"31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself." (Matthew 6: 31-34)
He has all our times, from yesterday, to today, and forever, in His hands.
He is the same, taking care of all times:
"7Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13: 7-8)
Everything rests on His gift of righteousness, and then the rest is added unto us.
His righteousness, however is nothing something that we work for, our that we seek with physical or mental ardor.
His righteousness is a gift:
"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)
and also
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
What marks the transition from Matthew to the Epistles? The Cross!
At the Cross, Jesus offered a full, final, forever sacrifice for our sins:
"Who being [Jesus] the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1: 3)
and
"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (Hebrews 10: 12)
What stands out for me today, today! -- is that this sacrifice which Jesus offered is an eternal sacrifice, for the blood of Jesus cleanses (1 John 1: 7) and speaks (Hebrews 12: 24).
Jesus will be our high priest forever:
"Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." (Hebrews 6: 20).
There is no revisiting whether our sins are forgiven or not. There is no effort on our part, in what we do or think, what we read or feel. It is all about what Jesus did at the Cross.
Yet for years, I was convinced that what I said, did, the program that I was supposed to work (i.e. the Twelve Steps) would set me free.
Never.
As long as we keep believing that we have to confess our sins or grow through other dead works to be forgiven, we are basically saying that what Jesus did on the Cross was not enough, and that therefore it counts for nothing:
"Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10: 29)
There is no room for disagreement on this issue. The blood of Jesus is a serious matter, and not open for debate.
There is none of this "One day at a time" nonsense to keep ourselves clean and pure before God.
No.
It is a once, for all, forever sacrifice which Jesus did at the Cross.
Now we have a better understand of what Paul means when He wrote:
"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (2 Corinthians 10:5)
His obedience is forever. His blood shed for us cleanses forever.
Jesus is our high priest forever, an eternal sacrifice with eternal consequence.
Hallelujah!
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