Stop Working For Your Salvation!

"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." Romans 6:8‭-‬11 NIV

What if someone tells you that the way to get to Heaven is to make sure that you follow all the rules as they are stated in the Bible? What would you do? You would do everything in your power to make sure that you do not miss even just one little rule - otherwise, it will be Hell for you. How would you feel about that? My guess is that you would be so stressed out every single day, so conscious of every wrong thing you commit. You would be beating yourself up over every mistake. You would be painfully aware of your every action. When it's your life on the line, no sin is too small to be dismissed.

You would always be scared of missing the mark, anxious that you are not doing enough, and tiring yourself out just trying to measure up. Sooner or later, you would give up, realizing just how IMPOSSIBLE it is to fulfill the whole Law.

This is a such a difficult way to live, and yet many people are constantly putting themselves in this misery, believing that the key to their salvation lies in how well they perform in this life. What if I told you that there is a better way?

What if I told you that, especially for YOU, Someone already followed all of God's rules down to the last letter? What if I told you that that perfect Someone already subjected Himself to the punishment that YOU should have received, in YOUR place, for all the wrongs that YOU committed, so that you wouldn't have to be punished yourself? What if I told you that you would only need to accept what that Someone did and you're home-free, heaven-guaranteed, no matter what?

Wouldn't you be overly excited about that? Wouldn't you be shouting for joy, relief and gratefulness flooding your heart because of what this amazing Person did? Wouldn't this be the BEST news you've ever heard in your whole life? It is done! Your sin has been paid for!

That is exactly what JESUS did for you. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8 NIV) This Jesus - who was perfect in every way, who was without sin, who was pure and white as snow - took upon Himself the punishment that you deserve with His own flesh and blood. All because He loves you. Through His death on the Cross, He bought us back - that "having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1‭-‬2 NKJV)

How truly amazing the grace of God is! Because of what Jesus has done, He has given us access to a life with Him - a wonderful life that we did not deserve, and yet, He gave it to us anyway. Just say yes to Jesus, and He will transform you into a new creation, one that is holy, righteous and clean - no matter what you do or say. There is nothing you can do that can ever separate you from Jesus anymore.

So stop working for your salvation and start resting in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Live your life simply basking in His great love, always in gratefulness for His ultimate gift. Soon, you'll realize that you are naturally flowing in His grace, living a sin-free life much more easily than when you were trying to get saved on your own strength.

Isn't this a much better way to live?