Why Grace is Hard for Many to Accept

God’s eternal salvation is based on a grace paradigm, not a works paradigm. Grace means undeserved or unmerited favor. It is the kindness one person extends to another without any regard for the beauty or worth of the recipient. All are lost sinners, which means no one deserves salvation. Good works do not save; therefore, God’s gift of salvation cannot be earned by human effort. Salvation is never what we do for God; rather, it’s what He’s done for us through the Person and work of Jesus who died for our sins, was buried in a grave, raised to life on the third day, and seen by many, as Scripture teaches (1 Cor 15:3-5). Jesus accomplished what we cannot. He conquered sin and death, and He offers salvation as a free gift to all who want it.

God’s gift of eternal life is offered freely to anyone who will accept it. Salvation through Jesus Christ is available to everyone, “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16; 1 Tim 2:4 Tit 2:11; 2 Pet 3:9). It’s a gift (Rom 3:24; 6:23, Eph 2:8-9). No payment is required. Good works do not save (Isa 64:6; Rom 3:28; 4:4-5; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8-9; 2 Tim 1:9; Tit 3:5). God’s gift of eternal life is offered by grace alone (we don’t deserve it), received by faith alone (not by works), in Christ alone (not anyone else). We bring nothing to add to God’s salvation package. Nothing at all. We simply receive it by believing in Christ as our Savior. Sinners are saved by faith in Christ (Rom 3:28; Gal 2:16). This means we trust Him to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves: to save us eternally. Sadly, the majority of humanity will not turn to Christ as Savior, even though eternal salvation is open to everyone.

Reasons Why People Reject Grace

The number #1 reason people reject God’s grace is human pride. Arrogance hinders people from coming to God because it resists acknowledging dependence on Him. Many struggle to admit they can’t save themselves. Receiving grace requires humility, recognizing that all human efforts are “like filthy rags” before a holy God (Isa 64:6). Pride in moral achievements or social standing blinds people to the reality that their works cannot bridge the gap between them and God. The refusal to set aside self-righteousness makes grace difficult to accept. The following categories are facets of sinful pride.

