317 of 365 - Christ + nothing

…yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. Galatians 2:16
 
Paul reminds us that if it were works of the law that saved us, no one would be justified. It is Christ alone that saves us.

​To continue to rely on the law, or any part of us, to achieve salvation for ourselves is to look up at Jesus…body limp, beaten and bloody from head to toe, pressed up against the cross, and say, “I see you up there Jesus. You did your part. Good job. Now let me just add my kosher meal, circumcision and good works and we’ll be good to go.”

Pride makes us want to believe it has something to do with us. It is hard for us to ask for help and even harder to grasp the idea of grace – that something so precious, valuable, important is given to us freely and unearned.

Grace isn’t us doing our best on our own and then hoping God will patch in the holes. Grace is God doing it all. When we add anything to what Jesus did for us, we are in essence nullifying grace. There is only one name by which we are saved. There was only one plan that would work.

Justification is a legal concept. It is getting a favorable verdict in court on judgment day. Imagine being in court with a pile of charges rightly mounted against you. Though you tried to live a good life, you know you are guilty of all of these offenses and the judge will surely sentence you harshly. The little slip here, the falling into the bad crowd season there, the really stupid decision that day. But just as the judge is about to read your punishment, Jesus walks in and agrees to take the penalty for your offenses and you are free to go home; to start over with a clean slate, living a new life of freedom with no record of wrong. Amazing freedom. Amazing grace.

Questions: Do you believe that what Jesus did on the cross was enough for you? Do you believe your slate is wiped clean by the blood of Jesus?