Bible Basics

Conditions of Redemption

God has provided the means of our salvation in Christ’s sacrificial death. We are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in His blood” (Rom. 3:24, 25). Having sinned man stands condemned (Rom. 3:23), and his only hope is the unmerited favor of God’s grace and mercy. God’s part in man’s salvation is the giving of His Son (John 3:16). But notice man has a part in his salvation as well as he is saved “through faith, in His blood.” The problem is many deny that man has any part in his salvation and the conditions of redemption God has prescribed are refused. Clearly Paul shows our “faith in His blood” a condition of redemption. In fact he states, “we have access by faith into this grace” (Rom. 5:2). While many acknowledge the necessity of man’s faith to salvation, they still deny that man has a part in his own salvation. They claim that if man must do anything to be saved, God’s grace is nullified. This means man is not free to act in response to God’s will. Consequently, all God’s commands, all invitations to man and all conditions of salvation (even faith) must somehow be explained away. Is faith a human response, something we must do? Or is it something God does for us? Find out next week.

                                                                                                               -- Clark Dugger

Bible Basics