1. The Addition of Human Works: The Bible teaches the validity and necessity of works in human systems. By means of human effort, one earns an academic degree, a paycheck, a promotion, or some valid recognition in life (i.e., an honor or award). From the beginning of creation, God established work as part of human life. When God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden, He directed him “to work it and keep it” (Gen 2:15). God created the six-day work week, saying, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work” (Ex 20:9), and the seventh day was a time of rest (Ex 20:10) Throughout Scripture, diligence, responsibility, and honest labor are commended. Solomon wrote, “In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (Prov 14:23). The apostle Paul wrote, “if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat” (2 Th 3:10), and “The laborer is worthy of his wages” (1 Tim 5:18), which affirms the importance of work in the human economy. However, while human labor is commendable and essential in divinely ordained systems (school, business, government, etc.), the grace paradigm of salvation is entirely different. In matters of eternal salvation, human works are excluded entirely, and grace alone is the basis upon which we are reconciled to God. The grace paradigm can be difficult for many to accept, largely because of the deeply ingrained human tendency to equate value and worth with performance. In the world’s system, success is measured by merit. This is the system most people operate under in every other area of life, where their hard work leads to promotion, recognition, or financial gain. Consequently, when people approach the question of salvation, they are inclined to apply the same logic, thinking they must “do” something to earn God’s salvation. This confusion between the two systems—one of merit and one of grace—prevents many from understanding and receiving God’s free gift of salvation.
2. The Threat of Losing Power: The threat of losing power can be a reason why some people reject Jesus as Savior. One key example is found in the attitudes of the religious leaders during Jesus’ ministry. The Pharisees, Sadducees, and chief priests had significant religious and social power. When Jesus began His ministry, preaching the kingdom of God, He challenged their teachings, exposed their hypocrisy, and threatened their influence. John wrote about them, saying, “the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation” (John 11:47-48). Their rejection of Jesus was partly driven by the fear of losing their authority and position.
3. Great Wealth: Money can be a hindrance to accepting God’s grace in salvation, as it can foster a sense of self-sufficiency and security in worldly wealth. Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Matt 19:24). Wealth can create the illusion that one can control or earn their way into salvation, similar to how people often obtain things through money in everyday life. This reliance on material wealth can prevent individuals from recognizing their spiritual poverty and need for God’s grace.
4. The Offense of the Cross: The message of the cross offends people because it undermines self-sufficiency. Paul wrote, “But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” (1 Cor 1:23). The cross represents the ultimate statement that human efforts are inadequate and that salvation comes only through Christ’s sacrifice, which some find offensive because it highlights human inability to save oneself.
5. The Resurrection of Jesus: For some, the resurrection of Jesus is an obstacle because it challenges naturalistic views and requires belief in a supernatural event. Some find it difficult to accept, as it defies human logic and experience. When Paul preached Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 17:30-31), Luke tells us that “some mocked him” (Acts 17:32). This mocking is a sign of negative volition concerning the gospel. Yet, the resurrection is essential to faith, as Paul said, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile” (1 Cor 15:17). Accepting the resurrection affirms Jesus’ divine authority and victory over sin, which some resist because it confronts their antisupernaturalistic worldview.
6. Cultural Relativism: In some cultures, there is a resistance to absolute truth and an aversion to the idea of a singular way to God. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). Peter said, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). For some, this way of salvation is perceived as narrow and exclusive. This exclusivity can lead to rejection of the grace message because it demands surrender to one way—God’s way—rather than allowing for multiple paths that validate human effort.
7. Misconception of Fairness: The grace paradigm is sometimes misunderstood as unfair. People tend to believe that those who have lived “moral” lives deserve to be saved more than those who have lived in sin. The parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1-16) shows how God’s sovereign grace, which offers the same reward to all, regardless of when they come, can be perceived as unfair by human standards. This notion of undeserved favor is difficult for some people to accept. But Scripture teaches that God saves the helpless, sinners, ungodly, and His enemies (Rom 5:6-10).
8. Religious Tradition: Some reject grace because they have been conditioned by religious systems that emphasize rituals, sacraments, or law-keeping as necessary components for salvation. The Judaizers, who tried to impose the necessity of circumcision and the Mosaic Law for salvation, are a clear example of this (Acts 15:1-5; Gal 5:2-4). Many religious systems today perpetuate this legalistic mentality (Catholicism, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, etc.), making it hard for people to comprehend the simplicity of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (John 3:16; Acts 4:12; Rom 3:28; 6:23; Eph 2:8-9).
9. Fear of Losing Control Over Behavior: Some perceive grace as dangerous, believing it leads to moral laxity or a license to sin. While Paul taught that where sin abounds, grace abounds even more (Rom 5:20), he also firmly rejects the notion that grace permits ongoing sin (Rom 6:1-2). God forgives all sin (judicially), but it doesn’t mean sin is without consequence. A child who touches a hot stove may be forgiven by her mother for disobeying her warning, but the consequences of that action are not removed. Grace protects us from eternal damnation (John 10:28; Rom 8:1), but it does not shield us from divine discipline in time (1 Cor 11:30-32; Heb 12:5-11) or the loss of eternal rewards for carnal living (1 Cor 3:10-15; 2 John 1:8). While grace indeed provides forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43) and eternal life (John 3:16), it also calls believers to walk in righteousness (Tit 2:11-14).
10. Love of Sin: John wrote, “the Light has come into the world, but people loved the darkness rather than the Light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). To “love the darkness” means they are committed to Satan’s values and world-system that brings them power and carnal pleasure. Many reject the gospel because they realize that salvation in Christ brings a call to a new way of thinking, values, and behavior. While a transformed life is not a requirement for receiving salvation—since salvation is by grace alone through faith alone—God does expect His people to pursue holiness afterward (1 Pet 1:15-16). Though salvation is a free gift, afterwards, God expects His people to grow to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1) and be obedient-to-the-Word believers (Jam 1:22). So then, some people may reject the gospel of grace as they fear losing control over their lives or having to abandon sinful behaviors they enjoy.

