The Simplicity of Salvation

The way of Jesus isn't complex.

I remember it like it was yesterday.

I was sitting across the lunch table from our university FCA Director when he said, “None of that saves you!”

I was simultaneously confused and set free.

I spent the majority of my life in two unique contexts.

1. The Catholic Church

2. The Sports World

These days I appreciate much of what the Catholic Church has to offer—though I still have some theological differences that would prevent me from returning.

Growing up, I didn’t appreciate the formational element of communion, confession, confirmation, and congregational prayer.

Most of what I heard and experienced could be summarized by, “Do more and do better.” This probably wasn’t the fault of any one person, it was simply the outplaying of a kid half paying attention to a service that required a lot of work and attention.¹

The sports world wasn’t too much different, in some ways. Although I was far more interested in sports than the church growing up. I was on several teams, played for several coaches, and played various sports and all of that could be summarized by one statement, “Do more and do better.”

It’s the people who do more and do better that get to play in the sports world—and it’s the people who do more and do better who get saved in the Catholic Church.²

But Jesus is different and I learned that at the lunch table.

After I rattled off a list of what I had done to “do more and better” in recent months, the FCA director said, “That’s not what saves you!” and went directly to Romans 6:23.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
—Romans 6:23 ESV

What we earn by our sin = death
What we receive as a gift = salvation in Christ

I was trying to earn salvation in Christ by stacking up a lot of “more and better.”

Yet when it comes to the instruction of the Bible, we’re met with a declaration of simplicity by John the Baptist.

“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
—John 1:29 ESV

Because when we really behold the Lamb of God—I mean when we really set our eyes on Him—we can’t help but to give up our life for His. When we lock eyes with the grace of the One who died in our place, we can’t help but forsake everything to follow Him.

So what’s so simple about the Gospel?

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
—Mark 1:14-15 ESV

What’s the Gospel? That Jesus is the Lamb of God who has come to take away the sin of the world. He did that by becoming our sin and dying on the cross. Three days later he rose again to defeat sin and death. Now anyone who repents of their sin and believes in Him as their salvation from sin and death can be saved.

There’s no, “do more and do better.”
It’s only, “He did and it’s done.”

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Stop looking to yourself to stack up your good deeds.
Stop trying to be your own functional savior.

Look to Jesus.
Look away from your sin.
Look away from yourself as savior.
Look away from the world for salvation.

Look to Jesus.
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away your sin.
And receive His gift of eternal life.
He’s coming your way.

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Next week we’ll look at the Simplicity of Spiritual Growth.

See you then.

—Brandon

1. However, I do think some of the language of salvation by works is embedded in the culture and has been there since the days of Luther.

2. Like I said, I’ve learned this isn’t exactly the case but it’s the way I’ve internalized it. Interestingly enough, I don’t think what I’ve said is necessarily true in the sports world either.

Photo by Alex Shute on Unsplash