An Easter Thought

Over the last 2 weeks I have been reading a book called, "Jesus + Nothing = Everything." It has been a great read and I readily recommend it to anyone.  Most of the book has centered on the challenge for every believer to accept at "heart-level" (not just head) that in the forgiveness and gift of Christ, we not only have the means for our salvation but the equipping for our salvation to be worked out over the course of our lifetime. Realizing that we all accept Christ, and then struggle to continually find our worth in His acceptance and work on the cross. What an awesome reminder, Jesus doesn't deliver us and then leave us to our own devices to work for His approval, rather, Jesus delivers us and then through the Holy Spirit gives us all we need to rest in Him. Our Christianity isn't a work from us to God, it's a matter of accepting the work of God for us.

Here's a small excerpt from the book:
"...I used to think that when the apostle Paul tells us to work out our salvation, it means go out and get what we don't have-- get more patience, get more strength, get more joy, get more love, and so on. But after reading the Bible more carefully, I now understand that Christian growth does not happen by working hard to get something we don't have. Rather, Christian growth happens by working hard to daily swim in the reality of what we do have. Believing again and again the gospel of God's free justifying grace every day-- and resting in his verdict-- is the hard work we're called to. (Tchividjian, Tullian. Jesus + Nothing= Everthing. p172.)"

What a great thought for this week.

-MBW