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Despite what many mistaken people teach about grace, there are some things we must do to be saved. First, God is responsible for man's salvation. "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved"(Eph 2:4-5). God loved us, God sent Jesus, God made us alive. He is responsible for our salvation, and without His grace in giving us Jesus, we would have no hope for salvation. When we have been saved by God's grace, there is no room for any kind of boasting, as there would be if we had saved ourselves. Thus Paul says "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast"(Eph 2:8-9). It is vital that we remember we do not deserve salvation, and without God's unmerited favor, we would have no hope. Several other passages (Titus 3:4-6, Romans 3:23-26) confirm this. However, man must obey God to be saved. If grace is all that matters in salvation, then why isn't every person on earth saved? After all, grace "has appeared to all men"(Titus 2:11), and God "desires all men to be saved"(1 Tim 2:4), yet not all are saved (Matt 7:13-14, 21-23). There is more to salvation than God's grace. Obedience is required to receive God's grace. When the Jews on Pentecost asked, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?", Peter doesn't say "Don't do anything" or "You're saved by grace, not works." He says, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"(Acts 2:37-38). Jesus Himself said, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned"(Mark 16:16). Was Jesus mistaken? Why would Jesus say this if it isn't true? Modern "grace only" preachers say we don't have to be baptized; Jesus says we do. I trust my readers will know who is right. Paul told the Philippians, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling"(Phil 2:12). Did he just choose the wrong words? James said, "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only"(James 2:24). Is James wrong too? Even John tells us about conditions on forgiveness: "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin"(1 John 1:7). Did no one tell John that there are no works we can do that affect our salvation? If we reject Jesus, Peter, Paul, James, and John, we don't have much of a New Testament left. Rather, we must conclude that what they teach is true: we must obey God to be saved. Meeting God's conditions is not the same as earning salvation. Noah "found grace in the eyes of the Lord"(Gen 6:8), but he still had to build an ark and get in it. God gave Jericho to Israel (Josh 6:2), but they still had to march around the city and attack it. God healed Naaman (2 Kings 5), but he still had to dip in the river seven times. God saved all these, yet they still had to obey Him. In the same way, when Jesus says, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned", we must listen to and obey Him. Whoever would deny it is arguing with Jesus. Would you obey Jesus Christ as Lord? He wants to save you and calls you to Him. Believe Him and be baptized into Christ today (Gal 3:26-27)! Church of Christ |