The 3 Requirements of Salvation

From the Word...

“However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.” Romans 4:5

Ministry from the Scriptures

This small verse carries a big punch, actually three of them. In its 21 words, we discover the 3 prerequisites of salvation. They are simple and stunning.

1. You must not work.

Salvation cannot be achieved by works. It is not a reward for a life well lived or a paycheck received for hard work done. Those who try to earn the free gift of salvation spit in the face of the Giver, God Himself.

Eternal life was earned, achieved, and worked for by Jesus Christ. His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, crawl up a hill called Calvary, and a slow death on a cross of rugged wood earned our forgiveness. When we try to deserve this free gift based on what we’ve done, we are despising what He’s done on the cross.

To be saved you must not work.

2. You must trust God.

Salvation is not earned through good works; it is received through simple faith. We believe that Jesus died in our place for our sins, and we are forgiven. Salvation can only be purchased through divine currency, the blood of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 9:22 reminds us “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” Because Jesus’ body and blood were human, He could die for other humans. Because Jesus was God in the flesh, His payment for sins was infinite.

 “Faith alone!” was the battle cry of the Reformation and is still the game changer today. It is the way of trusting vs. the way of trying. It pits the humility that is required by trusting in someone else to save us vs. the pride that erupts from trying to earn this free gift through self-effort. In this battle of belief systems, faith wins.

You must not work.

You must trust God.

3. You must be wicked.

“However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.” Romans 4:5

We usually reserve terms like “wicked” for witches, dictators, and murderers. But we are all three wrapped up into one. We conjure up our own idols to serve, dictate our lives by our own rules, and murder people in our minds when we are angry.

We are wicked, sinful, and selfish to the core, and Jesus came to save sinners just like you and me. If you have a hard time seeing this, just know that on the day you stand before God and give account, He will illuminate every lustful thought, every “white lie,” every selfish deed, and every prideful thought. In a flash, you’ll see that your life erupted from motives that found their epicenter in the flames of hellish pride.

Do you want to be saved? Accept the fact that you are wicked, stop trying to earn your salvation, and put your faith alone in Christ alone. And accept His Free Gift with an open heart. 

Lessons on Impossibilities

Today’s Text: John 6:1-14

After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias.  A huge crowd kept following Him wherever He went, because they saw His miraculous signs as He healed the sick.  Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him.

Word of Ministry

God’s Word is a treasure for many reasons—one being that it’s so practical. The stories and principles found in the Gospels are just as applicable today as they were in Jesus’ day. We’ve all experienced times when our backs are to the wall, our problem seems to have no solution, and we don’t know what to do. When that happens, we need to remember that impossible situations are opportunities for the Lord to teach us valuable lessons that we’d never learn any other way.

God’s supremacy trumps human resources. When Jesus asked: “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” (v. 5), Philip quickly recognized his own inadequacy. Although Christ knew all along what He would do, He was teaching His disciples that the perfect plan and the power to implement it come only from God, not from human solutions and resources.

The Lord often requires our participation. Even though Christ could have spoken bread into existence, He chose to use people to achieve His purpose. Andrew scouted around for food, a young boy gave up his small lunch, and the disciples organized the crowd and distributed the food Jesus handed them. Each step required trust and obedience, especially since Christ’s method seemed so illogical.

God knows how to solve your problem, but He may choose to require your cooperation, possibly even asking you to do something that seems unreasonable. But whenever we yield our flawed solutions and meager resources to Him and step out in obedience, He does great things in us and through us.