IS SALVATION EASY OR DIFFICULT?

Dear brother, today I want to speak to you about this matter found in the Word of God, for only the Word of God can tell us whether salvation is easy or difficult. How do we interpret the Word of God? When you read it, you will find that salvation seems exceedingly easy, just as it is expressed in the Bible in the Book of Acts, chapter 2, verse 21: "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." And also in chapter 4, verse 12, it says: "And there is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved." However, we also find passages that show it is not quite so easy, such as the Epistle of James, chapter 2, verse 9, which warns us: "But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors." And in chapter 2, verses 17 and 18, it says: "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." I would venture to give you this advice: let us surrender our whole hearts to the Lord. Perhaps He will not hold against us those doubts we may have due to a lack of knowledge of God, as long as they do not stem from malice. For the Word of God cannot be taken verse by verse in isolation; rather, we must consider the entirety of the Word of God within its broader context. Therefore, the true assurance of our salvation is this: let us go with Jesus Christ, for He has bought us at the price of His shed blood so that we may share in His glory. Blessed be the Savior.

Jose J. Agudelo G.

August of 2006