Biblical Paradox: Salvation
Why would I say salvation is a paradox? Well, God states that salvation is something He provided for us, and there is nothing we can do ourselves to earn it. Therefore, if we work toward our salvation, we cannot attain it; but if we don’t work for it, we attain it. See, doesn’t that sound like a paradox? However, there is a logical answer to this mysterious statement.
Adam’s act of disobedience—actually, rebellion (read chapter 4 of my book, Why is a Gentile World Tied to a Jewish Timeline?) forever separated mankind from God. This is a chasm that mankind cannot bridge. Our best is still counted as equivalent to a filthy rag to God (Is 64:6). Therefore, we were forever destined to be separated from God. However, God loved us so much that He decided to bridge this gap for us. The second person of the Godhead, who became Jesus Christ, became known as the Son of God, came, and died on the cross for the payment of all of mankind’s sin: past, present, and future. All of the work needed to restore us to God was done by God. This neither means our salvation is cheap nor is it automatic. Jesus Christ paid a huge price. Although he was God, he came in human flesh and sacrificed his life for us. This was a payment God required for sin. The past sacrifices had been done, and were required to be done, on a repeated basis. These sacrifices were instituted to show that mankind cannot get to God on works alone, and pointed toward the one Messiah who was to come to be the ultimate sacrifice, and pay the universal debt these animal sacrifices could not pay. Also, God is spirit and, therefore, each personality of the Godhead was spirit. By Jesus Christ coming in human form, he forever remained human so he will always identify with us—in human form when he was present on earth, and in glorified form in our eternal future. Jesus Christ paid the necessary price to restore our relationship with God; however, each individual must accept that offering. It is not granted automatically. God is not going to force this gift on us if we are not willing to accept it. Although the price was great, it’s acceptance is available to all just by the act of acceptance, with humility.
Faith is the element that is need for our salvation’s acceptance. To accept what has been done for us, we have to accept, by faith, that this is our only way for being accepted by God: not on our own merit but on the merit of Jesus Christ alone. There is no work, no act, no moral goodness that we can rely on for God’s acceptance of us. It must be on Jesus Christ alone. There is no other name on which we can be saved (Ac 4:12).
Connected to this, and tied to this paradox, is the virgin birth of Christ. Without his virgin birth, there is no way Christ’s act of salvation could be possible for us. There is no human that can pay for the sin of even one person, much less that of all mankind. Without His virgin birth, there would be no salvation. Therefore, belief in Christ’s virgin birth is essential to our salvation. Just as faith is needed to trust in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for our right standing with God, faith is also needed to believe in Christ’s virgin birth. Both are essential. The latter cannot be achieved without the former being true.
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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens