Unlimited LifeSample

The Most Important Formula in the World

Obedience and godly living are always the fruit of salvation, but never the reason.

I remember, as a teenager, trying to understand salvation in terms of this formula: Salvation = X + Y, where X = My Goodness and Y = Jesus’ Goodness. Now I look back and realize how totally silly I was! It’s the most common mathematical error in the world! (Romans 3:22; 11:6; Ephesians 2:8–9).

The truth about the gospel was one of the hardest lessons I have ever had to learn. And I am still learning it every day, that Salvation = Y + 0 (where Y = Jesus’ Goodness and 0 is the value of anything I have ever done). My performance, deeds, character, past, or present, doesn’t even make it into the formula — ever!

The truth is, I was never much good at math. I really should trust God on this most important equation of all.

Everything in our lives seems to things conspire together to tell us that Salvation = X + Y. Surely there is something you must do? However, we must come to understand the depths of my sinfulness so that we may come to a total dependence on Christ.

Obedience and godly living are always the fruit of salvation, but never the reason. They’re just not part of the formula for how we are saved!

Have you ever had any wrong ideas about salvation? What was it that helped you see the truth? Share that with someone today.

By Dr. Eliezer Gonzalez