07/18/17 THE FREE GIFT

07/18/17 THE FREE GIFT

Sometimes I win a "free" turn on my tablet game, IF I watch an ad. Well, if I have to watch the ad, the "free" turn is not free. If the game gives me a turn, without me having to do something to earn it, it is free. But even then, if I do not take the turn, I do not receive the benefit of the turn. Earning and receiving are not the same thing. We cannot earn salvation, but neither do we receive the benefit of salvation if we don't receive it through faith.

So, I asked myself, what is the benefit of salvation? From what is it that God will actually save me? Obviously salvation is a multifaceted gift. It does include forgiveness of sins, but it is more than that. God does not save us from the guilt of sin, and then leave us in sin at the same time. Salvation is deliverance from sin.

I cannot earn forgiveness of my sins and I cannot earn deliverance from sin. It is a free gift. When I receive the free gift of salvation (by faith) I am receiving deliverance from sin. I can claim to be forgiven, but if I am still being held by the power and corrupted by the pollution of sin, I am not receiving the free gift of God.

God does not require me to do anything to earn salvation, because I cannot earn salvation. But when I receive His free gift, my life is changed, and I am empowered to walk in righteousness, to walk in light, to walk in truth, to walk in love, to walk in the Spirit, to walk in His steps, to walk in a way that is pleasing to HIm, to walk in newness of life.

In my tablet game I am given a "free" turn to "take a chance" at getting a prize. In salvation I am given the free gift of definitely being delivered from sin, if I receive the gift.

There is no question about the gift being free.
Salvation cannot be earned, it is a free gift.

There is no question about the nature of the gift.
Salvation is deliverance from sin.

There is no question about the authenticity of salvation.
Salvation provided by God.

There is no question about the validity of salvation.
Salvation is the gift of God.

There is no question about the efficaciousness of salvation.
Salvation does deliver from sin.

The only question is, Will you be saved from sin?
You will be saved from sin, IF you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 1:21
(21) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Matthew 10:32-33
(32) Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
(33) But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Luke 8:11-15
(11) Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
(12) Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
(13) They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
(14) And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
(15) But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Acts 3:26
(26) Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

Acts 16:30-31
(30) And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
(31) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Romans 10:9-11
(9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
(10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
(11) For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Romans 10:13
(13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Colossians 1:21-23
(21) And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
(22) In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
(23) If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;