Among other things, religion quite often determines which works a man must do in order to gain or be given salvation or eternal life. Usually the works of man and their value are important and in the forefront of the considerations. This study will show that for us Christians our salvation is completely "free, without cost, without merit" for us, but that it was by no means "cheap" because our saviour has purchased us with a precious price.
A main point of almost all religions, and especially so of the so-called Christian religion, is the doctrine of
salvation on the basis of good works and a good conduct of life in obedience to God as it is often called. An important
point is which work must be done or can be done by a man in order to become righteous in the sight of God. A prescribed
work must first be accomplished before one can hope to receive eternal life. In some religions the concern may not be
one of receiving eternal life, and yet in those religions as well, you can find that the main goal can only be arrived
at with one's own works of some kind. Each man must pay a certain price which is necessary to reach that goal.
It
is remarkable that true Christianity is completely different from all forms of religion in this matter. True
Christianity is, as seen from this perspective, really not even a religion, it is not what man does but rather what God
has done and made available in Christ. There are no own works demanded from man when it comes to his eternal salvation.
Man does not need to, nor really can he, pay the price necessary for his salvation and his wholeness. Eternal salvation
is completely free and without cost for him – but it definitely has not been cheap!
Ephesians 2 tells some basic truths about the situation in which each man finds himself, and it also shows the way out of this dilemma and how man can be saved.
Ephesians 2:1-10:
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We were saved by grace through faith; not of any works, not of any own merit. It is God's free gift, God's
giving and doing. God has acted, God has given. For us, salvation was totally free of charge and without cost, because
it is a gift of God and we did not need to do anything in order to deserve or merit even a tiny bit of this salvation.
It was given to us!
God saves by His grace alone, which is emphasized by a parenthetical remark in verse 5 as well
as a repetition in verse 8.
Ephesians 2:5:
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
God has saved by grace, and He quickened us together with Christ, He raised us up together with Christ and has
seated us in the heavenlies in him.
In 2 Timothy as well we can see this same truth that God acted in Christ and
that He accomplished this.
2 Timothy 1:8-11:
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
We were saved, were called with a holy calling and received eternal life not according to our own works, but
rather according to God’s own purpose and according to His grace which He granted us in Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ
is the key person in the whole picture. We have become partakers of all this in him — in what he accomplished on
our behalf.
In Romans 3 we can read of the righteousness of God, of God's righteousness, which is part of this
salvation. When we are saved, we are made righteous in him.
Romans 3:21-24:
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
God's Word makes it clear that all are in a situation where they need a salvation. We too were altogether sinners, we all had come short of the glory of God; and we were justified freely without any own merit, and thus made righteous by His grace which was shown forth in the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:25 and 26:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Jesus Christ made possible this redemption by his sacrifice. The price, the ransom, was paid in him. For us
then, faith in him, believing on Jesus Christ, is all and by it we appropriate to ourselves what Christ
accomplished.
Romans 10:9 and 10 declare to us how one is saved
Romans 10:9 and 10:
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.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Verse 10 gives an important detail in that it reads, "with the heart man believeth UNTO righteousness, and with
the mouth confession is made UNTO salvation." Confession of the lord Jesus and believing in his resurrection from the
dead bring us unto salvation and righteousness. We cannot do any works toward this matter, we do not need to do any
works required by the Law, we need not do any "good works". The way to righteousness before God is solely faith
(believing) in Jesus Christ and his accomplished work and then salvation and eternal life are granted us as the gift of
God.
Thus salvation is completely free and without cost to us – but it still is a very expensive matter. Free
– but not cheap! We ourselves need not pay anything nor contribute anything, we do not deserve or work for any
part of it because then it would not be of grace any longer.
Romans 11:5 and 6:
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
If even the smallest little bit of work was necessary on our part, then it would no longer be of grace but partially of merit. It would not be any longer God's free gift of grace, and grace would no longer be grace.
For us, eternal life, wholeness, salvation is free, nevertheless it was paid for with a high price. Someone else has paid the price on our behalf. We can enjoy the benefits of someone else's completed work. We receive it as a gift when we believe on Christ and confess him to be our lord. By that we are identified with him and all of what his work accomplished, we thus appropriate by faith in him.
1 Corinthians 1:30 and 31:
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
If we want to glory and boast, we can glory in the Lord. The Lord has accomplished the work Christ Jesus has
been made unto us of God wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.
The term "redemption" is perhaps
most important in this context. The adversary, the devil, had been successful in bringing, through Adam, all mankind
after Adam under his dominion and to make them to become sinners. God's righteousness demanded that a ransom be paid in
order to free man from this dilemma which he found himself in because of Adam. The necessary price for such redemption
was the life of Jesus Christ. Adam, as sort of the head of the human race, by his sin brought death upon all men after
him. Jesus Christ then brought by his obedience even unto the death on the cross, where he gave his life as a ransom,
life to all those who believe on him and confess him as their lord.
Christ Jesus has been made unto us redemption
– it was not any works which we would have done that were made unto us redemption, it was Jesus Christ! What
accomplished this redemption is further stated in Ephesians 1.
Ephesians 1:7 and 8:
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Wherein he hath abounded toward us …
We have redemption "through his blood". Jesus Christ gave his life in order to make redemption available to those who believe on him. The truth that only those who believe on him will receive this salvation through redemption, is seen in a passage in John 3.
John 3:16:
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.
Ephesians 2 mentions, "God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ …". Now, God's great love wherewith He loved us was manifested and demonstrated in giving His only begotten Son. Through his blood, the shedding of Christ's blood, we now have redemption.
