God’s Free Gift of Salvation (2)
How should we respond to God’s free gift?
Review of the first part
There is an underlying cost to every gift we receive from someone, least of all, God. We have seen that God’s salvation is not a Greek gift, like the Trojan horse, through which Troy was destroyed. God’s salvation is a free gift—the redundancy is necessary to emphasise the unique freeness of the gift—for humanity’s good. We must note that this free gift came to humanity at the expense of the blood of Jesus which was shed as payment for the sins of humanity when He died on the cross at Calvary. But how do we respond to this wonderful, immeasurable gift of God? Or put more bluntly, how have you responded to God’s salvation?
How should we respond to God's free gift of salvation?
God's salvation is so remarkable that it had to be expressed in superlative terms, using two synonyms, "free" and "gift," to describe its awesomeness as a gift. Thus, as we contemplate the cross where Jesus bore the weight of our sins, we encounter a profound gift. Understanding the value of God's salvation as a free gift should evoke positive responses. Sadly, some do not respond as expected. Below, we outline the responses we ought to see from those who have received God's salvation.
God's gift should elicit a rapturous outpouring of praise and thanksgiving from us to God.
When you come to realize and appreciate the value of what you have been given for free, you cannot help but be overwhelmed with emotions that express how you feel about the gift—it is called “joy unspeakable” (1 Peter 1:9, KJV). Unfortunately, many have chosen to mock and scorn Jesus and even the Father. Yet, God's enduring love for sinners remains steadfast as He continues to dispatch messengers worldwide to proclaim this remarkable gift of His salvation so that no one will be left out.
We should be reaching out to receive God's gift.
When someone gives you a gift, you extend your hand to receive it—sometimes, both hands. You do not question what it is, except with excitement. Sadly, many view this free gift of God with suspicion, to the extent that many words have to be used to express the value and worth of God's salvation to humanity. Some have outrightly dismissed God's gift and relegated it to insignificance. Yet, God continues to offer His free gift of salvation to humanity in the hope that some will one day reach out and accept it!
We should desire to live worthy of God.
When you are given a gift, you want the giver to know that you appreciate it by cherishing and using the gift appropriately. You also want others to know how valuable the gift is by telling them about it and showing it off to them. While some Christians aspire to an eternal heavenly existence, living here on earth by God's standards proves to be a formidable undertaking. Yet, it is as we live by God's standard on earth that we are translated into the heavenly realm.
Speaking of living by God's standards on earth, how do we respond to mockery, scorn, and hatred from others on account of being recipients of God's salvation? Can we still muster love for them? Love, a central teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, challenges us to extend compassion even toward those who have wronged us. It is not easy to love someone who has caused pain or treated us unfairly. Yet, this echoes the very nature of the Father's love. 1 Peter 2:21-25 reveals how we should live having received God's salvation:
This is the kind of life you've been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step. He never did one thing wrong, Not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you're named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls. (MSG)
Unless one is filled with the Holy Spirit, living as Christ lived will be a tall order, and appreciating God’s gift enough to live worthy of Him will be an uphill task. Do you appreciate the sacrifice that was made by Jesus for your salvation from sin and God's judgment on sinners? Can you willingly sacrifice your dreams, desires, and ambitions for God's vision and desires? Can you truly live worthy of God's gift of salvation to you?
We who have received God's gift should propagate its value and benefits to others.
When you receive a great gift, especially one that is free, you want to tell your family and friends so that they can also obtain it. Daniel Thambyrajah Niles defined evangelism as "just one beggar telling another beggar where to find the bread." We need to urgently tell others how we got the free gift of salvation.
I remember in university how we were able to disseminate information about changes in lecture and examination schedules and, most importantly, parties that were happening within an hour of their impromptu schedule. Note that I went to university in the days when there were no mobile phones, social media, or WhatsApp groups. Oh, the sacrifices we made to inform our friends of those impromptu parties! Now, I wonder how many among us are willing to make the necessary sacrifices to spread the message of God's free gift of salvation.
