"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." — Ephesians 2:8
What
a precious Scripture! God couldn't be any planer in His Word...
eternal life is a free GIFT from God. A "gift" means something
acquired without compensation, i.e., you can't earn it. If a
person were required to do anything to have eternal life, other than simply
receive it, then it wouldn't be a gift. Romans 5:15 states...
"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 again in Romans 5:18 we read...
"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."
God freely offers eternal life to
all mankind, to anyone who desires to have it, by faith in Jesus Christ.
The Bible tells us that Jesus died upon the cross, shedding His blood for
our sins (Colossians 1:20). He was then buried and rose again three
days later (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). Jesus took His literal blood,
ascended into Heaven, and applied it to the mercy seat in Heaven (Hebrews
9:12).
Jesus Paid for Everyone's Sins
Jesus paid for the sins of all mankind with His own precious literal blood. We read in 1st John 2:2 that Jesus paid for the sins of the whole world...
"And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
Jesus paid for the sins of all unbelievers, including false prophets who refuse to receive God's free gift of salvation...
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."
How
could anyone say that Jesus didn't die for everyone in view of such plain
Scriptures?
Calvinism is a false doctrine, and
John Calvin
was a heretic. Followers of John Calvin believe that Jesus
only died for the saved;
and not for unbelievers. However, the Word of God condemns such
heretical teaching. According to the Bible, from the Scriptures we've
read, Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. Thus, eternal life
is a free gift that is available to anyone who wants it.
Tragically, most people are sinful proud, and refuse to come to God by way
of the Son of God. Jesus plainly stated in John 5:40...
"And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."
Jesus said "will not"; but He didn't say "cannot." You can be saved if you want to be; but you MUST come to God the father through Jesus Christ the Son...
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
We receive God's gift of gift of eternal by receiving Jesus Christ as our personal Savior...
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."
God Has An Unconditional Love for Mankind
John 3:16 tells us that God has an unconditional love for all mankind...
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Only a misguided fool would dare claim that God doesn't love all people, sinners included. The truth is that we are ALL sinners (Romans 3:10,23). It's a good thing that God loves sinners, or else none of us could go to Heaven. God loves sinners; BUT, He does not love the sins they commit. God hates all sin. In fact, no one hates sin as much as God. We read in Hebrews 1:9 that Jesus hated iniquity. In John 2:15 we find Jesus extremely angry because of greedy men who had turned the church into a money-making business. In Psalm 97:10 the Bible instructs all believers who love the Lord to HATE EVIL. As believers we should hate sin; but love the sinner with an unconditional love. God's love is unconditional, i.e., God loved us enough to send His only begotten Son into this world to pay for our sins, knowing just how sinful we would one day be...
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
Every Christian ought to have a hate life. I realize this goes contrary to the ecumenical compromise of our day that preaches love, love, love; but Psalm 97:10 tells us to hate evil. Psalm 94:16 asks...
"Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?"
If you think God is a big Teddy Bear Whose love surpasses His moral perfection and demand for justice, then you are woefully deceived! All Christ-rejecters will burn in the Lake of Fire...
"In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." —2nd Thessalonians 1:8
Do
not be deceived, anyone who refuses to obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
i.e., to BELIEVE on Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of one's sins, they
will burn in Hell one day. Salvation is not a trifle matter, or a
magical prayer, or a religious experience—it is when a guilty sinner (under
the condemnation of God's Law, who deserves to burn in Hellfire) comes to
the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, believing solely upon the Savior to forgive
their sins and save them.
Eternal Life CANNOT Be Earned
As simple as this Biblical truth is, religious groups everywhere today have perverted the simplicity which is in Christ. We read in 2nd Corinthians 11:3...
"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."
Many religious denominations require their followers to perform good works, get baptized, keep sacraments, tithe, observe the Sabbath Day, forsake sins, pray, recite the Rosary, or partake of other religious practices to merit Heaven. These are all lies of the Devil. John 8:44 calls Satan a "liar" and the "father of all liars." There are many liars in the world today who teach the heresy of works salvation. This is in sharp contrast to the simple teaching from God's Word that eternal life is the gift of God. A gift cannot be earned. You don't have to be baptized or attend church services to go to Heaven. You simply need to believe on the Savior. No church died for you. No priest or minister bares the nail-scared hands and feet as does the Lord Jesus Christ. No religious organization died on the cross for you, nor would they be willing to. Ninety-nine percent of the religious groups in America today just want your money. Jesus asks for nothing. Eternal life is the gift of God.
It is simple to be saved—we are sinners and Jesus is the Savior. It's that simple. The important thing to always remember is that eternal life is a free gift from God, paid for by the precious literal blood of Jesus...
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."
Romans 6:23 states...
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Amen! What a wonderful Scripture! Eternal life is a gift from God, made available to us through the literal blood of the precious Lord Jesus Christ.
