God Is Not For Sale

God Is Not For Sale

Author - Alfie Pfeifer

Editor - Doug Salaser

God is in heaven. Assuming we would all prefer to go there when we die, how exactly do we get there? Can we buy our way in?

Most people will say if your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds you will go to heaven when you die. If that’s true, how would we "buy off God" so we can be sure that He will look the other way when our time comes?

Lets look at what God says in His book, the Bible. It clearly states that there is something very serious that separates man from God—it’s called sin. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). In order to be with God we must meet His perfect level of holiness yet the Bible says we’ve all come up short. Because of sin each one of us has a debt that needs to be paid for.

And that causes many to wonder how much will it take to "buy off God" so their sin debt is completely paid and they can be assured of safe passage to heaven? The bigger question is, "Can we pay for that sin debt ourselves?"

Many, perhaps most, people plan to offer their good works to God in an to attempt to pay this debt. In reality they are trying to "buy off God." Will keeping the Ten Commandments pay the price for my sin? As you examine the Ten Commandments can you say you have NEVER broken ANY of them? The Bible says "whoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10).

There are two things we must consider—God’s grace and our works. In the Bible we read, "For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves—it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8, 9). In other words, God’s grace offers the only perfect and complete payment for our sin indebtedness!

God’s grace is the instrument through which He offers salvation. This "undeserved favor" not only completely secures a person’s eternal salvation it also keeps it safe throughout the entirety of the recipient’s life on earth. He has assurance of salvation from God’s Book: "This is the record, that God has given to us everlasting life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:11, 12).

The answer to the question, "How do I get to heaven?’ is clearly revealed in John 14:6: "Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me." "There is salvation in no other One; for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

God provided this full payment by His grace through His only begotten Son—Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the price for all our sin once for all. Christ’s sacrifice was perfect and no one can duplicate or add anything to it. No amount of almsgiving or prayers can change the eternal state of the person that has died. Psalm 49:7 "A man cannot at all redeem a brother, nor give to God a ransom for him" (Psalm 49:7). We all must make arrangements for eternity—for ourselves—in this life! The eternal state of someone cannot be changed: "It is appointed unto man once to die—after that the judgement" (Hebrews 9:27).

When man tries to reach God through his own merit, strength or deeds he is trying to "buy God." Money can’t buy God. Only one payment was enough and it has already been accepted. As the Apostle Peter said about true believers… "Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:18-19).
　
God’s grace is complete, but works never end and they keep a person under bondage. If you could pay for your own sin when would you know you have done enough? The work of the priests of the Old Testament was never complete. "And indeed every priest stands daily ministering and offering often the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins" (Hebrews 10:11). Contrast this with the perfect sacrifice of Jesus "who does not need, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice daily, first for his own sins and then for the people’s sins. For He did this once for all, when He offered up Himself"(Hebrews 7:27).

Because of this there is no more need for sacrifice for sin. "Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin" (Hebrews 10:18). Jesus’ perfect sacrifice was complete, and his resurrection three days later proved it! Any other payment would be a mockery in comparison to the death of God’s own Son!

Grace enables salvation to be a gift. One definition of the word "GIFT" is: "something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient or without its being earned." There is no way we can pay, earn or merit salvation on our own and be with God when we die. Think about this: Suppose you have been convicted and have been given the death penalty by a judge. A stranger comes in and tells the judge that he will take your place and pay the penalty for your crime. Would you accept this free gift?

God has provided the provision of Jesus Christ paying completely the sin debt we owe. Would you accept His offer to save you? Just take God at His word and claim His salvation by faith. Believe it personally, and you will be saved . . . "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved . . ." (Act 16:31) To believe is to trust Him completely to do all that is needed to remove my penalty of sin and give spiritual life to me. The Bible uses "believe" to mean absolute trust in the complete and finished work of Christ. Remember, God does the saving. All of it!

Have you received the greatest gift?