September 30, 2006
Newsletter Archives

Salvation is as simple as having a bill that needs to be paid and finding a means to pay it. It is not complex at all.
The sins we commit are a debt we owe to God. The problem is that we cannot pay that debt by ourselves. Accordingly, the Lord Jesus went to the cross to make provision for our debt. But before we can enjoy the benefit of His death on our behalf, three things must take place.
First, we must acknowledge we have a debt of sin that is serious. Many people will admit they have sinned but they think it is no big deal. The reality is that God considers sin a big deal. It is so offensive to Him that if we don’t deal with it, we will be punished in hell. So the first step is to admit the seriousness of our sin.
The second step is to acknowledge we are bankrupt; we have no means to pay the debt. Many people hold the mistaken belief that human goodness pays for sin. Hence they try prayers, good deeds, church-going, reformation, and many other things to make atonement for their sin. The apostle Paul reminded Titus that God “has saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy” Titus 3:5. Good deeds will never pay for our sins.
The third step is to trust Christ to deal with our sins through the payment He has made on the cross. The moment we trust Him, our sins are gone. The problem is that most people cannot believe it is that simple. But it is and there is no reason to make a puzzle out of it. Personal trust in Christ as the Savior settles the account with God. We can reject that and lose our soul, or accept it just as it is and have full assurance of heaven.

Russ Nesbit