Free And Costly At The Same Time
How can something be free and costly at the same time? I’m glad you asked. Salvation through Jesus Christ is both costly and free. Salvation is the free gift from God. 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). For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23). Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:5-6).
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one (Adam) many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many (Romans 5:15). But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble (Psalm 37:39). Salvation belongs unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people (Psalm 3:8).
Repent And Be Baptized
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38). For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Salvation is of the Lord and it is a free gift from God.
Yes, salvation is of the Lord and it is the free gift from the Lord. Even though the gift is free, it is the costliest gift ever given. Not only is it the costliest gift ever given, there will never be a higher priced gift. Ever! Salvation is found in Christ Jesus alone and you cannot buy it. You cannot earn salvation. It is a free gift from God.
But oh, it is the costliest gift ever given. God sent His only begotten Son to this earth 2,000 years ago. Yes, Jesus, the great Creator (all things were created by Him Colossians 1:16) came to this very earth that He created and He was born of the virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit. Jesus lived a perfect sinless life. He never sinned, not one time. Yet, He willingly went to the cross.
Smitten Of God And Afflicted
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth (Isaiah 53:1-7).
The Lord Drank The Cup Of God’s Wrath
Jesus was beaten unmercifully, was nailed to the cross and suffered there for six, long torturous hours. Not only did Jesus suffer unbelievable physical pain, but even worse than that, He drank the cup of God’s wrath over sin. Again, sin that He did not commit. Jesus took the place of guilty sinners who repent and trust Him.
Jesus died on the cross, was buried and rose again the third day. Jesus defeated sin, death, Hell and Satan. Salvation is for all who repent and surrender their lives to the Lord Jesus. There is salvation in no other. Jesus is the only Savior of mankind. The Lord Himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6). For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Yes, salvation is the free gift from God, so it is offered freely to those who repent and trust Jesus. At the same time, this “free gift” was extremely costly. Jesus paid it all. He gave His life as a ransom for many. Jesus was obedient unto death, even the death on the cross. Oh, the cost to make salvation was extremely high. The Creator sacrificed Himself for His own creation. This absolutely defies logic. How many of us would make something and then give our lives for our creation? How many of us would suffer God’s righteous anger over sins that we didn’t commit?
Salvation Is Free And Costly At The Same Time
Oh, salvation is free and costly at the same time. It is freely offered to those who receive it and at the same time it came at a great cost. On one hand, salvation is absolutely free. It doesn’t cost you anything. You can’t buy it, you can’t earn it. Salvation is simply the free gift from God. But on the other hand, salvation cost you everything. Jesus says that we are to count the cost of being His follower.
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26-33).
You Must Forsake All
The Lord says that you must forsake all to be His disciple. Again, even though salvation is free it is costly at the same time. It costs you nothing, yet it costs you everything. You must be willing to forsake all. He is looking for a complete and utter surrender. You can’t hold on to any of your rebellion against God. Jesus also points out that you can’t buy salvation and He also states that you are to deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Him.
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels (Mark 8:34-38).
Free But Costly Gift Of Salvation
Oh folks, salvation is a free gift from God, but it cost God dearly. It cost His only begotten Son. So is it out of line for Jesus to want you to surrender your life to Him fully and completely? Absolutely not. Jesus is Lord of all and He has the right to set the terms. Salvation is free and costly at the same time. It’s freely offered, but very costly to God and it costs you too. Jesus says you must forsake all. Oh, but there’s nothing on this earth that’s worth spending eternity in Hell over it.
Be saved. Be saved today. Repent and believe the Gospel. Surrender your life to Jesus and receive everlasting life. I’ve been a Christian for 13 years and I’ve never regretted it for a second. I have peace with God and that only comes by being a follower of the Prince of Peace – Jesus Christ the Lord. Your guilty conscience can be cleansed. God will cast your sins as far as the East is from the West. Receive salvation found in Christ alone that is both free and costly at the same time.
(This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on October 30, 2020)