So I'm nearly done with the book Grace Walk, which I'm sure to read over and over because these truths are hard not to forget, believe and understand. The Bible, spiritual truth and Jesus' teachings are nearly always contradictory or are in complete opposition to human understanding and logic. It is paradox after paradox. What may seem passive to us is actually labor.
The gospel is so controversial and so hard to comprehend because it involves nothing other than trust. No works, no, nothing of yourself. It is all grace. Unmerited favor, mercy, undeserved kindness and so forth. In which you, if you knew my past, would think I would be the best Christian in the world seeing as how lazy I have always been. But trusting is the hardest work we will ever have to do. I'm struggling with it. Sometimes I'm going strong, full of joy and rest, peace and love..and other times I start to think "Is it really this easy?"
This teaching, or I should say truth, has completely reversed what I thought. After reading the book 7 Biblical Truths You Won't Hear in Church by David Rich and Grace Walk, I've totally ran into one of those huge brick walls called "Duh!". I get so excited when I meditate on it and realize that the strength, goodness, ability and freedom doesn't come from me mustering up obedience and good behavior. Jesus said plainly "If you love Me, you will keep my commandments." Loving Jesus, abiding in Him, trusting in Him naturally produces a Godly life. We can't change ourselves or "clean up our act". Jesus said "Apart from Me you can do nothing." Which is to say "You can't do it, so let me." How exciting, motivating and amazingly wonderful is grace? God does it all for us. Our "work" is to trust. "This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom He sent."
Salvation, going to heaven is just the beginning. God has so much more for us than we can imagine. Jesus has accomplished it all in one act. Salvation, sanctification and glorification.
"It is finished!"
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