Welcome to another week of our Everyday Jesus link-up. Be sure to link-up below this post, comment on your neighbor’s blog and share with your friends… Because Jesus is everywhere, every day!
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I know, I know… I’ve said it so many times before.
I despise math. I haven’t seen a doctor, but I am pretty sure that anything with numbers makes me break out in hives.
Words are totally my jam. But obviously, (unfortunately?) dealing with all thing mathematical is very much a part of my life as well.
Even in my walk with Jesus.
Here’s the skinny: I have mentioned it here before, so you might already know that I am what people call an “overachiever.” I am a recovering perfectionistic, people-pleasing yes-woman.
Key word: Recovering. (See also: I don’t have it all figured out yet, but Jesus is still working on me…) God is teaching me that it is ok to just ‘chieve.
This is important to know, because the last few months, I have been working through the book of James with my PWOC bible study group. And when I mean “working,” I don’t mean skimming over it while my toddler clamors at my knees asking for more crackers/milk/snacks/etc.
When I say working, I mean REALLY digging in deep– deeper than I have ever gone before in the Word, thanks to some new tools I have discovered. (Why hello there, Blue Letter Bible App…)
At the very beginning of this study, our leader (and my amazing friend) Lauren set some context for us. She reminded us that no matter what do (or don’t do) we are already a perfect TEN in God’s eyes.
This is fantastic news. Because my tendency is to get wrapped up in some gospel math that just doesn’t add up.
Here’s the accurate formula:
Jesus Death on the Cross/Risen again + We say yes in belief= SALVATION
This formula is the bottom line. When we read ANYTHING in the Bible, we must cling tightly, believing the full truth of this equation, so we don’t add (or subtract) anything to it.
James is a book of action. So without this elementary formula in place, I tend to create any one of the following “replacement” formulas.
Jesus Death on the Cross/Risen again + We say yes in belief + Our good works = SALVATION
Jesus Death on the Cross/Risen again + We say yesISH = Incomplete SALVATION
Jesus Death on the Cross/Risen again < SALVATION
None of these are correct. My fleshy self always wants to do more for the Lord, which is ok– as long as I stand firmly rooted in the truth that my actions have no bearing on my standing with God once I have said yes to Him.
(Clarifying side note: It DOES say in the Bible that genuine saving faith also produces. So when we say yes to following Jesus, if we are submitting our life to Him, He can/will produce fruit in our lives through our good works. But those works are like extra credit. They don’t help us to pass the class.)
Do you struggle with the mathematics of the gospel? What, if anything, do you try to add? (Or subtract… Or multiply… Or divide?) Please feel free to join the conversation and leave a comment here.
Friends, oh friends– we cannot ADD anything to the gospel. God sent Jesus to be born, die and rise again on our behalf, taken our sins upon him.
All we have to do is just say yes.
THAT is HIS solution which, for our benefit, totally adds up.
Adding Up His Grace,
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” ~Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT
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