"So that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace, might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 5:21 NIV.

Our salvation comes as a GIFT of God's Grace, but it can only be appropriated by the human response of faith. To understand the process of salvation, we must understand these two words.

faith in Jesus Christ is the only condition God requires for Salvation. Faith is not only a profession about Christ, but also an activity coming from the HEART of the believer who seeks to follow Christ as Lord & Saviour & not what one Does to appease other human beings.

Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 4: 19: "Come Follow ME & I will make you fishers of men 20 At once they left their nets & followed Him."

In Matthew 16:24 - 25 we read: "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If ANYONE would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it'."
 

In Luke 9: 23 - 26 we read: "Then He said to them 'If any man would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily & Follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but who ever loses his life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and glory of the FATHER AND OF THE HOLY A ANGELS'."

In John 10: 1 on we read: "'I tell you the Truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other ways, is a thief and a robber. 2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherds of his sheep. 3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahed of them, and  his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice' 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them'. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, 'I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever come before me  were thief's and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.' In verse 27 Jesus says this "My Sheep listen to my voice; I Know them, they  follow me. 28 I Give then Eternal life, & they shall never perish, no one can snatch them out of my hand'."

In John 12: 26 we read: "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father WILL  Honour the one who serves me."
 

 The question is: Do you Follow the LAMB or some man made rules & regulations?

Faith means firmly believing and trusting in the Crucified and Risen Christ as our personal Saviour & Lord.

In Romans 1:17 we read "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous  will live by faith."

In Habakkuk 2: 4 we read: "See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright - but righteous will live by his faith." See Psalm 10:4 also.

Faith involves believing with ALL your heart - In Ephesians 6 Paul is instructing slaves how to obey their masters I will only cite verse 6, but please read entire passage from verse 5 to 20: "Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God FROM YOUR HEART."

In Hebrews 10:22 we read: Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of Faith, having our Hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."

We should yield up our wills & committing our total sleeves to Jesus Christ as He is Revealed in New Testament & NOT what many men say about Him.

Faith involves REPENTANCE. i.e. in True Sorrow turning from sin. In Acts 17: 30 we read "In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands ALL people everywhere to repent."

In 2 Corinthians 7: 10 we read: "Godly sorrow brings Repentance that leads to salvation and leaves NO Regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."

When we Turn our lives to Christ our Relationship with God stars to develop & our Trust in Him becomes the whole purpose of our human existence. This doesn't meant that we neglect our fails etc, just that God becomes our focus & we allow Him to lead us.

This saving Faith is always REPENTANT Faith, Luke tells us To "Repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for Forgiveness of sins. And You will receive the Holy Spirit. The  Promise if for you & your children and for ALL who are far of - for all whom the Lord our God will call." Acts 2: 38-39.

John the Baptist told Jewish people who were coming to him for baptism "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near." Matthew 3:2.

Not here that JB said "Kingdom of Heaven is near & NOT kingdom of earthly paradise.

In verses 7 to 10  he is speaking to Pharisees & Sadducees & said "You brood of vipers! [not nice words hey] Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with REPENTANCE. 9 And Do Not think you can say to yourself. "We have Abraham as our father." I tell you that out of these stones God can rise up children for Abraham. 10 The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and throw into fire."

What JB was telling Pharisees & Sadducees was to TURN BACK to God & stop following their own way. The Greek word for repentance is "metaoeo" which literally means to do a 180  degree turn about in ones way.  Lets say that you are travelling North for 1 month {any amount of time will do I just picked 1 month as an example]. Now how long does it take you to start travelling south?  1 STEP - Ok   - Just turn around 180 degrees & you are travelling in TOTALLY OPPOSITE Direction.

Same applies with our own walk with God. Just Turn back to him & Repent!

This Repentance is turning from evil ways  & turning to Christ.

Some will say  that is harsh statement - I do no evil - Right! Well, as far as God is concerned it is His way of Love ALL - God included - & not doing it OUR WAY by picking & choosing who we will love & who we will not. Lets face it - the only way to God's Heavenly Kingdom is through His Son Jesus Christ. That's why we are to have faith in Him & Love Him first & foremost. John 14:1, 6; Acts 8:22; 26: 18; 1 Peter 2: 25.

