“Jesus saves.”
I don’t like this phrase. I think it fails to capture the bigger, more beautiful picture that surrrounds Jesus’ death and resurrection. I think it would be appropriate to say that Jesus saved. If you think of it that way, the issue goes beyond whether or not Jesus can save you. The question becomes whether or not you’re willing to accept salvation on His terms.
By accepting that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, you acknowledge that
- You are inherently flawed
- Your sins can not be atoned for through any human act
- God’s plan is infinitely bigger and more important than yours (i.e. you revolve around Him, not the other way around)
- Because He has forgiven us for our sins through the death of Jesus, there is nothing He cannot ask of you
- There is no satisfaction in life outside of God
I’m sure there’s more to be added to that list, but I’ll just leave it at that for now.
This scares a lot of people because they feel like they are giving up all autonomy in their life for a God whose existence they are not even certain about. Paradoxically, there is much freedom to be found in accepting these so-called restraints.
I want you to think about something you’re really passionate about doing. Maybe you’re a musician or an athlete. To become good at either of those, you have to practice regularly and in a disciplined manner or else you’re doomed to fail at it (or be mediocre, at best). They place obligations and restrictions upon themselves so that they can thrive. But one can also say that if they truly loved their craft, they aren’t really obligations or restrictions at all.
The same goes for when you’re in love with someone. You give up a lot of the freedoms that you would have had if you remained single, but it’s not a big deal. In fact, you give up those freedoms with great joy because you know you’ve got something that’s worth it.
By giving your autonomy over to God and repenting for your sins, you gain more freedom in knowing that you have been forgiven an your place in His kingdom has been secured. You don’t have to be perfect, but that doesn’t give you the excuse not to try. Just because you’re forgiven does not mean you are not accountable. When you disobey God, you do have to face the consequences of it. However, those consequences are the direct result of your actions. If you play with fire, you get burnt. If you drank too much last night, you’re gonna wake up with a hangover (and possibly someone undesirable in your bed next to you). God doesn’t punish you for your sins–you do.
When you accept that you have to give God control of your life, you accept that you now have a purpose to fulfill–a purpose that will matter in the long-run. You are now an instrument of the biggest mission on Earth–bringing people closer to God.
Jesus doesn’t save. He’s already saved us. It’s only a matter of taking the plunge.
{ 0 comments }