Is it Free?

Here’s a million dollar question…Is it Free?

I hear salvation and Christian issues spoken about in this kind of language. The inquiry is sometimes about the personal cost of “it.” What is the action requirement on the person’s behalf to be considered a Christian and to be heaven bound? How much is enough? When can I squeak by being just good enough? How counter the world’s culture is Jesus’ expecting of his followers to behave? Unfortunately, to blur matters, the “it” is often left in ambiguity and blurriness. It depends upon how we define the “it” the determines drastically different answers to the question, “Is it (heaven, Jesus, salvation, Christianity) free?”

In evangelistic contexts, the “it” (much to my dismay) can rarely leave the domain of providing psychological safety of a free ticket to heaven. In such a scenario monumental issues get washed away and it can quickly narrow the scope of interest to the question, “Is heaven free?”, or “What must I do to enter heaven when I die?”, or “How do I accept the free gift of salvation/heaven today?”

In this post I’d like to talk about how we can be more precise and God honoring with the “it” referencing. Ultimately, Jesus’ concerns should be our concerns. If our concerns don’t match up with Jesus’ concerns then it is our concerns that new to be reshaped and transformed by more biblical categories of thinking.

So, is “it” free? Well, yes and no. If a person is talking about salvation, then yes. If a person is talking about following in Jesus’ footsteps, then no. In the gospels Jesus is repeatedly asking people to follow him. Therefore, for Jesus, “it” has more to do with our followership of him than about our 20th and 21st century evangelical evangelistic obsession asking if heaven is truly a free gift.

Salvation is by grace alone, by faith alone, by Christ alone. R.C. Sproul is famous for saying this again and again. Protestant history echoes this chorus. Therefore, yes, a thousand times yes, salvation is free. Ephesians 2:8-9 is often cited as evidence for this position.

Salvation is free, but following Jesus is costly. In fact, following Jesus costs us our lives. We are to identify with Jesus in his death, burial, and resurrection into new life by baptism. We are to lead a new life and live as a new creation being identified as “in Christ.” Denial of self and so much more are wrapped into this teaching of Jesus found in Mark 8:34-37 among other places.

Ultimately, Jesus asks us to follow him, to believe, and place our trust in him. Humans need both saving and someone to direct their lives. Some people count on themselves for both. Some people want the “Savior” part for fire insurance just in case hell is real, but won’t submit to Jesus as “Lord.” Jesus in my reading of Scripture only offers a package deal. He offers salvation as free, but make no mistake about it, Christianity will cost you your life.