BE BLESSTIFIED!

We love to throw the word FREE around in Christianity. Salvation is free! Forgiveness is free! Our prosperous society can’t stop revolving almost every thought around money. We can’t stop equating a monetary value to EVERYTHING. No salvation doesn’t cost any money. No forgiveness doesn’t cost any money, but neither are FREE. Neither are without cost…

Salvation is a gift, but it’s definitely not free!

Think about it. Most likely every gift that you freely received from someone, was definitely first purchased by someone else. In case you didn’t know, redeemed means purchased. It means He paid the cost, which means salvation isn’t free…

Galatians 3:13-15 (NKJV)

¹³ Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”^[a]), ¹⁴ that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Hebrews 9:22 (NKJV)

²² And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

Neither is forgiveness without cost. You have to give something to receive it.

You have to have Godly sorrow and repent of your sin…

2 Corinthians 7:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

You have to GIVE forgiveness those who have sinned against you…

Matthew 6:12 (NKJV)

¹² And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.

Our salvation cost…

God His son…

John 3:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Jesus His dignity…

Isaiah 53:3 (NKJV)

³ He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

His career…

Mark 6:3 (NKJV)

³ Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.

His self-respect…

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)

² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Think about what the Apostle Paul gave up for his calling…

Philippians 3:4-8 (NKJV)

⁴ though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

⁷ But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ⁸ Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

Think of everything that YOU’VE had to sacrifice, go through, endure to get to the place you are in your relationship with God. Think of the pride you’ve had to give up and surrender to maintain your relationships.

Even if it didn’t cost you a dime…would you call that FREE?

BE BLESSTIFIED!