My heart is grieved and cries out within me. How is it that Jesus had come and brought God to us and gave His blood to return us to God, and so many are still lost? Life is in the blood. Jesus gave up being Spirit – having life within Himself – to come to the earth in a body that was flesh and blood. Jesus gave up an eternal body to come in a body that could and would die. The Word of God that was always with God, came to this world to die. With His death and resurrection already complete, some still teach salvation is by our own works with a little help from our friend, Jesus. They go on to teach that the works are all or some of the statuses and the laws.

What did Jesus say were the works that could effect our salvation. It was Jesus’ blood that bought our salvation and His righteousness that is our righteousness; it is only right that we ask Him, “What works can effect our salvation?” The better question would be, “What works show our salvation in Jesus?” “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me… inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (read Matthew 25).

What happened to all the people that lived before Moses? Are they all damned to an eternal death? Noah believed God and built an arc. Is Noah damned to an eternal death? NO! Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD (Genesis 6:8). Before there was the law, God’s grace is what saved. What about Adam and Eve? They sinned before the law was given to Moses. Adam heard the voice of God and did not obey. Eve heard the voice of Satan and they both sinned! Before there was the law, there was sin and sin was and is, “not hearing and obeying God!” I spoke to you in your prosperity, But you said, “I will not hear.” This has been your manner from your youth, that you did not obey My voice (Jeremiah 22:21).

So it was, when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders. And you said: “Surely the LORD our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives. Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God anymore, then we shall die. For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? You go near and hear all that the LORD our God may say, and tell us all that the LORD our God says to you, and we will hear and do it” (Deuteronomy 5:23-27). God speaks to mankind, unless they refuse to hear.

Jesus is our salvation and our attempts to be our own is another slap on the face of our Lord as He stands in our place in Pilate’s judgment hall. Jesus stood still as He was judged by this world’s judges. Jesus went to the cross and died. The blood of our Lord stained the floor of the judgment hall and the ground on a hill of punishment – FOR US! When is enough enough? The blood of Jesus is enough. The life of Jesus is enough. Inasmuch as you have done it to the One that is the greatest of my brethren, you have done it to me. That is the message of Jesus Christ. He has done it for me. Now we are asked to believe that He has done it and accept His Spirit into our lives – let the fact that He has done it be for you.

© 2005 Tim D. Coulter Sr.