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Question: If you say that man must hear the gospel would you not be putting a condition or a work to salvation? Philip
Hello Philip, Thank you for your question. Let us consider what the Bible itself says about this issue. In Ephesians the Apostle Paul wrote, "For by grace you have been 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 NKJV) We learn clearly from this passage, that salvation is a gift that comes from the Lord and is not of works. Out of my love as a father, if I give my son a gift has he done anything to earn it? No. The gift is given because of my love not because of something that my son has done. This is exactly what God has done for us. Consider John 3:16 which tells us, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (NKJV) While God does freely offer the gift of salvation, we must remember that salvation comes only through saving faith in Christ Jesus. Think of the words of Peter, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12 NKJV) Putting this all together we know that salvation comes from God, is not of works, and comes only through saving faith in Christ. The conclusion then, is that one must hear about the gift offered in order to receive it. Let us return to the previous illustration about the gift to my son for just a minute. If I told him about the gift I was giving him, does that now mean that he had done something to earn it? Definitely not. Telling my son about the gift is part of the provision of the gift. In much the same way, as part of God's gift of salvation, He has provided messengers to tell others about His gift to mankind. This is part of His grace and love, and has nothing to do with works on our part. This is much of what the Apostle Paul himself was teaching in Romans 10. The gospel of Jesus Christ goes forth by men and women proclaiming the message of redemption found in the Word of God. We hope this helps you in your faith. |
