by Rick Combs
My books have the following preface that gives the clear gospel of grace. It is at the front so that the way of salvation is clear and easily seen. I thought it prudent to post it again. My main goal is from 1 Timothy 2:4 “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth”.
Here it is…
The Cross is the way we receive salvation! Pure and simple.
You can be a good person, give to the poor, volunteer for the Red Cross or any other organization, but you will never be acceptable to God because we are all sinners. Therefore, you are required to pay for your own sins. Since you cannot do that, the scripture tells us God’s provision and how to be saved from our sins.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
It took the Son of God, Jesus Christ to die in our place and take our sins upon Himself, thereby paying the penalty of death including separation from The Father, to give to us His Righteousness.
It does nobody any good to live a clean life and then find yourself in a devil’s hell all because you did not believe the above scripture and receive full forgiveness which gives you Eternal Life immediately.
This great gift is FREE!
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
No works required. Don’t have to walk the aisle, say a special prayer, take communion, be baptized, repent and promise you will never sin again; nothing is required for your salvation EXCEPT to believe this gospel and trust in the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross that He paid the penalty for your sins through His death.
He then justified you and proved that HE IS GOD by rising from the dead. Your Savior is ALIVE and seated at the right hand of God the Father forever.
This is what the cross is all about… taking care of our sin so that we can be reconciled to God and have an everlasting relationship with Him that qualifies us to partner with Him in His eternal purposes.
Grace and peace!