If our final outcomes were left to our own devices, we’d be doomed—for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a, ESV).

But there’s more to that last verse. Yes, the wages of sin is death… “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (vs. 23b, ESV)

In the New Testament, Paul writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8, ESV).

That’s right, salvation is a gift.

Available by way of God’s grace.

We’ve all sinned, so none of us can do anything by our own efforts to become worthy of salvation.

However, God doesn’t want us lost forever. He loves us so much He sent His Son Jesus, as our substitute, to live a perfect life on earth as our example. Then Jesus bore the consequences of all humanity’s sins by dying on the cross and being raised from the dead 3 days later2—all so we could have the chance merely to choose to follow God. He died even for those who might not make that choice.

Jesus’ death and resurrection make up the cornerstone for Seventh-day Adventists’ faith. Their drive to both study God’s Word and to incorporate that Word into their lives is in response to God’s ultimate love, as demonstrated on the Cross—anyone of us can be saved by grace just by accepting this Gift and following Him.

Learn more about the Plan of Salvation, and how it was an integral biblical concept in the formation of the Advent Movement.