I am learning a lot these days about the relevance of the gospel to my life as a follower of Jesus. Colossians 2:6-7 reads, "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." It is clear from Scripture that we receive Christ as Lord by faith (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9). We are also, to live the Christian life by faith in Jesus. This entails abandoning confidence in ourselves and our own righteousness, and placing all of our hope each day in Jesus who is "the author and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:1-2).
I am beginning to learn to do this in my own life. Since the Gospel is for sinners, I am starting to begin each day with the realization that despite my being a child of God because of my faith in Jesus, I still sin every day in my heart, mind, and life. If I am aware of any sins in my life, I humbly admit and confess those to God. I repent of my sinfulness and stupidity, and then I remember the promises of the Gospel assuring me of the forgiveness I need. I remember the words of the Gospel that says I am forgiven because of Jesus and that He alone is my salvation and hope.
This confidence in Jesus is powerfully and profoundly captured by Edward Mote in his old school hymn “The Solid Rock” with his words, “My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” Almost every day, I find myself going to those words in addition to reflecting on the promises of forgiveness through Jesus in the Bible. Each day, I need Jesus. I need Him as much to be a Christian, as I did at the age of 13 to become a Christian. He is my hope, confidence and righteousness each and every day.
One of my theological mentors, Jerry Bridges, has noted, "Whatever Scriptures we use to assure us of God’s forgiveness, we must realize that whether the passage explicitly states it or not, the only basis for God’s forgiveness is the blood of Christ shed on the cross for us. As the writer of Hebrews said, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22), and the context makes it clear that it is Christ’s blood that provides the objective basis on which God forgives our sins."
