MISSION COMPLETE

My dear Mother always told me, "If you are going to do something, do it right the first time so you do not have to do it again." Christ Jesus does not have to Save the Universe every time it gets in a jam. He has Saved us. We have the Answer. We just have to accept Him and His ways to be Saved and Successful.  Hebrews 9:11-14 spells it out by saying,

"But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"

I have heard an idea that needs snuffing out. The idea is that we need to do something more to ensure or keep our Salvation once we are saved. This is deceptive, incorrect and a lie from the pit of Hell. If this did have any merit it would place value on our works aiding Christ's sacrifice and that flies in the face of Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast."

We must rest in His Completed Work or Project. His execution of our Redemption, His Completed Work is so mighty that it covers every situation, at any moment in time, of any life in the universe. His Grace keeps on giving and His Salvation keeps on Saving at The Cross and beyond - Rest Assured.

The Church, has been made holy, cleaned by the washing with water through The Word, radiant, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but I'll say it again holy and blameless - due to the husband-like sacrifice of Christ's life for His wife (Pritchard Paraphrase of Ephesians 5:25-27). 

The actual passage reads -

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."

When Christ declared, "It is finished." (John 19:30) on The Cross, Jesus left no room for doubt. I encourage you to rebuke the spirit of doubt because He did not include a "but", "however", "perhaps" or any other conditional phrasing about humanity's Salvation. Before The Cross, He unequivocally said - "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) Then after His wounds were made for our healing, "he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him,...and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." - then He cried, "It is finished." Christ is not going to die for you or me again. His life-price was more than sufficient for all of humanity throughout all of history from beginning until The Judgement Day.

You see Christ has done it. He "loved" and "gave" (two active past verbs that keep on keeping on) Himself up for His whosoevers, His believers, His church, His Bride. Through His sacrifice Christ has made His Bride all those wonderful things listed that we could not be on our own. The sacrifice was once and for all AND His Love endures forever.

You and I were worth this extravagant love offering. We certainly do not deserve the Grace of God for the natural tendency of humanity is to disobey God at every thought. But God saw our potential through the life, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus - His Son. Father God thought everything through - creation, salvation, eternity, everything. Jesus confesses to this by His teaching of the idea. 

"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. - Luke 14:28:33 

This passage says Father God "sat down", considered the cost, and decided the plan to give up everything to display the extent of His love - the life of His only begotten Son, Jesus - was worth it all. The last statement is where the rubber meets the road. Jesus says if you are not willing to "give up everything" as I have then that person"cannot be my disciple". With that kind of God - why not surrender everything to Him by believing in Christ and His free gift of salvation? The benefits are eternal and there are No Disadvantages to His Design - The Plan!

I want to encourage my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ today. If you are hearing whispers or ideas like your Salvation has fallen or you must aide Christ in the effort that has already been secured - then rebuke that voice. The believer's works, service or deeds in response to our Salvation can always be improved, but according to Romans 10:9 a follower of Christ Jesus can rest in His Complete Work - Our Salvation.