You could ask five different people about their view of salvation and, more than likely, you would get five different answers. But, even within the diversity of the answers, two main views of salvation usually emerge.

One bucket is individual responsibility. Meaning, the way we live determines our eternal destiny, making salvation dependent on our own efforts. This view of salvation doesn’t have to be overtly against God, rather, it subtly shifts the focus from God to us.

This self-dependent way of salvation is a tad more palatable to the human condition. It undergirds our selfishness and pride, to feel like we are in control of our future, even our eternal future. We want to feel in control and this specific view of salvation gives us that. It takes away the sovereignty of God and places it in our own fragile hands.

Now, the second bucket shifts the focus away from human-centered salvation to a God-centered salvation. With this view, we affirm that salvation is a gift that cannot be earned or found. This is important because if we believe that salvation is completely free of human tampering, then we can rightly attribute all efforts of salvation to the only One who can accomplish it.

And even though the second bucket is less popular for us to want to accept, it is the view of redemption seen in the Bible.

This redemption is only accomplished through the Gospel.

God made a way for all sinners to be reconciled to Himself through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The Gospel removes all responsibility of redemption or salvation from humans and places it completely in the hands of Jesus.

The Gospel is the path of redemption and grace paved that path.

The grace of God is what empowers the very act of salvation and is the very thing that we live in daily. For the believer, living without grace is like living without oxygen. We literally could not live without it.

The grace that comes through Jesus is the merciful act of God, granting redemption and hope to the sinner. Apart from the Gospel of grace, we are completely helpless.

It’s a sobering idea, understanding that salvation comes by grace through faith, meaning we are unable to boast because we had nothing to do with it (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Personally, I am comforted in knowing that God is the One who saves. Because let’s be honest, if it was up to me, I would fail. If I had to earn my salvation or fight my own fight of redemption, I would lose every time.

Praise God that Jesus came so that I could have hope. That Jesus paid my debt, so that I could walk in freedom.

Praise God indeed.

by Emily Rico