Decision to TURN  from sin and to Salvation in In Christ involves accepting Christ not only as our Saviour from penalty of sin, but also as Lord & God Man's life. Thus, repentance involves of change of lords - from lordship of satan Ephesians 2:1 - 3 to  the Lordship  of Christ and His Word Acts 26: 15 - 19.

In this passage Paul is Talking to Jesus & I will cite the above verses where Jesus is giving Paul instructions as to what he [Paul] is to do:

''Then I asked, who are you Lord?' "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' The Lord replied 'Now get up & stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant & as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me."

As you can see God WANTS ALL to be saved in THROUGH One person & our faith in Him - that is Jesus Christ.

This Repentance is a free decision on the part of us sinners, which was made possible by enabling Grace given to us all by our belief in Jesus Christ - see Ephesians 2: 8-9.  This repentance is = I suppose one condition  to our our salvation. If we do not repent & Turn back then what hope do we have? See Mark 1: 15; Luke 13: 3, 5; Acts 2: 38; 3: 19; 11:21.

This same repentance was the same repentance in OT teaching by the prophets see Jer. 7:3; Eze, 18: 30;
Joel 2: 12 -14; Mal. 3: 7 - then compare to Matthew 3: 3:2; 4: 17; 18: 3; Luke 5:32; ACTS 2: 38 etc.  Lest not be like Pharisees who had their own interpretation of what salvation is.

Our faith includes obedience to Jesus Christ and His Word as a way of life inspired our faith, by our gratitude to God and by the regenerating work of the Spirit {John 3: 3-7; 14: 15, 21 - 24; Hebrews 5:8-9; SEE ALSO  1 John 5:1; Galatians 4: 5-7 & Romans 8: 1-16.. It is this obedience that come from faith [Romans 1: 5]. Therefore faith & obedience belong inseparably together {Romans 16: 26}. In other words - there is a need for commitment to Christ & Change of the way we look at the world around us.

This faith does involve many sacrifices as we humans would say it. There is a need to Love Christ, be devoted to him & not any man or organization - see Matthew 22: 37; John 21: 15-17; Acts 8: 37; Romans 6: 17; Galatians 2: 20; Ephesians 6: 6; 1 Peter 1: 8.

This faith in Jesus Christ is Both the act of a single moment and a continuing attitude that will  grow and will be strengthened. In John 1: 12 we are told that we have the right to became adopted children of God when we believe in Jesus. When we receive Him, we are born again and became God's Children. The sad part is NOT ALL people choose to follow this path. Are you one of them?  Hope not!!

Anyone who has Faith like Abraham has Faith in a definite person. Even though Abraham was about 100 years old he believed in hope that God would give him an offspring & through this offspring he was going to be the father to many nations. Abraham did not waver  through unbelief regarding this promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God. Abraham was fully persuaded that God had the power to do what He had promised & because of his faith it was credited ti him as righteousness. Romans 4: 19-22 paraphrased by me!!

In Romans 8: 31 -32 Paul is telling us this: "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all = HOW WILL HE NOT ALSO, ALONG WITH HIM, GRACIOUSLY GIVE US ALL THINGS?" See also 1 Thessalonians 5: 9-10.

How is it not possible then for God to give us all things as He PROMISED?

It is not as He does not break His Word. All that we have to do is believe in Him & have our Faith Strengthened in His Promises. Trust & devotion develop into an intense loyalty and devotion: "If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason Christ died & RETURNED to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead & the living." Romans 14: 8-9, see lao 2 Corinthians 5: 15.

Then this loyalty & devotion develop into intense feeling of personal attachment to and love for the Lord Jesus Christ, see Philippians 1: 21; 3: 8-10.

In John 15: 4 Jesus tells us this: "Remain in me, and I will remain in you, No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." In verse 5 Jesus tells us that He is that vine & that we are the branches & if anyone remains in Him then he / she will bear fruit, because we can not do anything apart from Him -again I paraphrased.

