Free?

I did a Google on ‘free offers’ and came up with 80 ‘personal’ results and 2,020,000,000 ‘other results.’ Yet, we all know that nothing is free.

I recently downloaded a ‘free’ crochet pattern booklet – all it took was my e-mail address.  (Yes, I have one just for such items.) At the very least that will cost me some time getting rid of e-mails. At worst, that e-mail address will be passed on to others. So, there is a cost.

The cost is higher if you respond to the attorney who tracked you down for the multi-million dollar account that needs to be put to good use and you’ll get over 50%. Yeah, that one’ll cost a lot!

So, when we say that our salvation is free, that it is a gift from God:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8 KJV)

.. we know there is nothing we can do to earn or deserve it:

Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (2 Timothy 1:9 KJV)

Please don’t stop there – look further and find that we are supposed to do good works:

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. (James 2:18 KJV)

By our works we display our faith that God might be glorified.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16 KJV)

So, except for our doing some good works, which we might have done without Him, and which did not earn us anything – where’s the cost for our salvation?

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1 Corinthians 2:12 KJV)

Oh, yeah, we’re back to that John 3:16 verse. The one where God gave His only begotten son. The son described in John 1:1.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1 KJV)

The same one who endured the cross:

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2 KJV)

That’s the cost. That’s the price. Paid by God.

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:20 KJV)

It’s the knowledge of all that God has done that keeps me constantly praying:

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15 KJV)