Too Good to Be True?

There is a saying, “If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.” Get rich quick schemes, newest weight loss breakthroughs and ‘look year’s younger’ creams often fall in this category. When you can get something of value, without putting in any personal effort, it often leads to another common saying, “Buyer Beware!” Modern advertising often makes claims that the products cannot accomplish. The disclaimer “not all will receive the same results,” is found in the small print of the packaging.

As we celebrate the resurrection on this Easter weekend, we contemplate the greatest claim ever made. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for sin. “For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 AMP) He offers the gift of this payment to any and all who will simply come to Him and receive it. “But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name.” (John 1:12 AMP) We do not do anything to earn the salvation. We simply believe and receive the gift.

This amazing claim is not always readily accepted. Many believe that we have to get our lives in order to receive this gift. Surely we have to do good works. But the apostle Paul addressed this issue. Salvation is for those of us who were powerless to do anything on our own strength and will. Jesus did not wait until we cleaned ourselves up, because he knew we could not. His great sacrifice was a display of God’s love for us. “While we were yet in weakness [powerless to help ourselves], at the fitting time Christ died for (in behalf of) the ungodly. Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to give his life even for an upright man, though perhaps for a noble and lovable and generous benefactor someone might even dare to die. But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us. Therefore, since we are now justified (acquitted, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ's blood, how much more [certain is it that] we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God.” Romans 5:6-9 (AMP)

So often we attempt to do things to earn God’s favor. We feel as though we need to do enough good deeds and avoid enough bad deeds to score high enough to attain heaven. Receiving this free gift of salvation without any payment from ourselves does not seem possible. The apostle Peter also stressed that it was not for good people that Jesus died. “For Christ [the Messiah Himself] died for sins once for all, the Righteous for the unrighteous (the Just for the unjust, the Innocent for the guilty), that He might bring us to God. In His human body He was put to death, but He was made alive in the spirit,” (1 Peter 3:18 AMP) We are all guilty of sin. Only Jesus walked the earth innocent of any wrongdoing.

So why would anyone who was innocent die for the guilty? As is stated above, this was a display and proof of God’s love toward mankind. The apostle John wrote these words that have become the most commonly quoted verse from Scripture. “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” (John 3:16 AMP) Every person ever born has been greatly loved and dearly prized by God. So Jesus Christ, the son of God, endured a painful death to pave the way of man into the presence of God. “…He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2b AMP) He was joyful even in the pain and shame!

The offer of salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus is true and waiting for everyone. Jesus is the only one who could ever be called good. He also is the truth. “Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.” (John 14:6 AMP) This offer of salvation comes from goodness and truth Himself to give us life and show us the way to the Father. Instead of ‘Buyer Beware’ we can say ‘Receiver Rejoice!’ All who believe will receive eternal life in the family of God.

So if you have never before received the gift of eternal life, call now and take Jesus up on His offer! If you are already in the family of God take a moment to remember when you received this Truly Good gift and rejoice!