The Cost of Salvation
By Apostle Donald Mclndoo | Published by the Board of Publications | 2nd Printing May 2002 | Download PDF
In the beautiful old colonial city of Merida, Yucatan, many years ago, a master builder with a grand dream began to construct a great building near the center of the city on Calle 59. Floor by floor the building grew, steel and concrete reaching toward the sky. Yet one day when the great structure was yet a veritable skeleton, finances depleted, all construction stopped.
There it stood, year after year, mute and unfinished, the habitation of pigeons and iguanas. Then one dreadful day the massive framework of rebar became fatigued. In a moment, tons of concrete tumbled into the street, crushing cars and pedestrians and sending a great avalanche of broken concrete crashing through doorways and windows on the other side of the street. People’s lives were forever changed because a builder with a dream had failed to count well the cost of his project.
Our Lord, Jesus Christ, while journeying toward Jerusalem, spoke in parable to a great multitude who had followed Him, saying, “This man began to build, and was not able to finish” (Luke 14:30). In this parable He was referring to the need of one who would be a disciple to count the cost of following the Master of men. Even so, today if one would come to Christ in order to partake of His promise of salvation one must be ready to establish his life upon the foundation of the Masters teachings. He told us, “Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock…” (Mat. 7:24). Receiving and obeying the word of Christ are the cost of our salvation.
The sinner, walking in the world, must learn that which he must do to be saved. Those who have found the way must be prepared to tell the gospel story, not in part, but completely. Many preachers today, in order to answer the question about what one must do to be saved, refer to the story of the Apostle Paul while he was imprisoned in Philippi. In that incident a miracle of God—a great earthquake occurring in the middle of the night—had opened the doors of the prison. Fearing for his life the jailer fell down before the apostles and cried, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:30-31).
These words of the apostles are both important and true, but we cannot stop reading with just these two verses for this would make an erroneous over simplification of the teachings of Christ. Certainly the Apostle Paul was well aware of the last instructions Jesus had given the disciples as He sent them out to teach the world. He had told them, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…” (Mat. 28:19-20). Yes, we must be aware of all things which Jesus has commanded.
For this reason we read, as we continue with verse 32 in the 16th chapter of Acts, that Paul and Silas went to the home of the jailer, “And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.” In their home the apostles had taught the family all the commandments of Jesus, and after they had accepted them, they were baptized in accord with the example given by the Master. It is necessary that, like the jailer of old, we each are taught all the commandments of Jesus that we keep them.
In this tract we shall outline eight fundamental teachings of Jesus which He said were essential to our salvation. Certainly the salvation of God is free, but the Scriptures do teach us that obedience to the teachings of Christ qualifies one to receive the salvation God has promised.
If we desire eternal life we must come to Jesus, for only in Him is there any promise of life beyond the grave.
“Yea, verily I say unto you, If ye will come unto me, ye shall have eternal life” (3 Ne. 4:42).
“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25).
We must believe in this Jesus Christ, that He is the very son o f God and the Savior of mankind.
“And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh” (3 Ne. 4:47).
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (Jn. 6:47).
When we come to Christ it must be with a broken heart and a contrite spirit if we wish to be received by Him.
“And behold I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Behold, ye have the commandments before you, and the law is fulfilled; therefore, come unto me and be ye saved…” (3 Ne. 5:66-67).
“For thus saith the high and lofty; One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (lsa.57:15).
The true believer must follow the example of our Savior, being baptized in the same manner as He.
And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God” (3 Ne. 5:34).
“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (Jn. 3:5).
In order to be saved in the kingdom of God, one must repent of his sins and become as a little child. Becoming as a little child signifies that one is “...willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father” (Mos. 1:120).
“And again I say unto you, Ye must repent, and be baptize d in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God” (3 Ne. 5:40).
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every on of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift o f the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).
“…Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom o f heaven” (Mat. 18:3).
Christ has given us many commandments to give direction to our lives and human relationships. These commandments keep our feet in the pathway that leads to God. Christians that are seeking eternal life in His presence must be obedient to these ethical and moral teachings of the Master.
“For verily I say unto you, that except ye shall keep my commandments, which I have commanded you at this time, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (3 Ne. 5: 68).
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (Jn. 14:21 & 23).
Baptized believers have received commandment from Jesus Christ that they must partake of the communion in memory of Him and the great sacrifice He has made for mankind.
“And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done, even as I have broken bread, and blessed it, and gave it unto you. And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shewn unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father, that ye do always remember me…. And it came to pass that when he had said these words, he commanded his disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup, and drink o f it…and that they should also give unto the multitude, that they might drink of it. And this shall ye always do unto those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me… And if ye do always remember me, ye shall have my Spirit to be with you. And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall do these things” (3 Ne. 8:33-35, 40-42).
“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (Jn. 6:53-54).
Jesus taught that His disciples must follow Him faithfully, keeping all His commandments until the final moment of life.
“Behold, I am the law, and the light; look into me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live, for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life” (3 Ne. 7:10).
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved” (Mat. 10:22).
In conclusion, the Church of Christ would like to extend an invitation to all those who are honestly searching for that narrow path, spoken of by the Son of God, which leads to life eternal. His word I never fails, nor does it change: to this day it is the way to life eternal.
If you wish to enter through the gate and wal k upon that road which leads one to the kingdom of God, give attention to the words of your Savior:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine; and whoso buildeth upon this, buildeth upon my rock; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. And whoso shall declare more or less that this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock, but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell standeth open to receive such, when the floods come, and the winds beat upon them. Therefore go forth unto this people, and declare the words which I have spoken, unto the ends of the earth” (3 Ne. 5:41-43).