Freedom's Ring

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Salvation

The gospel is so simple that children can understand it, and it is so profound that studies by the wisest theologians will never exhaust its richness.

If the gospel is so easy to understand, why then does there exist so many opposing views to the truth? The answer is really quite simple. Eternel salvation seems far-fetched, and salvation as a gift from God seems unimaginable.

Yet, the gospel answers the ultimate paradox — how an unholy person can become holy and how a fallen creature can have fellowship with a holy God. It seems impossible for these things to be so. However, the Bible says that “with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26).

© 2007 McCowen Mills Publishers LLC

Although God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, contrary to widespread misconceptions, He does not make anyone go to heaven, nor does He force anyone to end up in Hell. That determination is a choice made by each person on earth. In fact, God's will is for every person to repent, trust in Christ as Saviour and be saved.

The gospel reveals the lost and sinful condition of each and every person apart from Jesus Christ. Regardless of how decent and moral you try to live your life, the gospel reveals your true state and dire need. Using the gospel, the Spirit of God opens your heart, eyes and ears to bring conviction of sin into your life, while the Father draws you to Himself.

God provided many pictures and types throughout the Old Testament as a witness of His desire to fellowship with man. He provided shed blood and animal skins for Adam and Eve, the ark for Noah and his family, the ram in the thicket for Abraham and Isaac, and the brazen serpent on the pole for Moses and the nation of Israel. God has now provided His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, for the entire world. Thus, the message of Christ and His cross, having its foundation throughout the Old Testament, is the message that must be presented to a desperately needy world today.

The greatest message ever told concerns the work of Christ and how it can change a person's life for all of eternity. In fact, it is the greatest theme in all of history, revealing the greatest work ever performed by the greatest Person Who ever lived. The Son of God paid the penalty for our sin by shedding His precious blood.

The blood shed on Calvary's cross was the blood of God! It was the blood of Jesus, and He is God's Son — God manifest in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16). Thus, the Creator of the universe justly satisfied the judgment for sin on our behalf through the shedding OF HIS OWN BLOOD.

Only God could devise such a wonderful plan of redemption. God Himself became the sacrificial Lamb, but why? It is inconceivable for most people to reconcile their image of a loving God with the biblical condemnation that arises when an unforgiven sinner meets a just God. Without an Almighty pardon for sin, the sinner stands condemned without hope.

The truly repentant sinner is saved from the penalty of sin when he realizes his desperate need and acts on his desire for God to forgive his sinful soul. Because Christ sacrificed Himself, His blood is able to clear the guilty of ALL judicial condemnation and the fiery wrath and indignation of God. God accepted Christ's payment, making redemption possible for all those who would receive Him as their Saviour.

Everyone should ask the same simple question that the Philippian jailer posed to his two prisoners.“...Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Only two answers to your appeal exist — one right and one wrong.

God saves man or man saves himself. The premise that man saves himself implies that Christ's sacrifice on the cross was somehow inadequate. God's saving man denotes salvation by grace — the unmerited favor of God.

If one adds anything to Christ's work, this places the works of a mere mortal as equal to the sacrificial work of the Son of God on the cross of Calvary! Our greatest works could never be placed equal with what Christ did for us, and there is a day coming when God will judge the world in righteousness. The standard for that judgment will be Christ's righteousness because we have all individually fallen short of God's perfect standard.

Christ's righteousness is the benchmark that everyone must meet; therefore, the Lord commands every sinner to repent! However, some people find it difficult to admit that they are even a sinner. Sin is simply the transgression of God's law, of which, all are transgressors. Consider this: Have you ever lied? That makes you a liar. Have you ever stolen anything, even time from your boss? That makes you a thief. Have you ever lusted after a woman? That makes you an adulterer in your heart. Everyone has broken God's laws; all sinners need God's forgiveness.

The assertion that God saves man requires God to impute His righteousness to the believer, which is precisely the arrangement proclaimed by the Bible. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe...“ God's righteousness is offered unto all, (everyone), but is imputed, (or accredited), only to those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, (just like the Philippian jailer).

What does the Bible teach concerning the way to be saved? The following chart illustrates what every sinner should personally acknowledge to God based on the scriptural declarations provided.

In so doing, the individual will better understand the Gospel of the Grace of God; however, this chart is not meant to be used as a formula for prayer.

No single magic prayer for salvation exists. One must simply believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and call upon Him in order to be saved. The Bible says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Repeating these “personal acknowledgments” without the heartfelt conviction of trusting in Christ will simply be an act of futility.

Final Appeal

God's justice requires sin to be judged. This is the only way that His righteousness can be satisfied. Judgment must be poured out upon the sin of that sinner, but Jesus said, Father, put it all on Me. God then saw the wrath placed on the Son and the Father said, Justice has been served. Righteousness has been fulfilled. Now I can receive any sinner through this payment.

Unlike our sometimes faulty legal system which presumes a person innocent until proven guilty, God's perfect system of justice rightfully declares all sinners without Christ guilty. The unsaved person is already condemned and simply awaiting judgment day and the execution of the sentence. However, in the Day of Judgment, the forgiven are simply confirmed innocent.

It is as if Christ and the sinner trade places. II Corinthians 5:21 states, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Christ took your sins upon Himself. Then, having taken the judgment for those sins upon Himself, He says to all those that call upon Him: Take my righteousness.

You must come to a point where you realize that you are a sinner, that the wrath of God abides on you, and that there is no way for you to stand before a holy God. Furthermore, you must realize that nothing in you can take care of your guilt, and you must have His salvation. You cannot live well enough to justify yourself! You cannot even keep the Ten Commandments! Baptism and church membership are of no help to you. All you can do is look to the One who paid the price on the cross and fall down before Him and believe in Him and the payment He made on the cross for you. Those who believe can now say, “Lord Jesus, I believe You paid the price for my sins, and right now I want to trust in You; I want You to forgive my sins and save my soul.”

These words are not special words or some formula that somehow merits salvation. It is not the words that save you; it is the act of looking to Jesus in faith and trusting in Him alone for salvation.

God's Ball of Fire

Imagine for a moment that you are on earth, and you have displeased God. In His anger, He throws a ball of fire at you. You look up into the sky and see the ball of fire coming closer and closer, and you cannot hide from it. It is as big as a mountain and it is coming straight for you. You cry out at the last minute saying, “Lord Jesus, I need you!” And, at that very moment in time, He appears and steps right in front of you, and that ball of fire — representing the wrath of God the Father — hits Jesus with all its might and force. He suffers tremendously and goes through terrible trials and suffers your judgment for you; but you stand safe and secure because you have trusted in the only One who can save you!

Has that ever happened in your life — a day when you trusted in Christ for spiritual salvation? Has there been a time when you looked to Jesus and told Him you wanted to trust in Him? Do you believe He died for your sin? Do you believe in His death, burial and resurrection? Do you know the guilt of your own sin and realize that it condemns you to hell? Would you come to the Saviour right now, admit your sinful state, and ask Him to save you? Would you trust in Him as Saviour right now? Do not delay; trust in Him today. Bow your head right now and call on Him in prayer. Confess that you are a sinner. Tell him that you believe in His death, burial and resurrection — the payment and proof of His sacrifice for you. Express your faith in Him and ask Him to save your soul. He will satisfy the Father's demand for perfect justice and make you a child of God. What are you waiting for? Do it. Do it right now.

Tract # SALV 07-1005

Taken from the Tract “Freedom's Rin g” Copyright © 2007 McCowen Mills Publishers LLC. Used By Kind Permission.