Jesus Plus?

"Jesus said...It is finished." (John 19:30)

"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:3)

"I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2:21)

Many years ago, a food manufacturer came up with the perfect cake mix. It required the home chef to add nothing. No flour. No oil. No sugar. No eggs. However, sales were far below expectations.

So after conducting a campaign of consumer surveys, the cake mix was re-released to the public with one alteration. It now required the home chef to add one egg to the mix. Sales went through the roof! (1)

Why do we insist on adding something to what is already complete? Jesus cried from the cross, "It is finished!" Our salvation has been bought by His blood, and our debt stamped, "Paid in full." So why do we insist on adding to the finished work of Christ upon the cross?

The church at Galatia required its members to be circumcised in order to be saved. But Paul rebuked them, "Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:3). We would no doubt be quick to agree with Paul that circumcision is not necessary for our salvation. But what about the other things we try to add to Christ's finished work?

Jesus plus... water baptism.

Jesus plus... speaking in tongues.

Jesus plus... tithing.

Jesus plus... Mary.

Jesus plus... performing good works.

Trying to earn your own salvation is a burden to great to bear. Jesus has completed the work on the cross, and there is nothing left for you to do... nothing to do but just rest in Him. To the Philippians, Paul wrote, "We... rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3:3).

(1) Source: "It's Not About Me," by Max Lucado