Salvation: Unearned? Yes! Free? Not So Sure

I remember being told over and again that our salvation is free— Free grace. As a kid, this seemed fine and good. Who doesn’t like free? And in a sense the word “free” is correct… but I believe there are problems with the term that should not be ignored.

Simply in terms of common definition, there are problems. Two common meanings are (1) No cost, and (2) Under control of no one and nothing. Both of these definitions make a sense on some level, but both are false on some level as well. For the first definition it could be said that there was no cost for each of us… but I would argue that this is not completely true. More on that later. As to the second definition, we can say that we are not under the bondage of sin or the Law… but that does not mean that we are lawless or have no responsibilities to another. A careless mixing of these two definitions can lead to a certain “cheap grace” and “antinomianism.” In the real world, when we hear the word “free” bandied about, especially in terms of the first definition, a lot of bad connotations can arise. One is, that which is free is worthless. Psychologically, we also tend not to value things that are given free. Finally, when I hear that something is free… I tend to look for “what is the catch.” Is it bait-and-switch. Is it really, “purchase something and get something “free” at no additional cost? Is it free now… costly later? Most importantly, I do question the main premise… that salvation costs us nothing. I would argue that it is extremely costly to turn from making our own choices to placing ourselves under God’s will and plan. That which is seemingly free involves giving up our freedom. Now if someone counters that we are giving up bondage to one thing (sin particularly) so that becoming a bondservant of God is (by comparison certainly) freedom, I would still say that reorienting our lives to be under the law of grace is still costly. I think that, at least for some people, free salvation from our end means free salvation from the side of God. Evangelicals do like to say things like “Salvation was free for us, but cost God everything.” It is a nice saying, but is pretty abstract. What does “cost God everything” really mean? I don’t think people say it really reflect on what extent that is true or not true. In practice, I think too many see salvation as transactional. If it is freely received, it must ultimately be easily given (like the golden ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).I think it pushes a poor evangelistic method. A number of them go in the direction (I will use the Hand Illustration for guidance): “So because of what God did, what are we to do? Just one thing… one small little thing. Just pray, ask forgiveness and ask Jesus to come into you heart. Can you do this ONE LITTLE THING TODAY?” Is that a little thing? I don’t think so. I think it is a big and serious thing… a momentous and life-changing thing. The respondent should never view it as anything less than this. If that leaves someone not ready to respond positively… that is probably a good thing for everyone.

I prefer to say that salvation is unearned. We cannot work our way to being saved. We cannot impress God by our efforts and piety. I feel this leads us better toward an understanding of our commitment as a child of God, as well as having gratitude to God. Having studied so many different religions, the idea of salvation as being unearned is fairly unique. Most tend toward the old Egyptian understanding of a balance. Our bad works are put on a balance, or perhaps the purity of our hearts, and if whatever it balances against, leans the correct way, we are saved… but if not, bad things follow. This is not how it works. Through our own labors, the balance would always work against us.

Christ sacrificing and humiliating Himself as an act of love on our behalf helps us understand how far God is willing to go to seek us out and draw us to Himself. He has done the “heavy lifting” because we cannot. We cannot earn it, we do not deserve it, but we can accept it unearned placing ourselves under Christ’s realm and authority. In a sense it is free… but it is really better than free.

It is costly and unearned.