Is Salvation by Faith Just Too Easy?

In this regular feature Dave and Tom respond to questions from listeners and readers of The Berean Call.  Here is this week’s question:  “Dear Dave and Tom, I have been listening to your program when I can catch it for a couple of years now and although I wouldn’t claim to be a Christian I find myself interested in what you guys have to say.  But here is something I have been struggling with.  It doesn’t seem reasonable that all one has to do to get to heaven is to believe—that there is nothing such as being holy or religious or making sacrifices that will help get me there.  While I am far from being an expert on religions, nevertheless I can’t think of one which doesn’t involve doing something that puts a person in better standing with God.  Why should I accept what you are saying when it is so out of line with other religions including some Christian groups I could name?”

Dave:

That’s a good question, Tom.  I think if the person would think a little bit they would recognize that their own conscience tells them.  Their own common sense tells them that you can’t buy favors with God.  God’s justice, his righteousness, his holiness must be so far beyond ours, our standards.  I mean, I wouldn’t even know when I am sinning, for example.  I would know when I am sinning blatantly according to my standards, but God’s standards are so much beyond mine even in my thoughts.  The pride that can creep in when I am not even aware of it and pride is an abomination with God, for me to think that I am something when I am really nothing.  So, that’s a problem.  All of the religions definitely are on one side and that includes false Christianity and true Christianity on the other side and what they have in common is what this person points out, it’s works.  That somehow, by my good deeds, by my reformation, turning over a new leaf, performing better, I am going to purchase, at least part of my pardon with God—

Tom:

Dave, let me just throw this in, as a, you know, former Roman Catholic for nearly 30 years, my whole life was doing certain things.  That going through, not just the sacraments and rituals and confessions and penitence and all of those things. My point is that when I was confronted with this, that you just had to believe, it didn’t make sense to me because I brought all this baggage to it.  How can that be? It just seems too simple.  But I didn’t understand the problem.  I didn’t understand, even though in my heart I knew I was a sinner and I could probably never be reconciled to God on anything that I, did but I still kept working at it.

Dave:

Tom, it’s quite obviously mentioned a number of times on this program; you cannot make up for breaking the law in the past by keeping it in the future.  And, if you said to the judge, I promise you, scouts honor, if you let me off this time I will never ever, ever, ever, break the law again.  The judge would simply say, “If you never break the law again you are only doing what the law requires, you don’t get extra credit for that.”  You can’t make up for breaking the law in the past by keeping it in the future.  So now, what are we going to do, there is a penalty that has to be paid, the ticket’s been written out or whatever it is.  There is a penalty required by the law for having broken the law in the past and there is no provision, not even in an earthly court that by—I murdered a person yesterday but if I save the lives of two people tomorrow that will make up for it.  It doesn’t work that way!  Common sense will tell you that!  Now if God is going to forgive me, he can’t just make a bookkeeping entry in heaven, that wouldn’t be just.  You can’t do that in a court of law.  Tom, I’m sorry, no offense intended to Roman Catholics but I sometimes say to them, I’m facing the judge next week and I’ve got a horrible problem.  They are really gasping at what the penalty that I am going to pay and I say, don’t worry!  I know the judge’s mother!  Come on now!  That’s corruption, that won’t work.  Okay, now if God paid the penalty—God himself would have to pay the penalty, that’s why he became a man through the virgin birth and he paid the penalty that his own infinite justice required for our sins.  Now, what can I do?  I can’t merit this, I can’t earn it, I can’t work for it, what can I do except receive the pardon?  If his justice is able to pardon me because the penalty was paid by another in my place, that is Christ, there is nothing I can do to merit this and this is why the Bible says, “The wages of sin”—that’s what we earn—“…is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Now how do I receive a gift—we are back to an illustration of something that’s spiritual.  He doesn’t have this gift of eternal life wrapped up in a package like a Christmas present or a birthday present and now I can reach out and physically take it, how do I take this gift?  By believing that he is offering it to me I receive this, well I say, Lord, thank you, and I receive this gift.  So, faith is the only thing that could bring this gift to me, into my heart and into my life, believing the gospel and receiving by faith this gift that he offers in Jesus Christ.  As many as received him (John:1:12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
See All...) to them he gives the authority to become the sons of God.  John:3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
See All..., “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish; but have everlasting life.”  So, I would just say to those out there, have you believed this?  Are you still working to try to merit God’s pardon? Or have you humbled yourself to the point of being willing to say, I can’t earn this, I don’t deserve it, I deserve eternal hell, thank you Jesus for dying in my place and paying the penalty I couldn’t pay, thank you, I receive you as my savior, I receive this gift through you.  There is no other way!