The Scandalous Secret: Why Everyone is Already Saved and in Christ.

by Don Keathley

The religion we're trying to break free from is a man-made system of living, often built upon cherry-picking mistranslated scriptures. These scriptures have been used to dictate behavior, promoting the belief that grace and love from the Father are rewards for obedience. We thought that if we obeyed, grace would be given. Living by this religious standard, we learned to interpret scripture through a transactional, legalistic lens. 

As we did our best to meet these self-imposed standards, we hoped to receive the promises we desired, whether heaven, health, or prosperity. However, we were constantly uncertain, never knowing if we had done enough to earn God's favor and grace. This uncertainty led us to view God as unstable or unpredictable. If we didn't receive what we hoped for, we assumed our faith or belief wasn't strong enough.

We blended Old Testament scriptures on obedience and sacrifice with New Testament grace and love verses, causing mass confusion. Attempting to merge these contrasting ideologies led to frustration, fear, insecurity, and uncertainty, ultimately driving people away from the church. We hoped to reconcile Old Testament practices with the unmerited favor we called grace or faith, but this endeavor proved futile.

The truth is, when it comes to salvation, Jesus is the initiator. He doesn't sit back, waiting for us to earn His favor through our actions. Instead, He freely offers His love and grace, inviting us to respond to what He has already done.

How did we fall into the trap of believing that salvation hinges on our efforts—our prayers, confessions, and actions—as if they were the key to redemption?

For many of us, it all started in church, lured in by a message and culture promising acceptance just as we are. Attached to that message was the assurance that our struggles would be resolved, that we'd find eternal life or escape the wrath of an angry, judgmental God. Whatever incentives your particular denomination attached to the "come as you are" message, the entry fee was simple: say the sinner's prayer. But here's the kicker: there's no mention of a sinner's prayer in the Bible. 

Once you uttered that prayer or signed on the dotted line, you were hit with the fine print. Suddenly, the grace that accepted you as you were morphed into a laundry list of expectations, standards, and commitments you had to maintain through your efforts. To keep what you received by grace, you had to meet these conditions, and if you failed to meet all these conditions, you were threatened with eternal conscious torment in hell.

Paul saw this in his churches, with the Galatian church being a prime example.

This issue was a recurring concern for Paul. Every church he established on the foundation of the pure Gospel tended to regress into legalism. 

Religion Busters was born out of my personal journey and the countless stories I've heard from people struggling under the weight of religious bondage. As a pastor, I've witnessed how fear-driven doctrines can create a fortress in our minds, preventing us from fully experiencing God's love, grace, and mercy. We have difficulty accepting something for nothing; we always feel the need to earn it. Without constant reminders of grace, we tend to revert to actions or works to maintain what we receive freely. 

In Galatians 3, Paul confronts this issue head-on, chastising the Galatians with the question, "O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?" He reminds them that he had given them the message of the finished work of the cross—the message of grace plus nothing or Jesus plus nothing. This was not a mere theological debate for Paul; it was a heartfelt plea to a community he deeply cared for.

In verse 2, Paul asks, "Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" In other words, did they receive the Spirit by what they did, by keeping the law, or did they receive it by hearing and believing what God promised, trusting that He had the strength and power to fulfill His promise? Of course, they responded that they received it by the hearing of faith.

So, in verse 3, Paul continues his warning, asking, "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?"

In Chapter 5, verse 3, Paul directly challenges this works-based mentality, questioning, "Why are you trying to perfect yourselves by works when you received grace?"

In verses 1-2 of the same chapter, Paul urges us to stand firm in the liberty by which Christ has made us free and to refuse to become entangled once more with the yoke of bondage. He warns against slipping back into a mindset of condemnation or unworthiness based on our actions.

This tendency to rely on our own efforts instead of embracing the grace we've been freely given is all too common, even among those who claim to understand grace.

So, what is the good news? What is the Gospel? What is salvation? 

Salvation is the inclusion of your life in the life of Jesus, apart from your efforts. It's an awareness of your relationship with Him, an acceptance by Him of you, without your vote. Whether you believe it or not doesn't make it any less true; it's a fully done deal. That's the good news! That's the Gospel of Grace. 

Don are you suggesting that everyone is already saved and in Christ? Yes, that is precisely what I am saying.

The Father isn't waiting for your choice to save you. The Father, through the Son, has acted decisively, universally, and for all mankind! Salvation was freely given—a gift of love from God to you.

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Don Keathley is the author of eight books and the President of Don Keathley Ministries and Global Grace Seminary. He is married to Linda, and they have two grown and married daughters, Janell and Shawn, and four grandchildren.

Don received degrees from Olivet Nazarene University and a Ph.D. from Barnham Graduate School and Seminary. As president of Global Grace Seminary, he brings over 40 years of pastoral experience and a heart for developing leaders who are on the cutting edge of the message of grace and the finished work of the cross.