Workin' For A Livin': Daily Bread That Is Needed Daily

"Jesus came not to give bread, but to be bread."  - John Piper

Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
(John 6:28-33 ESV)

The work of first and most importance in the life of the Christian is that of faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Then, and only then, can any other good works pleasing to God be accomplished. This work, it should be noted, is not one that we accomplish in and of ourselves as we see later in the passage; it is accomplished completely apart from us as an act of mercy by a benevolent God (John 6:44). The work that is done by human means is important (2 Thess. 3:6-15), but the true work that ultimately gives life is not accomplished by us. Our work is just as terminal and finite as we are (Genesis 3:19). But, Christ is eternal, and therefore the work that he accomplishes is eternal as well.

Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:



“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,


and whose sins are covered;


blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”


(Romans 4:4-8 ESV)
 
Believing in the One who God has sent is referred to as doing the work of God. As we learn in Romans 9:14-18, human will and exertion are not enough to save us from the wrath of God. The offense of sin is judged by the magnitude of the one for whom it has offended. God is eternal; so, in order to be redeemed from our fallen state, we must be saved by a state of the same measure (John 17:1-26; Galatians 6:7-10; Ephesians 2:1-10)

Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Posted via email from THE CENTER (ROOM 116)

"The Good Shepherd": Perseverance (and Preservation) In the Atoning Work of Christ

"Believing doesn't make you a part of His flock; being a part of His flock allows you to believe." - John Piper
So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
(John 10:7-18 ESV)

The definite redemption of the saints is in view here; it is not only definite, but also universal. Jesus came not to save some particular type of people, but a particular people made of every tribe, tongue, and nation (Revelation 5:9-10). Also to be noted, if you are in Christ, you cannot fall away, because as his sheep we only hear His voice and no other. By his atoning work on the cross, he seals them, thereby they are unable to fall away from their faith in an ultimate sense...
If these words of Christ don't bring confidence to the life of Christian faith and the assurance of salvation, I don't think that anything would (John 17:12; Jude 24).

Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Posted via email from THE CENTER (ROOM 116)