1. salvation is hard to achieve.
Salvation is not hard to achieve, it is impossible. But what is impossible for us, is not impossible for God.
We cannot achieve salvation, because we are spiritually dead. When Adam and Eve sinned, God has cursed humanity, and this curse is running until the end of the world.
For it is written 'cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree' (Deuteronomy 21:23). When Jesus was hanged on the cross, He was given a crown of thorns. Thorns always symbolize a curse in the Bible. So Jesus on that cross became a King of the cursed. Jesus broke this curse, but He only broke it for believers. So those who are still in sin are still cursed.
There's is absolutely nothing you can do to repay your sins, not even one, and as we know, wages of sin is death. No matter how many good deeds you do. Because God is just and He must punish every sin. Either Jesus is punished in your place or the punishment is upon you.
We all sin because we are sinners. All humanity sinned in Adam. That's why David said in one of his psalms 'in sin my mother conceived me.' We are fatally wounded by a sin, it holds us and there is nothing we can do to escape. We are like the lame man in John 5, who could do nothing to help himself walk. Or we are just like the beaten man in the story of the good Samaritan, lying there beaten up, dying, no help.
As we are all sinners, we all deserved hell yesterday, from just born babies to the oldest living people. The fact that we even breath is showing how merciful God is.
Because we are sinners, our heart is spiritually dead. It cannot produce righteousness, it cannot produce faith. Only the Holy Spirit can renew your heart, into a living one that is able to recognise who Jesus is and produce faith. Look how many miracles Jesus did in front of people, even resurrected Lazarus , and yet they did not believe Him and tried to kill Him, right after He resurrected someone. That's how stupid the sinful heart is. Or the Hebrews on the way to the promise land. Looks at how many times they rebelled, despite all the miracles God did. Because their hearts were dead.
That's why no one could keep the Law, that's why they had to sacrifice again and again and again, because we are not capable to save our-self and stop sinning. The Hebrews should have realised that, sacrifice in faith because God commanded it, but should have realized this was never enough and looks towards the promised Messiah...who could only have been God, because only the one without a sin could die for sinners. Only He could have satisfied God just wrath for our sins.
How many people spend their all live reading the Bible, giving so much to charity, do a lot of things, but without faith is all for nothing. All these things but if you don't realize there is nothing you can do that you need a saviour, there all these things are for nothing. And this is exactly my point. You must first ask God to teach you and show you who He is. Ask Him to give Him spiritual vision...for the grace of His name. Go on your knees and earnestly cry out you are lost and there is nothing you can do and you deserve help, ask God to help you. Even if you do this for the rest of your life. Because you cannot help your-self, only the grace of Jesus can save and nothing else. He is the only one with the authority (John 17). Just surrender to Him.
