Done

There’s something deeply satisfying when all the things on my to-do list are … done.  Sometimes I make a “honey-do” list for my “honey,” Mr. Bill.  He is always quick to tell me he doesn’t need a list – he already has plenty of things to do.  But everybody needs a little direction sometimes – don’t you agree?

 

We rejoice as Believers that we have no spiritual to-do list!  As Jesus prayed in [what has been called] the High Priestly Prayer in John 17, He said to the Father, “I glorified You on earth, having accomplished the work that You gave me to do.” (V.4).  Redemption’s great and perfect work – that which bore sin’s wrath and conquered death – was complete before Jesus returned to the Father, and there is nothing more needed.  That’s why God’s Gift of Salvation is free to all – hallelujah, amen!   Religions that promote an exchange of works-for-salvation do not find that in God’s Word.  To be sure, the Believer’s faith will be evident: “But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18).  And, our faith must be active: “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.” (James 2:26).  We live out our faith in a changed lifestyle.  We can be confident in this: “For it is by Grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the Gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.”   See, there’s no spiritual to-do’s – only faith.  Nothing more required – done!  Done! Done!