Just imagine a tall tree with fruits on it. You desire it but your hand cannot reach the fruit so you decide to get a ladder to climb the tree. While doing that, a snake appeared, you ran down and started climbing again. All of a sudden, a man appeared and offered you the fruit you intend to pluck, won't you accept it instead of going through the rigours of climbing?
I am pretty sure you won't bother climbing the tree again because what you wanted to get by your effort, someone gave it to you freely. All you did was to accept what he offered. Salvation is the fruit you desire to get by human effort but Christ is the one who gave the fruit( salvation) to you.
I am a student of religion. In my own little way, I have studied a little about several religions in the world and I noticed one common trend in all. They are seeking salvation by good works and effort. The pursuit of good works is so much that it weighs on them even financially because they don't know the exact good work that'll earn them salvation. So bad!
In fact, in some religion, their believe is that If good works like acts of kindness, altruism, philanthropy,etc outweighs sins on the day of judgement, the door of heaven shall open for the performer of good works. No one does good works than a man who has been told his salvation and forgiveness depends on it.
What does the bible say about the salvation Christ offer? Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; IT IS A GIFT FROM GOD. [9] SALVATION IS NOT A REWARD FOR THE GOOD THINGS WE HAVE DONE, so none of us can boast about it"( NLT).
The salvation&forgiveness Christ offers is a gift you receive by believing in him. It is not something you work for. I know the natural man want to work and use effort to earn such an important thing as salvation so that he can boast but Christ has done all that for us. If Christ has laboured so hard to get me saved, why go through the rigours of works to earn what he has done?
He has done the work for us on the cross even to the point of shedding his blood. No other work for salvation can be greater than that. All he expects from us is to believe in the work he did on the cross and we'll be saved. That's all.
It doesn't have to be complex to be authentic. What Christ has done is enough for you and me.
