Some think that the victory of saving us was won at the cross. The truth is that the victory was already won while Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane. What the cross did was to express the results of that victory.
To me, this is the greatest and single most important Biblical truth of all!!!
When I say: "Recognized", I mean "Recognized to the fullest, beyond any and all doubt! Truth (i.e. "A Vision of Jesus") so real that it will grab hold of you so powerfully that He will cause you to Instantly Cease doing the kind of "religious things" you had always done before to save or help save yourself!
When Jesus says: "It is finished", He means it! He left nothing undone and left nothing for any of us to do to save ourselves, help save ourselves, or do to keep on saving ourselves except "Believing on Him" - Believing that the work to save us is over, because "HE ALONE" did it. And from this flows obedience, worship and all the fruits of the Spirit.
Therefore... Woe to anybody who tries to add to His Work their own works and goodnesses towards saving themselves, thus proving they have never given full recognition of and to the truth as it is seen in Jesus. All they'll receive is contempt
Such a abberant "faith" shows proof that that person is not believing that "GOD ALONE" has done ALL the work necessary to save us... and all WITHOUT HIM ASKING OR SEEKING OUR HELP in any way! He sent "His Son", AKA "The Word made flesh", to do just that.
Here is that victory...
Matthew 26:36-46
It was when Jesus; in His struggling and understanding, set aside His own will, as a man, and took up God's will. This is why He came: "To do the Father's will" - He came to suffer and die on a cross that we may be saved! This is what He was born; as a man, to do and why!
And now, in the Garden of Gethsemane, we see His struggle - we see His conviction - we see His love for the Father as well as for us. We see, we understand, we recognize how beautiful He is, and what He is about to do, and we weep - we weep! We weep in gratitude -- we weap in joy as we give Him thanks and praise -- we weap in deep appreciation as we bless and thank Him over and over again.
This is my Lord and my God! This is the One who saves me! To Him alone be all the praise and glory!
May every blessing in Christ be yours,
One that MUST be grasped - one that MUST be recognized, and recognized to the fullest - all made VIVIDLY CLEAR by the Holy Spirit!!! (read "My Story" at my story )
Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
Mat 26:37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
Mat 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
Mat 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou [wilt].
Mat 26:40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.
Mat 26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
Mat 26:43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
Mat 26:44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Mat 26:45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take [your] rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Mat 26:46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
Yes, we weap for who He is and what He's about to do -- weaping especially for the privelage and honor of just being able to KNOW HIM; to know that He is real, and absolutely precious and lovely, and to have found the only thing in life that matters: "The Lord Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, Son of the Living God!"
Biff