Colossians 1:13 and 14:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness [remission] of sins:
In Christ we have this redemption which to us is forgiveness or remission of sins. Jesus Christ has paid the price. The price was high, it was costly, and there was no price reduction. The price to be paid was a full 100%. With this, Jesus Christ has paid the bill and his work satisfies all demands of God's righteousness, so that now the adversary, the devil, cannot put up any further demands. This redemption was not a "purchase on credit", it was not a "down payment or partial payment", for then the adversary could still have had certain claims on our lives. Jesus paid the price in full, he paid the whole debt which was against us. Everything which ever was contrary to us, has been done away with. Christ's work and God's acting in Christ was perfect and complete in all regards. There is absolutely nothing missing, nothing remains open against us. Everything has been paid, all has been finished.
In Hebrews 9 we are given further insight in what Jesus Christ has done. Events from the Old Testament are compared with those things which Christ accomplished.
Hebrews 9:11:
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
After the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, God had given to Moses not only the Law but also instructions for the building of a sanctuary, the tabernacle. This tabernacle was then erected according to God's instructions. Several centuries later, the tabernacle was replaced by the Temple of Solomon. In this sanctuary, God dwelt among the children of Israel, it was there that he was worshipped, there sacrifices were offered up. Christ now came "by a greater and more perfect tabernacle", of which the sanctuary in the Old Testament was only a shadow, a type. Jesus entered the real tabernacle and offered his sacrifice there as the highpriest.
Hebrews 9:12:
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
In the times of the Old Testament, goats and calves were sacrificed, and their blood did provide a certain redemption, but it was not an eternal redemption but always only a limited redemption. It was only preliminary and imperfect. Jesus Christ entered the holy place once and for all because after he has obtained an eternal redemption there is no need for any further sacrifices.
Hebrews 9:13 and 14:
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Because of Christ's sacrifice we now can serve the living God with a free conscience, which has been purged from dead works. Jesus Christ makes us free from sin and guilt and all sin-consciousness. Where the sacrifices during the Old Testament could only clean on the outside, in Christ a purification of the conscience is achieved. Now we indeed can serve the living God.
Hebrews 10:11-18:
And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Once the sins are forgiven and remitted, there is no need for any further sacrifices. We have been perfected for ever by the sacrifice of Christ, and further accomplishments, rights and privileges are ours, such as the free access and entrance into the sanctuary.
Hebrews 10:19-22:
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
And having an high priest over the house of God;
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Before, not all Israelites could enter the tabernacle. The access was regulated, and only the priests were allowed to enter the sanctuary proper, i.e. into the first part of the tabernacle. The high priest went into the Holy of Holies only once a year, on the great day of atonement, to sacrifice there. Jesus' sacrifice has made available access to God's throne of grace for all them who believe on him.
Hebrews 10:23-25:
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
"The day", the day of the perfecting of all, the day when Christ will return to gather the church unto himself, is approaching. Then all the fulness of the redemption in Christ will be manifested in our lives. Until then we have the assembling of ourselves in the church where we are to exhort one another and where we are to provoke one another to love and to good works.
In Acts 20, the apostle Paul mentioned in a meeting with the elders of the church from Ephesus the redemption in Christ Jesus.
Acts 20:28:
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
The church of God has become God's property by means of the redemption which happened in Christ Jesus. The
shedding of his blood made us to become God's very own. God has purchased us, and we are no longer our own. Jesus
Christ was God's only begotten Son, i.e. he was direct descendant of God even physically speaking, and so we read here
that God has purchased the church with "his own blood".
In 1 Peter, we can read more about his blood, and in this
passage it becomes very clear that our redemption was not cheap.
1 Peter 1:18 and 19:
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:
Silver and gold could not redeem us, the precious blood of Christ was necessary. The precious blood of Christ
was the price, that's how much each of us was worth to the true God. And God did not fall victim to "being cheated by
someone asking far too much", He did not pay an undue and over-estimated price. Christ's blood was a high price, but
there was nothing else which could have served as ransom and our redemption was obviously worth this price to God
This sort of reminds us of a passage in one of the gospels which speaks of the worth of a soul.
Mark 8:36 and 37:
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Man himself has nothing to give wherewith he could redeem his soul (himself). To gain the whole world is not a
profit in comparison to losing his own life or soul. We ourselves really do not have anything wherewith we could redeem
ourselves, but God has something – His only begotten Son. It is with his previous blood that we are redeemed. We
should therefore never think of ourselves now as not being worth much!
In 1 Corinthians we again see this great
truth.
1 Corinthians 6:19 and 20:
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
We were "bought with a price", i.e. purchased at a high cost. Since we were bought, we do not belong to
ourselves as was the case before our redemption. When we heard the gospel of God with the salvation in Christ and when
we then received this redemption by faith in him, we exchanged lords. Those who rather would like to remain their own
should not become Christians; but those who would like to have eternal life will gladly give up their rights to own
themselves and confess Jesus Christ as their new lord.
Since we have been purchased, redeemed for a high price, we
can think of ourselves appropriately. We should remember and consider that Jesus Christ has paid a high price for us
and that we are worth that price in God's eyes. What can we do now in response to such great love? "Therefore glorify
God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's!" Our lives are not to be the same as before, instead we can and
we should serve the living God and we should praise Him and glorify Him with all that we do in our lives. Jesus Christ
has paid the highest price possible so that we now can have eternal life as a free gift from God, without charge and
without merit on our part. Let us praise Him and glorify Him!