by Dave Brown
Ye often hear it said ...
There is nothing that we can do to obtain salvation."
but on the day of Pentecost Peter said (Acts 2:40):
"Save yourselves from this untoward generation."
Read the entire context of Acts 2 and it will tell you what God did for us and what God expects of us. The writer sums it up in Acts 2:41-42: "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."
How then can this be a free gift? Our part of salvation is merely to act in our own self interest. It is not a cost that we pay but a benefit that we receive. No one was ever sorry for spending time doing good, nor did they ever regret abstaining from evil. Invariably, however, when we sin we pay the price, both in terms of the shame and problems that we cause here on this earth, and the fear of eternal damnation.
When we choose to view our good works as obligations that must be met, we miss the mark. They are opportunities to serve the Lord and to reap the blessings that He has promised to the faithful. Our rewards, both in this life and in the world to come, far outweigh anything that can be regarded as costs. And, our sins can never be atoned for without the blood of Christ, even if we were to live perfectly. This is why salvation is a free gift of God.