Rest on the work of the cross

I recall when after I was born again that there was a time I felt this heaviness that I had to earn my salvation. I also felt like I didn't have enough passion or faith in God. Also, I thought that I was not good enough to be loved by God because of all the sins I had committed before I was born again. I would sometimes wonder "What must I do so that God would accept me because I don't feel good enough?" It was such a heavy and burdensome feeling. It was terrible! That went on for months. It wasn't until a brother in Christ told me that I needed to rest. I didn't know what he meant by that. He told me that I needed to take rest on the work of the cross and stop trying to earn my salvation. After that conversation, I thought a lot about it and prayed about it. What has compelled me to write this entry is that many people I know either from church or on social media are struggling through this too. I thank God that He drew them to me so that I can comfort them like I had been comforted.

Jesus, who is God in human form, came into this world. Not to start a new religion, but to fulfill the prophesies and restore the relationship that was lost in the garden of Eden. He lived the life that we could not live. Mankind could not live out the 10 commandments. If you broke one commandment, you broke them all according to God. Jesus was able to live this life. When Jesus started His ministry, He had 3 years to teach His disciples because they would go and preach the gospel to the masses. He knew that He would have to die. But why? Since Jesus was the only one who could live the life we could not, He voluntarily took the punishment meant for us and died the death we deserved. His resurrection proved that 1) His life was payment for all the sins of those who believe in Him 2) That death could not hold him, therefore defeating Satan 3) that He truly was God.

Jesus lived the life we couldn't. He die the death we were suppose to get and now is glorified sitting at the right hand of God. Take rest in that. That Jesus did all the work and all you have to do is simply believe it. If you believe and have accepted Christ as your Lord and savior then you are born again. You have been chosen. You didn't choose God.  Jesus will make you Holy and righteous because we cannot do it ourselves. Here is what the word of God has to say on this matter.

John 15:16 - You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.


Jeremiah 1:5 - Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations.

Isaiah 43:1 - But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel:“Fear not, for I have redeemed you: I have called you by your name; You are Mine.

When I got born again, I was a mess. I had taken my very own life and made a huge mess of it. I was broken in every way. But when I surrendered my life to Jesus, He took ownership of my life and my life belonged to Him. It became His mess to fix and clean up. Why? For His glory. Jesus came to save sinners. Mark 2:17 - ...Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.

Ephesians 1:3-9 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,

One other thing I want to touch base on is sanctification.  When I was a babe in my faith, it was explained to me that sanctification is a marathon, not a sprint. We all want to be righteous, free from our sins and be Godly RIGHT NOW. But that is not how it works. Its a daily thing. Your goal should be to better then you were the day before. When you got born again, you were purchased and may I add purchased at a very high price. The price was the blood of Jesus Christ. He was the last sacrifice for the sins of man. You were taken from the bloodline of Adam and put into the bloodline of Jesus. You were born again spiritually. You received the Holy Spirit. What we are waiting for is 1) for Jesus to come back and 2) to get our glorified bodies. Philippians 3:21 - Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself. This is a process. Christians are not made over night. You will stumble but you get back up and keep going. If you sin, repent from you sin and keep going. Yes, you have to keep repenting of your sin after you get born again. With time, you will sin less. You wont be sinless when the Lord comes back because He promised He would be committed to completing the work He started in you.

Ephesians 1:13-14 - In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,  who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 - Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God,  who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

 It saddens me to know that there are people who think they must earn their way to heaven and work for God's love. I know for sure God feels the same way. Stop working for your salvation. Jesus did the work and He did a really good job. Ecclesiastes 12:13 - Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. 

I want to close out with these two verses that Jesus Christ said. I hope and pray that people will be delivered from the heaviness of trying to earn Gods love, acceptance and salvation.  If following Jesus feels heavy, then something isn't right. Either you are not born again or you need to take rest.

John 14:15 - If you love Me, keep My commandments.

Matthew 11:28-30 - Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. 

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Sanctification,-Means-And-Results#sthash.Sk5AaDjC.dpuf

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Sanctification,-Means-And-Results#sthash.Sk5AaDjC.dpuf