Grace Gospel 101 (Part 4): Salvation by Faith
Man's Efforts
In the previous post we learned that all men have sinned against a holy God. This post taught us that sin results in a terrible penalty--eternal suffering in hell. We also learned about the good news; Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins. Though Christ died for the sins of all men, the Bible teaches that many men will not have their sins forgiven. Multitudes will suffer in hell for all of eternity. Who will be saved from hell? How can you be saved from hell?
All men are, in some way, aware of their sin problem and need of salvation. They may feel guilty, depressed, lonely, full of hatred, hopeless, empty inside, etc. Thus, men are looking for salvation from their problems and negative emotions. Some people have enough understanding to know that the problem is that sin separates them from God. They know that they need to be forgiven. The following are some ways that men try to solve their problems or obtain salvation: