Is salvation free? Salvation requires acceptance, which requires faith. Faith requires obedience, including the commandments and tithing. Please enlighten us.
Romans 5:18 tells us, “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.” Adam and Christ are being contrasted in this verse. It was by the sin of ADAM that judgment came upon all men. It was by the righteousness of CHRIST that the FREE GIFT of salvation was offered to everyone. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the GIFT OF GOD is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” A gift is something that is freely given. If there is a cost attached, then it is no longer a gift, but a purchase.
Salvation does require acceptance, but the reception of any gift requires acceptance. Indeed, acceptance of the free gift of salvation does require faith. We read in Ephesians 2:8-9, “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.” Where does faith come from? Romans 10:17 says, “So then FAITH COMETH BY HEARING, and hearing by the word of God.” When we listen to the Gospel message and allow it to do its work in our heart, faith is produced and salvation is given to those who believe, or have faith. We do not conjure up faith in our hearts, rather it is produced by the sound of the Word in the heart of the one who is willing to genuinely listen.
Faith does require obedience. We read of those who did not obey in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8, “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We are must obey the Gospel in order to be saved. To refuse the Gospel is an act of disobedience. The Lord said to Nicodemus in John 3:7, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN.” THAT is the commandment we must obey…to be born again through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Does obedience to the Law of Moses save us? Absolutely not! We read in Romans 3:20, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” The law was not given to give life. It was given to show us our sins! Will tithing save us, or is it part of our salvation? Absolutely not! It is proper for believers to give to the Lord. We read in 2 Corinthians 9:7, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” We do not give in order to be saved. We give because we are saved. There is a huge difference in the two!
So, yes, salvation is a free gift from God to all who will receive it. It costs you NOTHING, but it cost the Lord Jesus EVERYTHING. What exactly did Jesus give in order that we might be saved? He gave Himself!
* Galatians 1:4, “(Jesus) GAVE HIMSELF for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.”
*Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and GAVE HIMSELF for me.”
*Titus 2:14, “(Jesus) GAVE HIMSELF for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
1 Peter 1:18-19, “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.” It took the shed blood of the Lord Jesus to pay our sin debt. Nothing we can do will earn us salvation, only faith in that One who loved us and GAVE HIMSELF for us…the Lord Jesus Christ. (270.8)