Repaying the sacrifice of Jesus remains impossible, as His sacrifice is immeasurable. Yet, we can exhibit His love by freely and willingly disseminating His message and mirroring His way of life. Have you considered the impact of how you live on others' understanding of Jesus' sacrifice? You may have heard the saying, "Your actions speak so loudly, I can not hear what you are saying." And this is the crux of our inability to propagate the true value and benefits of God's salvation. Most Christians are not living as people who are enjoying the benefits of the salvation of God. We are, sadly, beggarly in our way of life rather than demonstrating the power of God which we claim to be resident in us. Or is there no power from the gospel? The gospel is powerful and it transforms lives, but only those who appropriate its power can manifest it for others to see. It is like having an extremely useful piece of equipment or appliance that runs on electricity but it is useless to you. Why? It is not plugged into the power supply.
Many who claim to be Christ's followers struggle to mirror His way of life because of their inability to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit, which is generously bestowed upon those who have received God's free gift of salvation. Beloved, there is power in the gospel but many are not plugged in. And some of those who are plugged in, are not switched on! Why is this so? Could it be that, though we profess faith in Jesus, we have neither switched on to the Holy Spirit’s power nor faithfully followed His teachings?
We are called not only to believe in Christ but also to live as believers in Christ!
The Holy Spirit enables us to live a life that is opposed to sinful living and, therefore, pleasing to God and appreciative of God's free gift! The Holy Spirit is a necessary, significant, and critical accompaniment of God’s salvation, for without Him a recipient of God’s salvation cannot enjoy and live up to its billing. What a free gift!
Our redemption came at an immense cost, and God has given us His Spirit to ensure that we live worthy of Him (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). When we face our Maker, we must avoid Jesus' sobering statement in Matthew 7:23:
"I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" (NKJV)
But why would a Christian practice lawlessness? More often than not, it is due to the absence of the Holy Spirit in their lives, either because they have repeatedly disobeyed Him or they are yet to be taught how to tap into Him as an accompaniment of salvation.
Preaching about Jesus and salvation is easy, but adhering to His instructions is impossible without the Holy Spirit's empowerment. Loving those who wronged you or are of different ethnicity, nationality, skin colour, language, etc., is a tough ask unless the Holy Spirit provides you the strength to do so.
In essence, believing in Jesus not only grants salvation but also unlocks the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to live as believers in Christ in alignment with God's will and purpose. We must, therefore, seek fellowship with the Holy Spirit to enjoy the fullness of God’s salvation. It is through the Holy Spirit that we are aligned with God’s word and truly become His ambassadors in this dark world.
Conclusion
Although God's salvation is a free gift, it came at a great price (1 Corinthians 6:20). As a result, we ought to live worthy of God's calling as a testament to our appreciation of God's gift to us. Romans 12:1-2 states:
"And so, dear brothers, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice, holy—the kind he can accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you." (LB)
The inexpressible joy of salvation was achieved through the sacrificial death of Jesus. As such, our purpose must be to live as beacons of light in a dark world, reconciling humanity to God through our transformed lives. While some may view Jesus Christ as just another religious figure or founder of some new religion, we must preach Him as He is in truth, the Son of God, who willingly sacrificed Himself for humanity's sins. We must tell the world that His gift not only brings salvation but also empowers us to live free from sin. We must also let others know about His profound and unconditional love for His creation—a love unknown and unheard of by humans.
Indeed, Jesus' sacrifice and the gift it brought to humanity must necessarily be celebrated, not only during Judaist feast days but daily. As we daily engage in such joyful exuberance despite the hardship and suffering we may encounter, we can answer all who ask why we are so joyful even in the face of life's challenges by speaking about Jesus and the sacrifice of His death for our sins. And this just may bring more souls into the kingdom of God!
Shalom!