Don't Pay For Your Ride Twice!
by David J. Stewart
The Bible teaches that everyone's sins are already paid for. Thus, eternal life is a free gift to anyone who wants it.
I once rented a hotel in Hawaii while visiting the island of Kauai for 10-days in 2011. The hotel room included a free rental car. When my plane arrived at the Kauai airport I took a taxi cab for $50 to the hotel. When I got to the hotel I checked in at the front desk and asked where to pick up my rent car. The lady said, “You were supposed to get your free rent car back at the airport.” It cost me another $50 to take another taxi cab back to the airport to get my free rent car. I needlessly paid $100 that I didn't have to pay.
That's a fairly good illustration of salvation. Jesus paid for our sins, but many people are paying for their own ride when they don't have to. It was an honest mistake that I made, but it cost me. Many people are sincerely trying to get to Heaven “SOME OTHER WAY,” but they're headed for the Lake of Fire without their free ride provided by Christ's payment for our sins. You cannot get to Heaven anyway except by the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus. 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.” A gift is already paid for and cannot be earned or merited.
I had sincerely missed the fine print in four pages of a contract e-mailed to me for the hotel and rent car. Technically it was my fault for not paying closer attention to the contract, but I felt that the hotel was unethical for not making it more clear to me that I was supposed to pick up my free rent car at the airport. The bottom line is that LEGALLY I was responsible for picking up my own ride. Likewise, a lot of people are going to accuse God on judgment day of being unethical, but God is going to remind them that the Bible speaks plainly in black-and-white lettering. The Bible is our contract, and you had better read it my friend, because it is legally binding.
Read what the Bible says in Luke 13:23-24, “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” Isn't that a sad statement? Jesus aid that in eternity many people will seek to enter into Heaven, but will NOT BE ABLE.
Again we are warned by the Lord in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Who goes around saying, “Lord, Lord”? Who else but the Lordship Salvation crowd! Jesus said that they call Him “Lord,” but they do not do the will of the Father. What is the will of the Father? I'm glad that you asked. John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” God's will is that we rest completely and entirely in the finished redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
Albeit, my situation with the rent car drastically differs from salvation in one way. Even though I paid my own way when it was already paid, I still ended up where I intended to go, that is, the hotel. But if you try to pay your own ride to Heaven, it cannot be done. It is impossible. The only way to pay for your own sins is to go to Hell for all eternity and suffer the vengeance of an angry God. 2nd Thessalonians 1:8-9, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” I thank God that Jesus Christ paid my sin debt, sparing me from the wrath of an angry and holy God, the Father. God put in plight (a solemn pledge of fidelity) which cost you nothing. Will you accept it by faith?
1st John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1st John 1:6-9 is teaching us about “FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM,” and not about salvation. Carefully notice 1st John 1:6, “If we say that we have fellowship with him...” The subject is “FELLOWSHIP” and not “SONSHIP.” You don't need to confess your sins to be saved, because Christ has already paid for our sins 2,000 years ago. As Christian believers we confess our sins daily to maintain fellowship with the Lord, which determines our happiness as a Christian.
So don't make the mistake that I did and miss your free ride. Jesus paid it all. Our sins have been forgiven. Salvation is receiving, not giving. It's a free gift. Thankfully, eternal life is one free ride that I WON'T miss, because I have God's PROMISE on it. Titus 1:2, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” Romans 10:9-13, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
The Gospel is defined in 1st Corinthians 15:1-4 as Christ's DEATH, BURIAL and RESURRECTION. Believe it and the work is done! Receive Christ's sacrifice as full payment for your sins and you will be saved. It's not our goodness that saves us, because we have no goodness to impress God (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10,19-23). We need God's righteousness in Christ Jesus. We need the imputed righteousness of the Lamb of God.
People in the Old Testament were saved the SAME WAY that we are today in the New Testament...
Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
