During my life growing up, I had always been told that if I believed Jesus died on the cross and rose again that I would be saved.

THE MEANING OF THE CROSS

During my life growing up, I had always been told that if I believed Jesus died on the cross and rose again that I would be saved. Something just didn’t set right with that statement. How could someone be saved just by believing someone died and rose again? Yes, this is a historical fact, so of course I believe it! I also believe that Christopher Columbus “sailed the ocean blue in 1492”! Does that save me?? Believing in both of these things takes faith. So, where’s the works of that faith?

The works, or requirement, of faith in the case of our salvation is for us to literally put ourselves on that cross, emptying ourselves of our self will, in obedience to our faith. This is the action (works) that is required!

In Philippians 2:12-13 Paul tells us, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

This mornings devotional “Our Daily Walk” by F B Meyer, says it best.


"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5.

FAITH IS not simply an intellectual experience of a statement of fact, but it is our personal trust and confidence in Him of whom the fact is true. We are not saved merely because we believe that Jesus Christ died for us on the Cross, but because we trust in Him who died. It is the personal touch between Christ and ourselves that causes His life to pass into our nature, making us sound and healthy, as well as secure and safe.

What does the Cross mean to you and me? Does it not mean that there our Lord gave Himself absolutely to the Father's will? Never in any way did He make Himself the origin and fountain of His action, but was ever the empty channel through which God poured Himself. "He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." It seemed as if He went down lower and lower, on rung after rung of the ladder until He reached Hades, giving up everything only to follow the Will of God; but out of the lowest depths God raised Him to the Eternal Throne.

In each one of us there is strong self-will. You say, "I am resolved to be a good man or woman, to live a noble life, to give up bad habits--I will." But it can never be accomplished in that way. It is only when we are willing to see ourselves, our own energy, our good self as well as our bad self brought to an end on the Cross of Jesus, that we shall be able to enter into and live His eternal life.

At this moment I would summon you to stand beneath the Cross and to see there One who entirely yielded up His own will. More than that, I want you to see your self-life nailed there, and turn from it to God in adoration, saying that you are prepared to be weak and helpless so far as your own energies are concerned, that He may put forth in your life the mighty energy of that power (authority) which raised Christ from the dead. It is only when we are weak that we are really strong; it is only when we have surrender ourselves to the power of the Cross, so that we realize that we have been crucified with Christ that we are able to share in His eternal victory over the devil and the power of evil.

Now a personal note of my own.
It is only when we have done this that we can say as Paul said in Galatians 2:19-21 “I through the law am dead to the law,(for the gentile this is only found in Genesis 2:16-17, the law of sin and death placed upon all humanity.) that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” This is then the answer to the Lords statement found in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” In this way we become the connate (Taken from Webster's 1812 Dictionary: connate; Born with another; being of the same birth;In botany, united in origin; growing from one base, or united at their bases; united into one body.)or conjoined to Christ,of God in Christ Jesus and He begins to live His Life within us, again.