"Our sin separates us from God who is perfect holiness (righteousness and justice) and God must therefore judge sinful man," (Keathley n.d.). It is absolutely impossible for a human being to work his or her way to God. All human acts are born of sin, whereas all acts of grace are born of righteousness.
The sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross was the ultimate sign of grace, as God sent his only Son to die so that we may also die to our sin. The process by which a person becomes reborn in Christ is expressed as follows. First we come to God "as a sinner who recognizes his sinfulness," (Keathley n.d.). We become willing to leave beside our old life and die to it. Following that we rely "totally on Christ alone by faith alone for our salvation," (Keathley n.d.). Once we receive Christ, we receive the Grace of God.
The benefits of eternal life are boundless, innumerable, and ineffable. Many of those benefits cannot be received until the hereafter, when we are judged. Yet one of the most immediate benefits is felt simply by living with Christ. Living with Christ guarantees us eternal life. "There is no condemnation for those in Christ, provided they walk according to the Spirit...For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ frees one from the law of sin and death," (Copeland). Once we receive Christ in our heart, we have understood that Christ died for us. That death becomes our own, as we die to sin on a spiritual level. From that point forward, we are bound to Christ rather than to sin. Our weakness becomes transformed into tremendous spiritual strength. Eternal life equals freedom and salvation, realized partially in this life and eternally in the next.
References
Copeland, M.A. (2009). Sermons from Romans: God's Gift of Eternal Life. Retrieved June 2, 2010 from http://executableoutlines.com/ro2/ro6_22.htm
"How does a person get to heaven?" Retrieved June 2, 2010 from http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/2_heaven.htm
Keathley J.H. (n.d.). God's plan of salvation. Bible.org. Retrieved June 2, 2010 from http://bible.org/article/gods-plan-salvation
Sample Source(s) Used
References
Copeland, M.A. (2009). Sermons from Romans: God's Gift of Eternal Life. Retrieved June 2, 2010 from http://executableoutlines.com/ro2/ro6_22.htm
"How does a person get to heaven?" Retrieved June 2, 2010 from http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/2_heaven.htm
Keathley J.H. (n.d.). God's plan of salvation. Bible.org. Retrieved June 2, 2010 from http://bible.org/article/gods-plan-salvation
Related Documents
Study Document
Bible Romans
Paul's message in the second half of Chapter 5 seeks to portray to the church in Rome the nature of man's redemption and the sins that lead to the need for such a redemption. It seeks to answer the basic question of how Jesus has changed man's relationship with God, and how man's accountability regarding the nature of sin has changed. Paul describes redemption as a free gift and portrays
Study Document
Justification by Faith in Romans Paul's Epistle
Justification by Faith in Romans Paul's Epistle to the Romans is not the only treatment of the concept of justification in the New Testament -- Paul discusses the concept in other letters as well -- but it is perhaps the most extensive. That is because the concept of justification by faith is central to Paul's overall argument in the Epistle to the Romans, and is thus introduced early in the letter,
Study Document
Bible Passage Ephesians 3:14-20 Historical and Cultural
Bible Passage Ephesians 3:14-20 Historical and Cultural Background of the Book of Ephesians Ephesus was a small town located near Cayster River on the west side of the roman province in Asia. The town is what is today referred as Turkey. This was the capital of the Roman province of Asia and its population composed of mainly the Ephesians and the Jews. Majority of the people in Ephesus worshiped various gods and
Study Document
Paul's Thorn in the Flesh
Paul's Thorn In The Flesh Studying the Bible, it becomes apparent that Jesus handpicked a number of his disciples to continue to spread his message after Jesus ascended to heaven. In addition to the men who followed Jesus before his death and resurrection, the leaders of the movement known as "The Way" included the Apostle Paul. Saul of Tarsus had been one of Jesus' most vocal detractors during Jesus lifetime and
Study Document
Use of the Old Testament in Romans by Paul
Paul's Use Of The Old Testament In The Book Of Romans Paul's main intention in writing the letter to the Romans was to emphasize that it was essential for society to comprehend that Jesus was the promised Jewish Messiah. He considered that the Old Testament predicted the Messiah's coming and that he needed to relate to this document in order to provide more information concerning the importance of Jewish traditions. Much
Study Document
Paul's First Missionary Journey the Conversion of
Paul's First Missionary Journey The conversion of Paul from Saul on his way to Damascus marked the beginning of his evangelical work. Paul and Barnabas were believers in the newly established church in Antioch of Syria. They received the calling from God while in church praying alongside leaders of the church. Paul was dogmatic, without proper strategy and planning for his missionary journey. The first missionary journey of Paul Paul's first missionary journey began at Antioch