Believing the Truth: Salvation

Hi, I’m David Feddes, and this talk is about believing the truth about salvation.

The Christian Leaders College and Institute Statement of Faith says:

Salvation is merited only by Jesus’ perfect obedience and substitutionary atonement. Salvation is entirely God’s gift, not our achievement, and is received by faith, not works.

In short: salvation is all from Jesus and all from God. It is received through faith, not through what we can do.

Salvation Merited by Jesus

The prophet Isaiah foretold Jesus’ death: “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”

• He gets the suffering; we get the healing.

• He gets the punishment; we get the peace.

What we receive is not what we deserve, but what He deserves.

Hebrews 7:26 says: “We have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners.”

Jesus was completely sinless. As Paul wrote: “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

This is the great exchange: Jesus takes what we deserve, and we, by faith, receive what He deserves.

Salvation in No One Else

Acts 4:12 declares: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The Bible does not teach pluralism. There are not many ways to God. There is only one Savior—Jesus Christ. No other leader, religion, or method can rescue us. Only Jesus merits salvation by:

• His perfect obedience, which is credited to us.

• His substitutionary atonement, suffering in our place to take the punishment we deserved.

Propitiation: Wrath Absorbed

Romans 3:23–25 says: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith.”

• Active obedience: Jesus’ perfect fulfillment of God’s law—never sinning, fully obeying.

• Passive obedience: His suffering under God’s wrath against sin, absorbing the punishment.

Propitiation means wrath turned aside. Only the blood of Jesus can turn aside God’s wrath and satisfy His justice. Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man, offered His blood so that we might receive forgiveness.

Thus we are rescued from sin’s guilt and punishment, credited with Christ’s goodness, and made right with God.

Salvation Is a Gift

Paul explains in Romans 4: “When a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.”

• Wages are earned.

• Salvation is not a wage. It is a gift.

“To the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.”

Religion often tempts us to think we can earn God’s favor. But none of us measures up to His standard of perfect holiness. Only Jesus did. That’s why we need His mercy, not our merit.

Justice or Mercy?

There’s a story about a woman who asked a famous painter for a portrait. She was not beautiful, and when she saw the painting, she said, “Sir, that painting does not do me justice.” The painter replied, “Madam, you do not need justice—you need mercy.”

That’s us. We do not need justice. We need mercy. God’s justice fell on Jesus. God’s mercy falls on us.

Salvation by Faith

John 3:16 says: “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Paul writes: “A righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”

“We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for nothing.”

Would God send His beloved Son to die if we could earn salvation ourselves? No. Christ died because no other salvation exists.

Salvation Illustrated

Think of receiving a check. Suppose someone writes you a check for a million dollars. You might say, “I can’t accept this—I only have $37 in my account.” But the value of the check doesn’t depend on your account. It depends on the account of the one who wrote it.

So it is with salvation. If you look only at your account, it’s bankrupt. But Jesus has infinite riches. By faith you endorse the check and receive His wealth. Salvation is based on His merit, not yours.

Salvation Produces Good Works

Ephesians 2:8–10 says: “By grace you have been saved, through faith. This is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

• We are not saved by good works.

• But we are saved for good works.

Good works are the evidence, not the basis, of salvation.

Conclusion

At Christian Leaders College and Institute we confess:

• Salvation is merited only by Jesus’ perfect obedience and substitutionary atonement.

• Salvation is entirely God’s gift, not our achievement.

• Salvation is received by faith, not works.