Jesus Plus Nothing

As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. Colossians 2:6, NASB

MY HUSBAND AND I took a nervous, sweaty step of faith and became licensed foster care parents a few years ago. Watching several foster parents bring in children whose home lives were unsafe was inspiring. It was also extremely hard and messy. These children needed a support system, but so did their foster families. We felt God nudge us to give it a go.

Our job was to provide respite care for these foster families. They needed rest, and we could provide it. But after some time, we sensed other opportunities rounding the corner, along with some new responsibilities landing on our plates. And by the same faith in which we applied for our license, by faith again we felt the freedom to let our license run out.

In the basement of my soul, in the dark corner where I shove all my question marks and insecurities, I questioned what God thought of me then. Was God shaking His head at me for letting these foster children down? Was He disappointed in us for taking a step back?

The same way we first put our trust in Christ is the same way we walk with Him: by faith. This means if we can do nothing to earn God’s love, we can do nothing to enhance His love for us and nothing to lose it either. Grace has no room for earning. It’s a free gift of favor on undeserving humans like you and me.

But because I love accomplishments, I am prone to want to add to Jesus’ perfect accomplishment on the cross. Jesus, plus being really good. Jesus, plus following some set of unspoken church rules. Jesus, plus taking in all the orphans and foster children. Jesus, plus trying to earn God’s continual acceptance.

But it’s faith in Jesus—and Jesus’ work on the cross alone—that matters. We are called to walk by that faith and trust God to close and open doors. We don’t have to do every good deed or say yes to every ministry opportunity to know if God approves of us. In fact, we are refined by God’s grace day after day as we better understand this truth. The writer of Hebrews tells us “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (11:6, NIV). This should fill our hearts with peace and allow us to take a deep sigh of relief. Grace doesn’t look like perfectly calculated yeses. It looks like trusting by faith.

The truth is that God has already fully accepted us, because He fully accepted the sacrifice His Son made for you and me. He is turned toward us, with grace in His heart. When we say yes to something by faith and need to turn around and say no to it later, it’s still by faith. And that trust is so pleasing to our good God.

GRACE REFLECTION: What work are you adding to the perfect work of the Cross? Where do you try to earn God’s free grace in your life? Remember that God accepts you fully, just as He does His own Son.