What if I came up to you one day and asked how you were doing with your relationship with God? What if I asked you how hard you were trying? What would your answer be? I hope you don't say you're trying. Why? Because if you are, you've already failed.
In John 5:39-40 Jesus tells the pharisees that they search the scriptures, for they think they will find life in them. But that is not the case. Life is in Jesus. Now let's take a look at these religious men of the day. They would do their best to follow the Law of God because they were deceived and believed that they could get right with God by their own works. That is a thing called religion.
The pharisees were deceitful and mistaken about the true gospel, and so is a lot of our world today. They did not understand that God didn't give the Law so that we could obey it; because we can't. The Law's purpose is that we fail. No one can honestly say that they haven't ever lied, stole, lusted, taken the Name of the Lord in vain and coveted. No one. Not even these "righteous" hardcore religious people.
We are all guilty of breaking the perfect, holy, and just Law of God (Romans 3:23). How then, do we seek and know Him? There is only one way: Jesus Christ (John 14:6). God loves you and me SO much that He gave up everything so that you could be in His family: His only beloved, begotten Son (John 3:16).
We seem to always be underestimating God's standards and thinking we can be made right with Him by our works. If you go to church every Sunday of your life, feed every poor person there is, and never cuss- but don't have Jesus- you still aren't reconciled with the Lord. There is nothing you can do to save yourself (Ephesians 2:8) and there is no way possible to earn grace through works of the Law (Romans 11:6)
If you have seen the viral video Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus by Jeff Bethke, you will recognize when I quote some lyrics from this awesome poem-
Religion says do, Jesus says done
Religion says slave, Jesus says son
Religion puts you in bondage while Jesus sets you free
Religion makes you blind, but Jesus makes you see.
There is no prayer, no ritual, no practice, no pilgrimage, no life dedicated to an idol, and no good work that can get you into Heaven. Jesus did it all on the cross. Salvation can't be earned; only received. When Jesus was dying for you, He said "It is finished"(John 19:30). That means He did it all. Religion tells us to be obedient so we can earn God's love, but the truth is that we are called to be obedient because the love of Jesus makes us want to be. Religion says that God will love us when we do something for Him, but Jesus tells us that we are loved now (Romans 5:8).
Remember that 1John 4:19 says that "We love Him because He first loved us", not "He loves us because we first loved Him". Redemption, bought by Jesus Christ, is a free gift. All you have to do is accept His gift that has no cost. Call upon His name and be saved (Romans 10:9). You are an imperfect person loved by a perfect God.
The true measure of loving God is to love him without measure. -St. Bernard of Clairvaux.
So I've been struggling with forgiveness lately. Do we have to be extra careful to ask for forgiveness after every sin we commit if we want to get to heaven? And when Jesus said it is finished did he forgive all furture sins? I'm a friend of Langston's and I'm a Christian but this has just been bothering me lately.
ReplyDeleteWell, here's what I think. When Jesus said it's finished, he meant it was finished. Everything that needed to be done, was complete. I don't think Jesus went through all that suffering and pain, only for past and present sins. He suffered for future ones as well. The reason you hear that you need forgiveness for every sin you commit so much, is because that's man's way. Man's way is that we can somehow earn heaven by our actions, wether it's going to church five times a week or asking for forgiveness for every sin. But check out Galatians 2:20-21, and the entire chapter of Galatians 3. Christ has already forgiven every one of us. We just have to rely on him, and trust in his power, and have faith in his love. :) Galatians 3:24-27: "So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we may be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. You are all sons of Gld through faith in Christ Jesus, for all you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ." There's nothing wrong with asking for forgiveness, but asking for that forgivenees isn't going to effect your salvation. The only thing can, and will get you into heaven your faith in Christ. :] Sorry for the essay, but hope this helps! Also, check out Galatians 5:4-6. Awesome stuff.
Delete