There is a very prominent very damaging idea traveling around the world in Christian and non-Christian circles today. It is the idea that we must still do something or add something to the completed work of Christ in order to be forgiven or saved. This idea is very insidious and unfortunately is also extremely easy to fall into.

So today we will be looking at exactly what the Bible says in order to kill this evil lie and uproot it from its very core.

Our scripture today is from 1^st Peter 3:18:

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”

So we can clearly see here that Christ died once for sins. An action that does not ever need repeating. And is completely done and accomplished, which is why when Christ ascended into Heaven He sat down at the Father’s right hand – because His work was done and accomplished.

This is why the idea of “working for it/adding to it” is so dangerous, because it strikes at the very core of the salvation message. Yet there are many today who feel that they have to add to Christ’s finished work by self-effort, behavior, or good works.

My friends those things are important yes, we are not against good behavior or good works, but self-effort is not the way to attain them. Good behavior and good works are fruits which only are produced from a healthy and well-rooted branch is connected to the Vine, which is Jesus.

The fruits can not come except through the root vine…. they are the ends, no the means.

No, we can not add to the finished work of Christ. To even think that we can, we are missing the truth and making light of what Christ has done. And this of course is the plan of the enemy.

As long as we do not realize that we are already clean through what Christ has already done, then we can not reach our full potential and intended status which Christ paid for us to have.

Our job is simply to receive God’s gift of abundant grace and righteousness in our lives ever day… to let Him fill us and shine out to others so that they may receive the same saving grace.

However if the enemy can manage to keep us blind to the true redeemed status that we have through Christ, than we will constantly be scurrying about trying in vain through self-effort to obtain that which we already have, and we will in-essence be too distracted to receive His (God’s) gifts in our lives which He provides freely for us.

My friends, today let us start simply believe in Christ’s work for us and start receiving this precious free gift in our lives every day and stop trying to do what Jesus has already done for us. The gift is not “cheap”, it was paid for by Jesus, the Pearl of Great Price. Yet salvation is freely given to all who Believe on Him and His death, burial and resurrection. Today let us freely accept this great gift and cease from meaningless striving and start joyfully thriving in Him.