Christ's Work and Our Holiness

We are not saved by our own works, accomplishments, or greatness.  We are saved by the finished work of Jesus Christ. 

The great exchange that took place on the cross was Jesus taking our sin and the punishment that came with it, and He gave us His righteousness and the beautiful access to the Father and His love that comes with it.  

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.  2 Corinthians 8:9

So when we become followers of Christ, our saving work is what has already been accomplished by Him.  Our salvation does not come from something we do.  But often times, we feel like we are the ones who are in charge of our salvation.  

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9

We are to rest in the finished work of Christ on the cross, fully reliant on His righteousness and sacrifice to purchase our salvation.  However, this does not mean that I can just completely forget about living for God.  I am not to continue to live in sin, and just flippantly rely on God's grace for me without living in continual pursuit.

"Faith alone saves, but not faith that stays alone."  -Martin Luther

“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession.... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Sanctification is what should take place for the rest of our lives.  Sanctification is the pursuit of holiness.  God is holy, and He desires for His children to be holy like He is.

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”  1 Peter 1:15-16

Even in our pursuit of holiness, we cannot attain it by ourselves.  Just like when we were initially saved, we must be continually reliant upon God's grace and work in our hearts.  

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.  Ezekiel 36:25-27

This is God talking to us.  It is His work in us that moves us to follow His commands and pursue a holiness that allows us to come before Him.  We cannot come before Him with pride in our hearts.  He must first cleanse us of the idols in our hearts and lives.  We cannot do this in our own power.  It is the Holy Spirit dwelling within us that completes our sanctification. 

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.  Hebrews 12:14

Key word here is effort.  Even though we are reliant on God to do the work in us, God requires our effort, focus, and perseverance in our sanctification and pursuit of holiness.  Our strivings will not be easy, and we will lose often.  But when we stand before the Lamb seated on the throne, it will all be worth it.