Monday's follow-up to Sunday's message: Do! Or Done?

 

The law says, "Do this," and it is never done. Grace says, "believe in this," and everything is already done.—Martin Luther

You need to pay attention to what I’m about to say, because it has the potential to change the way you think about everything that has to do with the faith.  It’s that big.  Here it is:

If you’re always concerned about how you’re doing, you’re doing it wrong.

There it is.  That’s the major life-changer.  Now, I know you’re not some heretic preaching salvation by works.  You’re not the one pushing some new idea to implement Old Testament dietary laws.  If I were to ask you how you are saved, you’d confidently say you get saved by grace through Jesus Christ.

But you’re human.  And so you like  . . . well, you like checklists.  You like to be able to gauge your spiritual progress.  You get comfort from checking the fact sheet.  From seeing a gold star next to your name.

And so you spend a lot of time in front of the mirror, so to speak.  Constantly looking up the list of rules and commands and measuring how well you kept them.  And maybe you love some preacher’s sermons because they’re so relevant, and they really let you know what you need to be doing.  For that matter, maybe you even did read one of those Bible diet books and thought to yourself, “Gosh, maybe I should be eating holier.”

And if that’s you: STOP.  Stop doing all the time, because you’re doing it wrong.

Do you suppose that if you just do enough, you’ll find yourself in God’s presence?

Do you suppose that if you just do more, God will be content with your work?

Do you suppose that if you just do and do and keep on doing, that God will bring you into His Kingdom?

I suppose that you do.  But . . . hasn’t Christ already done all that for you?  Hasn’t Christ already done everything that needed to be done?  Doesn’t He now stand before the Father, reminding Him that you’re one of His own?  And one day, won’t He open the door for you, inviting you to step into eternity with Him?

What’s left that needs to be done?  Nothing, that’s what.  And if you keep focus on your doing, you’re going to miss the fact that Christ says to you, “It’s already done.”

Consider this your wake-up call: Christ has done, is doing, and will do everything that’s needed for you to live life with God.  There’s nothing you need to add to that.  Heck, there’s nothing you can add to that. 

So get your eyes off the mirror, and get them on Christ.  I promise you, you won’t miss your doing, not once you grasp Christ’s done.