29
Simple
Jeff WeinkaufMatt 10:9-11
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”[e]
One of the things I've always found so remarkable about Gods plan to redeem humanity is its simplicity. God neither made it arduous or unattainable. It involves no outlay of money, no travel to a distant high holy place, no waiting period (although some of us do wait needlessly to grab hold of it). There's no test to pass, no secret handshake to learn, there's just JESUS (period). That's it.
How can it be so simple though? It would seem in order to make right the sins of all people for all time there must be something more required.
And so the reasoning goes, "it can't be this easy!" Nothing this good can be got for free. "I" must need to do this or that? We end up with a revised theology which goes something like Jesus + x and y = God's saving graces.
But look at the scripture again, there is no Jesus +, only Jesus (period). Any other way of looking at it is prideful, as if I could add something to the mix. That thinking reduces the sacrifice of the spotless lamb Jesus to being insufficient. It's heresy.
The good news is Jesus died once, and for all. There is nothing more required but that we confess Him who is worthy and believe.
As I try my best to understand how to "work out my salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil 2:12) I will not equate my works with what God has already done. I will not displace or add to what is perfect and complete in Jesus.
Jesus (period)
Father help me to keep this sharp and in clear focus. Christ above all, worthy to receive glory. Fully sufficient and lacking in nothing. Our perfect spotless lamb. Amen and amen.
