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!
Well stated. 👍
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Thank you. May God bless your ministry:-)
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Profound, disturbing, but oh so true. I will reblog this one.
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Hallelujah! God bless you Jerry!
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Reblogged this on And Then Messiah Shall Come and commented:
Profound, Disturbing BUT True
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All true, Aldtric! And we are told to count the cost.
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Yes! That’s right. God bless you Maria:-)
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God bless you!
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Read this please. https://leeposkey.wordpress.com/2018/12/20/blind-guides-salvation-is-a-free-gift-by-grace-through-faith/
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Hi there. The post is speaking to the fact that salvation wasn’t free for Jesus:-)
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Thank you for replying to me Aldtric. 🙂
Then what do you mean by this…
“Neither is forgiveness without cost. You have to give something to receive it.
You have to have Godly sorrow and repent of your sin…”
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You’re welcome. Just that. You give God a repentant heart. Thanks for responding in respect and not arrogance. God bless you:-)
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That statement though said that one has to repent of sins.
And that is not the same as a repentant heart.
A repentant heart says that I have nothing, save me, a needy sinner.
That’s an entirely different situation than requiring someone to “repent of sins.”
How do you quantify when someone has repented of the amount of sins that qualifies that they have crossed over from death to life?
That’s a fair question if a demand is placed on someone isn’t it?
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Yessir it’s fair. Godly sorrow leads to repentance. Repentance comes from a repentant heart. It’s not for me to quantify and I don’t think it’s quantifiable. I see it as an act of submission and worship which we give to God daily:-)
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Hello Aldtric.
I will leave with this comment.
Please, please, either reword this post or delete it. Because Romans 5 makes it crystal clear that salvation is a free gift.
When you write that you have to give something to receive it, repent of your sins for (salvation). You end up presenting “another gospel.” Which carries with it extreme consequences.
I fully agree that the Christian life of service and discipleship carries with it hardships and such.
But that’s not the subject I’m referring to.
I’m referring to salvation, justification before God.
A free gift, not of works, lest any man should boast.
And Aldtric, I’m trying to help you. I have no interest in debate of being gratuitously difficult.
I’m really trying to help you, but my allegiance is to the Lord Jesus Christ Who saved me, and gave me His righteousness. 🙂
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I appreciate your help. I sincerely do, but there are numerous people who have responded to me who fully understand my post and were blessed by it. My allegiance too is to Yeshua first. I agree that I don’t want to debate as well. I appreciate the interaction and invite it at any time. God bless you and keep up the good work:-)
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