The All-Sufficiency of Christ

I was going through some of the things I have saved from the process of Tim's home-going; cards, newspaper obit, funeral items, etc.  While I looked through the items, I remembered something that was said to me that made me sad at the time and still makes me sad when I remember the statement.

Some people believe there are many ways to heaven.  They will say, "We are all headed to the same place, we are just on different paths."  One path includes being a good and decent person to your "neighbor."  Another path includes being a member of a church, while another includes being baptized, and many other things.  But Jesus was very clear in His statement in John 14:6 when He said, "I am the way, the truth and the life:  no man comes to the Father, except he come through me!"  (I paraphrased just a bit.)  Anything else is works of the flesh and nothing we do in the flesh will justify us (Galatians 2:16).  Being justified means that you are "just, as if you had never sinned" in God's sight. You can only be justified IN CHRIST!

It is stated plainly in Ephesians 2:8-10 (let's break it down verse by verse): 

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

We are saved by (God's) grace through faith (in Jesus).  And the faith we have is not something we can produce.  It is the gift of God.  Nothing in salvation is "of yourselves."  It is ALL "of God!"

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.  

This says what it means and means what it says.  It is referring to the gift of faith from verse 8.  You could put verse 8 and 9 together this way:
 
For by grace are ye saved through faith and not of works, lest any man should boast.  And faith is not of yourselves,  it is the gift of God. 

And you can bet your bottom dollar that if WE had anything to do with our salvation, we WOULD boast about it!  Pride is what put our whole race to death in the first place (think Garden of Eden!)!!

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." 

The Greek word translated "workmanship" is ποίημα (Greek) poíēma (English), poy'-ay-mah (pronunciation).  Do you see the word "poem" in the English translation?  Don't you love poetry?  We are God's poetry.  He created us in Christ Jesus FOR the purpose of good works.  Those good works were prepared before our salvation for us to do AFTER our salvation.

We cannot do "good works" before our salvation.  "There is none (no one) that doeth good" before salvation.  Psalm 14:3 and 53:3 and Romans 3:12 tell us this.  Oh, sure, we can do some good things.  We can cut our neighbor's grass while they are on vacation, or collect their mail for them.  We can take cookies to a new neighbor.  But who are we doing those thing for (before salvation)?  It all boils down to the fact that we are doing them for ourselves so that we feel good about ourselves!  And, anything done outside of faith is sin (Romans 14:23).  Doing it for ourselves is not doing it for God!

Ask yourself this question:  If we are required to "do" something in addition to what Jesus did when He died on the cross for our sins, then what He did was NOT complete payment and did NOT satisfy God's requirement.  So, now, this question needs to be answered:  Why, then, did Jesus have to die?  And doesn't it seem unfair that God would allow His Son to go through the suffering He did if it wasn't going to be enough to satisfy His requirement?  My God is bigger than that!  He doesn't start something only to do it half way!

God's requirement has always been and still is the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22).  It is why the Israelites made animal sacrifices in the Old Testament.  It is why they sacrificed in the New Testament, until the final sacrifice was made when Jesus, once and for always, was sacrificed on the cross.  That ended the requirement for animal sacrifices, which was a picture of the final sacrifice made in Jesus (Hebrews 10:18).  Jesus' sacrifice brought a "new and living way" (Hebrews 10:20).  No more animal sacrifices required.  That means no more priest required to go to God on our behalf.  Read Hebrews 10 to find out about the new and living way!  It is great!  We can go to God (not Mary) on our own behalf!  He has given us permission to "go boldly to the throne of grace" in prayer (Hebrews 4:16).

I've said all of this to say that the only requirement for us to obtain salvation has been met, IN CHRIST!  Baptism won't help.  Church membership won't help.  Doing "good" won't help.  The thief on the cross was not baptized.  And he wasn't a church member.  And he certainly wasn't known for his good deeds!  Yet, Jesus told him, "Today, you will be with me in paradise!"  (Luke 23:43)  Salvation is IN CHRIST and Christ ALONE!!

How BIG is your God?

Some More Verses on "The All-Sufficiency of Christ:"

Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Colossians 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Ephesians 1:3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

"In Christ Alone"
Natalie Grant

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fulness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

I've had one of those headache days.  Just a dull, nagging ache that would not go away.  I took my shower for church.....a nice and hot shower, hoping the headache would ease up!  I also took some tylenol.  The headache lingered for awhile, but by the time church was over the headache was gone.  Thank You, LORD!

Jessica's dad was on her mind today, as well as mine.  We talked and cried on our way to church about him.  We have always said that we hoped he was not in much pain before he died.  But, listening to a recording I made while caring for him in the hospital two days before he passed, I think he was in more pain than we realized.  I wanted to share it with you, but the file is too big.  It is precious to me because it is the last time he was alert and thinking clearly enough to tell me that he loved me.  Thank You, LORD, for the years you allowed me to share with this wonderful man!  His pure, sweet love that I didn't deserve, was totally mine!  Thank You for the mercy, love and grace You bestow on me every single day of my life!

One year before he passed, August 8, 2016.  We were attending the Pastors and wives retreat in Boone, NC.  He looks so wonderful!

Spending time in the cabin reading.

More reading and relaxing.  Thank you, Brother Dale and Sister Juanita for acting on the vision the Lord gave to you in giving pastorate couples a time of refreshing.