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Salvation is a major topic in Christendom and why shouldn't it be. Salvation is the starting process of every believer. It is saddening to know that a lot of people are yet to fully understand the concept of Salvation in terms of how it's gotten.
Before I'd start let me ask you.
By what means did you gain Salvation? Is it by your fleshy works of righteousness or by believing in the finished work of Jesus Christ?
Now this question creates a divide in the old and new testament.
OLD TESTAMENT: In the Old Testament, the Israelites, received pardon for their sins by sacrifice of animals, and had the live by a code of conduct which was the Ten Commandments also called "The Law".
Living by the rules of the law couldn't guarantee man total Salvation, because eventually man would sin and fall short, and by the end of year another sacrifice was made to atone for sins and to receive pardon for the whole of the new year.
God was certainly not okay with this pattern. He need the price of sin to be paid once and for all.
God came in form of flesh and He called Himself the Son and pay the price for our sins once and for all only if we simply believe.
The ease of gaining Salvation is quite worrying to some people. They feel Salvation is gained by living rightly and observing laws and dogmas and doctrines and etc. The truth is you can keep all the laws and live very righteously and still haven't been saved.
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 KJV
Salvation is not a prize we earn from living a holy life, Salvation is a free gift given to everybody from God without any condition aside believing and that is Grace. Because we didn't deserve it but He(God) did it anyway. We don't live righteously to be saved, we are saved to live righteously.
This was the flaw in the Old Testament, they had the law to live by, but still couldn't keep them and several times they faulted the law. But in this dispensation, at the entrance of Salvation we receive eternal life and the Spirit of God(The Holy Spirit) Who enables us to live rightly.
What I’m getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you’ve done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I’m separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.
Philippians 2:12-13 MSG
I love the way the message translation puts that verse of scripture.
In our walk of righteousness we live by God's energy, working in us to live the way that pleases God.
I think this will help restructure our mentality better.
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 2:8-9 KJV
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Romans 3:20-31 KJV
When messages like this are preached in church, antagonists always want to feel right using this bible passage
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Romans 6:1 KJV
That's a myopic way of reading the bible because most of them just quote that verse instead of reading further to understand clearly.
This is the continuation of that bible verse
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:2-4 KJV
DECLARATION: Lord I thank You for Your amazing Grace, thanks for saving me not by the works I do, but by Your immeasurable Love and Grace.