John 3:16

My brain pictures salvation this way: The saved person is lying face down and flat on the ground, motionless and helpless, not even wiggling a finger to try to save himself. He’s totally relying on Jesus. I believe that picture lines up with Jesus’s story of the Pharisee and the publican (tax collector).

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Luke 18:10–14

The Pharisee was trusting in his works—the good things he did do, the bad things he didn’t do. The tax collector said nothing of his own doings; he stood empty before God and pleaded for mercy. The tax collector was totally relying on God. He went home saved. The Pharisee didn’t.

By human standards, the Pharisee may have been a good man. But good people don’t go to heaven; saved people go to heaven. That is, we don’t qualify for heaven by being good. We qualify for heaven by trusting in Jesus, by relying on Jesus. We are saved by faith.

Why do we struggle with simply receiving God’s free gift of salvation? Well, I think our natural human inclination is to try to fix things on our own. When men are lost on the highway, why don’t they ask for directions? One, we don’t want to admit we’re lost. Two, we want to figure things out for ourselves. In many respects, the desire to solve our problems on our own is a good thing, in my opinion. But it’s not a good thing in relation to the salvation of our souls. We can’t save ourselves.

Ephesians 2:8-9 sums up salvation this way: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” It is by grace, through faith. By grace, through faith; this point can’t be overemphasized. Grace is God’s unmerited favor. Faith is belief. This is the way we become saved. This is the way we stay saved. By grace, through faith.

“Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me,” an old hymn says.⁸ The only case I can make for myself is Jesus died for me and I’m trusting in him. Another hymn makes the same point with these words: “Nothing in my hand I bring; simply to thy cross I cling.”⁹

Either Jesus or you will pay the penalty for your sin. Jesus already has paid it, but if you don’t accept that payment, you will pay the penalty. You will pay the penalty in hell.

The jailer in Acts 16 asked the most important question ever: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” The answer from Paul and Silas: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him . . . . Believeth what? What must I believe? That Jesus, the sinless Son of God, went to the cross and was crucified, paying the penalty for my sin. That Jesus rose from the dead. That if I call on him to save me, trusting in his death in my place, Jesus will save me and I will go to heaven.