doing so like the feel-good factor, the desire to be known and many more, we often find that one of the strongest reason is a desire to be forgiven for ones sins.
The world offers much solution to these seekers. Every one of them are incomplete because it can never address the justification of the sinner being set free without paying a equivalent price for the sin. This is a paradoxical situation where we talk about setting free and yet being punished. The good news is that there is one true answer to this question and it is found in the cross.
“The death of the sinless Lord Jesus Christ on the cross in the place of the sinner justifies the sinner and his resurrection, liberates him from the wages of sin.”
Having understood the way to salvation, we also need to understand that salvation comes from or belongs to the LORD (Jonah 2:9)
The word also says “God so loved the world that He gave HIS only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him shall have everlasting life (John 3:16) “
If that is the case, we cannot avail salvation unless He gives it to us and we receive it in turn. So, when we receive it freely we are automatically weaved into the plan of salvation where Christ takes our place on the cross and we are liberated from sin. Anything received freely that does you good is a gift and therefore salvation is a gift of God.
There is yet another phrase that I often hear thrown around. “Earn your friendship, Earn your love, Earn your worth, Earn your salvation.” There is nothing in this universe that the sinful human can do to earn his or her salvation. No good works, no good deeds, no sacrifice, no re-birth theologies, no oaths and promises, No nothings.
The first key to receiving salvation is by the grace of God. Grace by its very definition means, "Unmerited favor." Salvation is an unearned, undeserved blessing, offered freely to all mankind. In short, there is no way that man, the sinner, could earn or merit salvation, so God provided it for him as a gift.
The second key is faith, which is man's response to God's free gift. Salvation is by grace - on God's side; and by faith - on man's side.
Now it becomes very important for us to understand what faith means. Exactly what is meant by faith? Many people define faith as a mental acceptance of certain facts. But, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. (Hebrews 11:1) So even though man cannot see the salvation that is destined in his future it is HIS faith in conjunction with Gods grace that works out his salvation.
Grace makes salvation possible; obedient faith makes salvation actual. When man responds in Biblical faith to God's offer of salvation, he is neither earning nor deserving the gift, but only accepting it on the condition on which the Lord has promised to give it.Hence no man can boast of the salvation that he has received. This should keep every saved man completely compassionate and understanding of the others and intercede for them to be saved likewise. Every Christian life will radically change when we rightly view God's grace and actively engage in distributing His grace.
