Essential Doctrine pt7; Salvation is a gift of God.

Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone.

There is one mediator between God and man, and that is Christ Jesus. (1 Tim 2:5). Jesus Christ was the only one in all of history to make atonement and reconciliation between God and man. He did this, by suffering and dying upon a cross, in such a way that no one on earth could understand. There is nothing that can match the value of Christ's offering.

Someone who believes that they must be a good person or perform some right, or observe rituals in order to receive or maintain their salvation in Jesus Christ effectively renders the gift of God as not free, as they attempting to buy it by some form of work.

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” (Rom 4:3-8)

For by works of the law (observing the 10 commandments, or 'being good') no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (because we've all broken the law, and no one has perfectly kept the law, therefore, Rom 3:10,12).

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Rom 3:20-26)

Now I know that this may cause some to think that one may go on sinning as they please since salvation is given for free, and especially when I say that being a good person does not maintain salvation. This is a misunderstanding. My 7th point of essential Christian doctrine is this; True faith must always be preceded and followed by repentance.

Repentance defined, means to apologize and turn from doing evil works. Evil as it is in the eyes of God. Such lying, stealing, idolatry, blasphemy, and the other 10 Commandments. So if one is repentant, they won't want to continue sinning. Especially against the very One who died to save them from their sins.

So is repentance a work for salvation? No, but rather it the right response to the One who offers the free gift. Faith and repentance are two sides of the same coin. One without the other results in a false conversion.