Rev. John Snyder

The greatest gift in the world — salvation — is completely free. God offers this most precious gift to everyone, and it remains available to each of us today.

Romans 6:23 reminds us: ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ Salvation is a free gift from God, made possible because Jesus paid the price for humanity’s sins over 2,000 years ago by dying on the cross. Through His ultimate sacrifice, Jesus became the Savior of the world.

Jesus was fully God and fully man during His time on earth. He lived a sinless life and became the ultimate sacrifice so that everyone could be saved from eternal wrath, have their sins forgiven, become children of God and receive the gift of eternal life.

This incredible gift from God to humanity is immeasurable and incomprehensible. Through His grace, love and mercy, God made a way for us to have a personal relationship with Him. He provided the greatest gift on earth for each of us to receive — His salvation and eternal life.

A gift must be received in order to be possessed.

It is not enough to simply believe that Jesus died for our sins; we must also fully receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior in our hearts by faith. Only by receiving Jesus can we experience the promise and gift of eternal life.

Jesus paid the debt He did not owe on our behalf. We could never pay the debt we owe for our sins to be washed clean. But by the amazing grace of God, He sent His only Son, Jesus, to earth in the form of man to pay the debt we each owe and could never pay.

Many people believe they don’t fully deserve God’s great love, that they are unworthy of His salvation, that they don’t deserve His forgiveness, or that their sins are too great to overcome — even by God’s grace. These beliefs can hinder them from fully receiving and accepting God. Ultimately, it comes down to trusting and believing by faith in our hearts — in God’s precious love for us, in what He says is true, and in His eternal promises.

In John 3:16-17, Jesus reminds us: ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.’

He also tells us in John 1:12-13: ‘But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.’

Also, in 1 John 5:11-12: ‘And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.’

We are further beautifully reminded of God’s great love for us in Ephesians 2:8-10: ‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’

You can know the fullness of God’s love and receive the greatest gift today! When you are ready, reach out to a local Bible-believing church, a trusted friend, or a prayer partner who can walk alongside you on this journey of faith. I also encourage you to read the short tract: the Four Spiritual Laws by Campus Crusade for Christ — it will help guide you in your journey. Remember, God unconditionally loves you, and His precious gift is yours to fully and freely receive!

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Finding Faith is written by area pastors. This week’s column comes from Rev. John Snyder, pastor of House of the Lord Fellowship, Lock Haven.