Believing Is The One Work

"28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6: 28-29)

This passage is one of my favorites.

While many people are pressured with this sentiment that they have to do something, the idea that we can rest in His Finished Work is a grand and wonderful invitation.

Yet something in our flesh automatically rebels, and a stern desire rises up within us. We still want to do something. We want twelve steps, ten ideas, a pathway  in our efforts to get somewhere and have something to boast in.


I must admit, however, that this "work" to believe on Jesus is in many ways harder than I thought.

When we look at passages in Colossians, many of us in our walk in Christ will find that there is more about what Jesus did than we first understand:

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2: 13)

The passage could not be clearer: "having forgiven you all trespasses."

Many people, including myself, did not believe that!

Also, passages like this can be difficult to take in:

"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." (Romans 7: 18)

How many of us still believe in ourselves? How many of us still think that there is some good in us, and that we can try just a little harder?

In the world at large, and even in the Body of Christ, we are still walking in our flesh, in ourselves, in our efforts.

We are not called to walk in this manner:

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5: 16)

For Paul wrote to the Galatians:

"

1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

2Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. " (Galatians 5: 1-4)

 

"Standing" when we want to fight is the hardest thing to do. Doing something rather than resting in the knowledge that everything is done is also very difficult.

 

Jesus was right -- the one work is to believe on Him, and that "labor to rest" (Hebrews 4: 11) is not easy for us at all!