Precious SeedPreaching the word, in season and out of season; reproving, rebuking, and exhorting, with complete patience and teaching.

Weekends with Pastor Chuck

Each weekend the CCRussell blog brings you an excerpt from one of Pastor Chuck Smith’s many books. Pastor Chuck is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. This weekend’s excerpt is from chapter one of Why Grace Changes Everything.

When God laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all, Christ received the judgment due us for our sins. He received our deserved punishment, which the Bible declares is death (see Romans 6:23). God has declared that if we will believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will be forgiven of every wrong thing we have ever done. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin,” says I John 1:7. This cleansing is something the law could never do; it is a provision of grace.

We can strive to make it to heaven on our own efforts or we can place our faith in Jesus.

The fact is, faith is our only hope. Our good deeds or efforts or works can never earn us forgiveness from God. Paul declared in strong words, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5). To him who is not working, but simply believing, God imputes righteousness. God gives us this forgiveness because of our faith in the finished work that Jesus Christ has done for us.

From “Why Grace Changes Everything” by Pastor Chuck Smith.