"The Foundation - pt. 2"

    Our salvation is by the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus! We didn't do anything to deserve salvation. We deserve death. We didn't do anything to earn salvation. We earned condemnation because of our sin. God brought His saving grace to us in the form of Jesus Christ. That is the only foundation by which we will make it to heaven, that wonderful and blessed place in the presence of God.

  Too many are trying to establish their salvation by a works foundation. Here's what I mean: How much do you pray? How much do you give? How many souls have you saved? How often do you attend? How many good deeds have you done? This is a foundation of the law of works. With this foundation, enough is never enough! How much do you pray? Under the foundation of works, it's not enough and you should be praying more. How much do you give? Under the foundation of works, you are guilted into giving more. How many souls have you won? Under the foundation of works its insufficient. How often do you attend? Under the foundation of works, you must be there each time the doors are open otherwise you are forsaking the assembly. (By the way, those who hold to this probably don't know what the word 'forsake' really means!) The point of all this: enough is never enough and the judgment you find is guilt!

  If our foundation is Jesus and Him crucified: "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Rom. 8:1) God speaks...NOW! What freedom! What joy that brings! What a Savior and salvation through Him! Isn't that much better?

  Jesus stands between us and our sins. My works don't! Jesus is my sin-bearer. My works aren't! Jesus mediates the covenant we came into when we were united with Him in baptism. My works couldn't! That covenant speaks: "And their sins and lawless deeds I remember no more!" (Heb. 8:12) Let it ring in our ears. If our foundation is Jesus, the Supper we share in will reflect this covenant. If our foundation is a system of law/works, the supper we share in will be, well...just an empty piece of unleaven bread and some juice with little meaning.

  Jesus is our intercessor and Savior. He is the only one that stands in the presence of God for us. The result is we pray not to be saved but because we are saved. We worship not to be saved but because we are saved. We give, we look for opportunities not be saved but because we are saved. The foundation of works creates such a burden and guilt while the foundation of God's grace in Christ Jesus frees us to rejoice. Does this explain why our worship may be so mundane?

  Everything we receive from God comes by His grace. Everything of all we receive by grace is accepted by faith. Faith is the response to God's grace founded upon the Lordship of Jesus Christ risen from the grave. If our foundation is right, it leads to joy and peace. Saved by grace, through faith in Christ Jesus, praising God and headed to heaven. Now that's worth worshiping our God!