In Galatians 2: 20 Paul tells us that He was crucified with Christ & that Christ lives in him. This is clearly telling us  that any believer in Jesus has a personal Attachment or Relationship with Jesus. Anyone who has FAITH In Jesus live their lives in intimate union with their Lord, both in His death &  Resurrection. ALL Believers have been crucified with Christ on the cross. All believers have died to the LAW as a means of salvation and they live through Christ for God. Because of this salvation through Jesus Sin NO LONGER has control over them - see Romans 6: 4, 8, 14; Gal 5: 24; 6: 14; Colossians 2: 12, 20. Anyone who has been crucified with Christ now lives with Him in His resurrection life. Christ's strength becomes our strength & source of  or centre of all our thoughts, words and death. This is achieved through the Guidance of The Holy Sprit - who communicates  with us all the time - see John 16: 13 -14; Romans 8: 10-11.

This NEW FAITH in Christ brings us into  a new relationship with God and exempts us from His Wrath - see Roams 1: 18 & 8: 1. Through this new relationship with God  we became dead to the sin [see Romans 6: 1-18] & indwell by the Holy Spirit {Galatians 3: 5; 4: 6].

In the Old testament, God Revealed Himself as a God of Grace and mercy who showed LOVE to His people not because they deserved it but because of God's own desire to be faithful to the promises made to Abraham, Isaac and jacob [see Exodus 6: 8- 9 & Genesis 17: 1 - 8 & 50: 24]. Lets face it Israelites did not listen to God, they always wanted to do their own thing. Didn't they?

In the new Testament the authors continue this theme; Grace is God's presence and Love through Jesus Christ, given to all who wish to accept it. This is done by the Holy Spirit, by imparting mercy, forgiveness  & the desire and power to do God's will {see john 3: 16; 1 Corinthians 15: 10; Philippians 2: 13; Titus 1: 15 -16}.

The whole movement of Christian life is dependent on God's Grace & not what we do.

God gives  a measure of grace as a gift {1 Corinthian's 1: 4-5} to all so that we may believe in our Lord Jesus Christ {Ephesians 2: 8-9; Titus 2: 11; 3: 4}.

God's Grace is given free so that we may be set free from sin {see Romans 6: 20, 22}  so that we act according to His GOOD purpose {see Philppians 2: 13; Titus 2: 11-12 & Matthew 7: 21. Jesus tells us In Matthew passage the  only those who do the will of His Father will enter in to His kingdom. This doesn't mean that we can earn our way in, but by following God's commands of Loving Him First & foremost - then Loving our Neighbours as we love our selves & loving one another as Jesus Loved us. When we have the Holy Spirit indwelling in our hearts we do that automatically. It is not a knee jerk reaction to some event - we just do it as we should - no more no less. When we pray for it we receive it  our heart becomes mellow & Loving towards everyone, as Love does no harm to anyone.

When we do this then we Grow In Christ & He in us {2 Peter 3: 18} & we then witness for Christ {Acts 4: 33; 11: 23}.

WE Must seek God's Grace - or should I say we Must want to accept it as a gift - just as it is given. In hebrews 4: 16 we read: "Let us then approach the throne of Grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find Grace to help us in our time of need."

Grace will not come & grab us, but it is available to be had anytime we want it. This is done by studying God's Word {John 15: 1-15; 20: 31; Titus 3: 15}; hearing & proclaiming  God's Word {Matthew 4: 2; 6: 16}; Worshiping Christ {Colossians 3: 16; Being continually filled with the Holy Spirit {Ephesians 5: 18} & Participating in Lord's supper {Acts 2: 42}. Once we are filled with the Holy Spirit this becomes an automatic thing & not something that is forced upon us. Person wants more of God's love once he / she experiences it for them selves.

In saying all this - God's Grace can be resisted. In hebrews 12: 15 we read: 'See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.'

If we allow our selves to be deceived by mere man - we can be taken away from God's Free Grace & be made to earn it - by selling flowers, going door to door selling magazines, following some man like Russell, Joseph Smith, Mrs White etc.

We can receive it in vain - 2 Corinthian's 6:1.

We can put it out  - 1 Thessalonians 5: 19.

We can set it aside - Galatians 2: 21. "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing."

WE can abandoned it - Galatians 5: 4. "You who are trying to be  justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from Grace."