This entry I felt was important to understanding salvation by our faith not by our good intentions or works.
I had a conversation with a young man who told me that he simply could not get his life together, therefore God could not possibly love or accept him. He also went on to say that because of this if he died today he was unsure where he would spend eternity.
‘For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through FAITH-and this not from yourselves, it is the GIFT from God not by works, so that no man can boast.’ –Ephesians 2:8-9
Walking around North Park last month, window shopping of course, I was approached by two high school girls who were at the mall spreading the message of Christ and salvation. As they approached me I figured that they may be selling Girl Scout cookies and happily accepted them approaching. They were offering something much better. These young girls talked of Christ and his GIFT of salvation. One took out an ink pen and said that if she gave it to me as a gift what had I done to earn it? I said nothing. She then went on to say that just as she had given me this ink pen as a gift and not a present I had earned that is how God freely gives his loving, encompassing grace and salvation.
My friend at the beginning of this writing assumed that an infinite loving God needed him to ‘live a certain way’ to be loved and saved. God needs nothing from us, He has everything. He desires for us to love Him whole heartedly and because we do, we surrender our lives over to Him and he does the rest.
For more information, and for biblical scriptures that reference salvation click on the link below. http://www.gotquestions.org/salvation-by-works.html
@earlinagreen