God’s Free Gift of Eternal Life

Eternal salvation is a gift from the Lord. It is the most precious gift ever provided. And though the gift was very expensive to God, it is absolutely free to us. The precious gift of our salvation was paid in full by the Lord Jesus Christ who died for our sins, who hung between heaven and earth and paid our sin-debt in full. In grace, God does all the work, and we receive His gift freely, totally apart from good works. Good works are not a prerequisite, corequisite, or postrequisite to God’s offer of salvation. According to God’s Word, “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23). The words “free gift” translate the Geek noun charisma (χάρισμα) which, according to BDAG, refers to “that which is freely and graciously given, favor bestowed, a gift.”^[1] Joseph Thayer defines it as “a gift of grace; a favor which one receives without any merit of his own.”^[2] Paul, when writing to the Christians at Ephesus, said, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9; cf., Rom 4:4-5; Tit 3:5). To say we are saved by grace means our salvation is unearned and undeserved in any way. God’s gift of salvation is totally apart from any good works we may produce, and since good works do not save, bad works cannot unsave (though they can bring divine discipline). A gift focuses on the graciousness of the giver, whereas a reward focuses on the work of the recipient. Salvation is NOT a reward for work we’ve accomplished; rather, it is a free gift from God and based totally on the finished work of Christ. We pay nothing. Jesus paid it all. We receive God’s free gift by faith alone in Christ alone.

Furthermore, eternal life is a right-now-truth. It is not something we can have in the future, but something we have at the very moment we trust in Jesus as our Savior. John wrote, “whoever believes in Him will have eternal life” (John 3:15), and “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16b). Jesus said, “everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life” (John 6:40a), and “he who believes has eternal life” (John 6:47b), and “I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish” (John 10:28a). When Jesus said “I give,” He used the Greek verb didōmi (δίδωμι – to give), which is in the present tense, meaning it’s a right-now-truth. That is, eternal life is what the believer possesses at the moment of faith in Christ. This eternal life is connected with being in a relationship with Jesus Christ. John wrote, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life” (1 John 5:11-12).

The realization that salvation is offered freely, based solely on the perfect work of Jesus on the cross, offers profound relief to the person who has been laboring under the yoke of a works-based system. Those who operate under a works-based system of salvation will never reach a place of certainty in their relationship with God, for they will never know whether they have done enough to gain entrance into heaven. But the truth that salvation is a grace-gift from God, received by faith alone, liberates those who accept it. When properly grasped, God’s gospel of grace alleviates the pressure to perform and the fear of falling short and brings a deep sense of peace and joy, knowing our salvation is secure, not because of our own efforts, but because of Christ’s finished work. Peace comes when we look to Christ and the promises of Scripture and not to ourselves. This gospel of grace transforms our relationship with God from one of fear and striving to one of gratitude and love, as the focus moves from what we must do to what Christ has already accomplished on our behalf. This grace-based approach encourages us to live out our faith from a place of thankfulness rather than obligation, resulting in a more authentic and joyful Christian life.

Summary

In conclusion, the Bible presents a clear distinction between the necessity of works within human systems and the nature of salvation, which is solely grounded by God’s grace. While human effort is essential for earning recognition and success in various aspects of life, such as academics or employment, the paradigm of salvation operates on an entirely different principle. As outlined in Scripture, works hold no merit in securing salvation; rather, salvation is a free gift from God, received by faith alone in Christ alone. Despite common misconceptions and societal norms that equate worth with performance, true salvation is unearned and not contingent upon human actions. This grace can be difficult for many to accept due to factors such as pride, cultural beliefs, and the desire for control. Nevertheless, God’s invitation to eternal life is open to all who trust in Christ, emphasizing that salvation is a gracious gift, freely given, and based entirely on the work of Christ and not any human effort.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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Related Articles:

• Free Grace Salvation
• What is Free Grace Theology?
• Who is the One Who Saves?
• Saved by Grace Alone, Through Faith Alone, in Christ Alone
• God’s Gift of Righteousness
• Eternal Life
• Assurance of Salvation
• The Cross & Crucifixion of Jesus

^[1] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1081.

^[2] Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti (New York: Harper & Brothers., 1889), 667.