Summer School: “Jesus + Nothing = Everything” — Monday
Galatians 2:21
For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. (NLT)
I remember showing up to the tryouts of my high school baseball team as nervous as could be. I couldn’t sleep the night before, and could barely concentrate throughout the school day prior to the tryouts. I wanted to make the team so bad that I was willing to do whatever it took to earn a spot. When tryouts rolled around, I made sure to hustle as hard as I could. I did everything in my power to impress the coaches, and I gave 110% effort on the field, hoping for a spot on the team. At the end of the tryout, the coach gathered everyone up and said, “I’m not cutting anyone this year; by just showing up, you’ve all made the team!” A large part of me was relieved to hear this, but another part of me felt silly for how much I allowed myself to stress over the tryouts. There was nothing I could have done better at the tryout to earn my spot on the team. The coach already had it in his mind that he wasn’t going to cut anyone. It didn’t matter how bad or good I looked at the tryout, I was already on the team before it even began.
I think this illustrates what Paul meant when he said, “If keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.” How many of us try so hard to be something that we already are? Scripture clearly tells us that we are made right with God through our faith, not our actions. Yet many of us still try so hard to impress God or earn our salvation by doing good things. How silly is that? God’s Word tells us plainly there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation or God’s love. If we could earn it by following the law, then Christ died for nothing. If we can add anything to the cross of Christ, then it means absolutely nothing!
Monday’s Reflection
Rest today knowing that you were already made right with God when you first believed. You don’t have to try out to make God’s team.
