SALVATION CAN NOT BE EARNED - IT IS A GIFT FROM GOD!

THE PROBLEM WITH RELIGIONS - THEY TRY TO EARN SALVATION

*  Romans 10:2-3 (KJV) - "...they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."
*  Romans 10:2-3 (NLT) - "I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with Himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God...."

SALVATION IS NOT BY RELIGIOUS WORKS - IT IS A GIFT TO BELIEVERS

*  Romans 5:15-18; 6:23 (KJV) - "...not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life....For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."




*  Romans 5:15-18; 6:23 (NLT) - "...there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone....For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."


*  Galatians 2:16 (KJV) - "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
*  Galatians 2:16 (NLT) - "Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law.


*  Ephesians 2:9-10 (KJV) - "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."
*  Ephesians 2:9-10 (NLT) - "God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."