It can be very easy to begin to think that salvation is cheap, or even that it is deserved. “Well, of course a loving God should save people.” Indeed, often the question that is asked is why God doesn’t save everyone. There’s a lovely passage from Piers Plowman that begins to capture the impossibility of salvation:

For Jesus fought well, and now joy begins to dawn:
Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.
“Love, who is my lover, has sent me word
That Mercy, my sister, and I should save mankind,
And that God has forgiven and granted me, Peace, and Mercy
To be man’s security for evermore after.
See, here’s the edict!” said Peace, “In pace in idipsum,
And that this deed shall endure, dormiam et requiescam.”
“What, are you mad?” asked Righteousness: “otherwise you’re blind drunk!”

— Passus XVIII, Piers Plowman

While Langland is not foremost a source of theology, the amazement with which he infuses Righteousness’ words is helpful. One can just see the face of Righteousness, refusing to believe that anything could save mankind, after all that people have done to reject God. From his point of view, it is almost more likely that Peace herself has gone mad or has otherwise left her senses behind. His overt disbelief gradually fades into a sense of amazement, as Peace goes on to explain it all to him.

While not calling for us to embrace the initial disbelief of the good news that Peace brought, I think that it would be a bad thing to lose the fresh wonder of a new follower of Jesus.

As Charles Wesley wrote:

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

— Charles Wesley

For ultimately, of course, salvation is the last thing that we deserve, even from a loving God.