Jesus, Only Jesus

What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So, I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Galatians 2:19-21 The Message

You can’t do enough to earn your salvation. You can’t obey enough rules to gain entrance into heaven. Only one way to please God is to accept the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ and allow Him to live the Message through you.

This passage so beautifully answers the question, “How can I be sure of my salvation and heaven?”  I can’t keep enough rules, impress others with my service, never miss a gathering of believers, hold every office in the church, influence enough others for Christ to earn my salvation or be sure of my acceptance by God!!  When I get to the judgment all I can do is fall on my face before God and cry out how imperfect I am, how much I fall short on all counts but that I love Jesus, accept His sacrifice for my sins, did my best to allow the Holy Spirit to live out Christ-life through me. When I see Jesus, everything in this life will pale and be meaningless, it will be ashes…Jesus, only Jesus will be my cry!

Oh, Jesus, thank You for this message this morning. It is so very timely and beautifully answers the question and fears about judgment. It also showed me how silly I am when I try consciously or unconsciously to impress You or my sisters and brothers in Christ by my good works, or service to the church or knowledge of the scripture, or anything else. There is place for only one cry in my heart and life that has any merit – “I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died for my sins and that He lives in me and can enable me to please God by that relationship alone. Out of that belief and love flows all else imperfectly, (in jars of clay) but with a sincere and obedient heart! I love You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit!!