Salvation: God’s Work Alone, Not Ours
I often hear people say things like, “You must repent,” or “You must choose,” or “You must have faith” for the cross of Christ to apply to you. These statements sound spiritual, but they carry a dangerous assumption — that our actions somehow make Christ’s work effective.
Scripture says otherwise. The truth is this: we are saved by Christ’s work alone. All will eventually be saved because of Christ, and nothing can be added to this work. As Paul said in Acts 17:25, “Nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” God doesn’t need our help to make the cross effective — and we can do nothing to make it ineffective.
Special Salvation Now, Salvation for everyone else Later
God, in His timing, gives faith to some now so they can believe and rejoice in Christ’s completed work before the rest of the world does. These believers enjoy what Paul calls in 1 Timothy 4:10 a “special salvation” — they are “believers” who already know the Savior who is “the Savior of all mankind.”
This means:
- Believers enjoy living in the truth now and will enjoy aionion life (life in the coming glorious ages) before others.
- They will share in Christ’s reign and work alongside Him to reconcile the universe to God through the cross (Colossians 1:20).
The rest — unbelievers — will come to this same realization later, through judgment. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:22-23, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order.”
Where Do Faith, Repentance, and Choice Come From?
The religious world gets this wrong. They think these things come from inside us, as if we muster them up and hand them to God like a gift. But scripture shows the opposite.
- Faith is a gift: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
- Repentance is granted by God: “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:25).
- Our will is shaped by Him: “It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).
We can give nothing to God that He hasn’t first given to us. Everything — even the very breath in our lungs — comes from Him (Acts 17:25).
Why This Matters
When Christians turn faith, repentance, or choice into something they generate themselves, it becomes a subtle form of self-righteousness. They imagine, “I’m saved because I made the right choice, and those who didn’t choose are lost.” But this thinking ignores the truth that we are simply living out the plan God wrote for us before we were even born (Psalm 139:16, Romans 9:16).
It’s not about who was smart enough, humble enough, or spiritual enough to believe — it’s about God’s sovereign choice. “So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy” (Romans 9:16).
The Big Picture
God will save every creature He has ever made — not because they “did their part,” but because Christ’s blood was shed for them. His timing is perfect:
- Some are called to believe now.
- Others will believe later, after correction and judgment.
But the end is certain: “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).
So, the next time someone says you must “repent,” “choose,” or “have faith” to make Christ’s work effective, remember — those things themselves are gifts from God. We don’t complete His work; we simply awaken to it when He decides. Christ’s cross was enough. It is finished. And in the end, God will be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28).
Can We Give Anything to God?
The question strikes at the heart of human pride and religious thinking:
Can we give anything to God?
Yes!
But then comes the real test:
Can we give anything to God that He has not first given to us?
Absolutely not.
This second question is often misunderstood or ignored, yet it reveals something profound—it exposes the myth of “free will” as taught by much of religion.
The Illusion of Free Will
Most Christians would eagerly answer “yes” to the first question, convinced that they can offer God their faith, their choice, or their good deeds. They believe salvation depends on giving God something—whether that’s a decision to follow Him, a prayer of faith, or a lifetime of moral effort.
But here’s the crucial truth:
Everything we think we give to God was already given to us by Him in the first place.
Do you breathe? That breath is from Him. Do you have life? That life is sustained by Him. Do you have faith? Scripture says faith itself is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9).
If God is the one who gives us the ability to choose Him, to believe in Him, and to do good works, then these things are not “free” or self-originating. They are God’s gifts returned back to Him. It is His will being carried out in us, not our own independent “free will.”
Salvation Is God’s Work Alone
The Christian religion often teaches that you must “give your life to Christ,” “make a decision,” or “choose God,” as though salvation depends on your contribution. But the Bible teaches something far greater: Christ accomplished salvation for all humanity entirely through His death, burial, and resurrection.
Consider 1 Corinthians 15:22:
“For as in Adam all are dying, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order…”
Salvation is a divine gift, not a trade. Paul reinforces this in 1 Timothy 4:10:
“…the living God, who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of those who believe.”
Believers have a special salvation now because God has given them faith to see Christ’s work ahead of time. But ultimately, all will be reconciled because salvation is not dependent on man’s choice but on Christ’s finished work.
Paul’s Rhetorical Bombshell in Romans 11
Paul asks some rhetorical questions in Romans 11:33-36 that demolish the idea of free will:
“O, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past tracing out!
For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been His counselor?
Or who has given to Him first, and it will be repaid to him?
For out of Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”
Who has given God anything first? Nobody.
Why? Because everything comes from Him—life, breath, faith, even the desire to seek Him (Acts 17:25-26). We can only return what was already His.
The Religious Misunderstanding
Many Christians claim, “God requires us to make a choice. If you give Him your faith, He’ll give you eternal life. If not, you face eternal hell.”
But this is the opposite of what Scripture teaches. Paul says:
“…He is not served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:25).
If God gives us everything, including faith and choice, how can we boast as if we’re giving Him something of our own?
God Does It All
This does not mean we sit idle. Yes, we make choices. Yes, we live by faith. But both the faith and the ability to choose come from God. We are vessels carrying out His purpose.
Romans 11:35 asks again:
“Who gives to Him first, and it will be repaid to him?”
The answer remains: Nobody. God does it all.
The Bottom Line
- We do give things to God—faith, obedience, worship.
- But every single one of those things originates from Him.
- Salvation is 100% God’s work, and we are simply participants in His plan.
The idea that we can contribute something independent of God is not humility—it’s pride disguised as piety. True humility recognizes that “out of Him and through Him and for Him are all things” (Romans 11:36).
ebooks and paperback books:
Evil in the hands of a loving God https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR68ZSB3
Unlearning Christianity: Exposing Christian Myth https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQX7NX7D
In Perfect Control: God’s Sovereignty Over all Creatures and Every Detail https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FFQ8P9FW
Eternal Shores: A Love story of Grace and Truth https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPT3HJMQ
Death Dies: How God Ends the Grave for Everyone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPGH2YRY
No Free Will, No Hell https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FP32Z8XD
The Potter’s Fire: The End of Empty Religion https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNY9T3SJ
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