One of the most well-read and treasured books in the New Testament is the Gospel of John. If one reads it carefully, he will see that John wrote this book with no other purpose than to tell us how man can receive life and be saved and how he can be delivered from condemnation. The Gospel of John mentions eighty-six times that man receives life, is justified, and does not come into condemnation by faith alone and nothing else. Hence, the Bible shows us clearly, adequately, and simply that salvation is not based on who man is, what he has, and what he has done. The Bible shows us that when man believes, he receives (John 1:12). He receives by believing.

We have said that salvation and redemption are accomplished by God. Even the way and plan to accomplish them are laid out by God. We have also seen that grace is accomplished by God through the Lord Jesus. We have to remember that if it is grace on God's side, then it must be faith on our side. If I stretch out my hands to give a brother a cup of tea, he cannot receive it by stretching out his feet. Whatever way others use to give things to you, you have to use the same way to receive them. The way to receive must be the same as the way to give. If others call you on the telephone, then you have to answer by picking up the telephone. If others write a letter to you, you have to receive the letter. The way something is received must be the same as the way it was sent.

According to the Bible, God has given us grace through Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:4). For Him to do so is in the principle of grace. Since giving is in the principle of grace on God's side, then receiving is in the principle of faith on our side. Faith and grace are two inseparable principles. Grace is God giving something to us, and faith is our receiving something from God. Faith is nothing other than receiving what God has given us in spirit. This is absolutely independent from work. Only by this way can man receive God's grace. If we resort to any other means, we will not be able to receive God's grace.

Although the Bible shows us that through faith one receives God's grace, many doctrines have emerged as a result of man's misunderstanding. Man comes up with theories that are based on his own thoughts and darkened mind, involving what he should do before he can be saved. Just as man has made idols with his crooked heart and has considered them gods, he has specified conditions for salvation with his crooked heart and darkened thoughts. For this reason, I must point out the different conditions that man has set forth for salvation and consider if these ways of salvation are trustworthy or not. If man does not see God's truth and does not understand His Word, he will not realize that the condition for salvation is faith. But if a man sees God's light and understands God's truth, he will not be able to overturn the New Testament fact that salvation is through faith. The problem today is that after man realizes faith as the condition of salvation, he adds something else to faith. The point of dispute between God and man is not that of believing or not believing, but whether it is believing with repentance, believing with the works of law, believing with baptism, or believing with testifying, as a prerequisite to salvation. The Word of God tells us that once we believe, we are saved. But man today adds a word with. According to his darkened mind, he claims that man is saved by faith with something. What we will consider is not if one can be saved by faith. That matter is settled already. The question today is whether or not faith is enough. Do we need to add with to faith before we can be saved?