There has always been a concerted attack against the church. Since its inception, the Devil has tried to undermine the foundational truths upon which the church is built. If the Devil can mess with the basic Gospel of Jesus Christ, he can cause the whole of the body of Christ to topple. It is the truth of salvation by grace through faith that is the cornerstone doctrine that establishes everything else. When anything is either added to, or taken from the simple Gospel of Christ, it no longer is empowered by God to save sinners.

The Gospel was attacked even in Jesus’ day. The Jews refused to believe that the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ was sufficient to cleanse one from their sins. They would not leave their trust in the Law; even though they had never been able to keep it themselves.

The Law had been a fierce and frustrating opponent for the Jews. They knew that it was of God, and they believed that there must be a way to obey it. The problem was, they knew of no one who had ever kept it. They could not understand that Jesus came to fulfill that Law, and by believing in Him, their condemnation under the Law could be satisfied.

Jesus offered a radical, new way to His people. No longer did they have to be enslaved under the Law; always striving, but never attaining. Through Him, they could find forgiveness and freedom from sin, and power to walk a new life. Jesus’ way was not by subjecting their wills, it was by yielding their hearts to him in faith.

Once a person came by faith to Jesus and received His free gift of eternal life, he was suddenly faced with a dilemma. He had been saved by faith and not works; but how was he to live his life from that moment on?

Paul answered that question to new believers who were facing that very problem. He wrote in…

Colossians 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

So many young converts at the time had come out of Judaism. They had grown up under the weight of obedience to the Law. When they finally understood that salvation could only come through faith, they had gladly transferred their dependence from their previously unsuccessful attempts of keeping the Law, to trusting the finished work of Christ on the cross.

Paul told them they were to live each day of their lives, facing each problem and difficulty that arose the very same way they had been saved; by faith in Christ. The power that saved them was now available to them to live their lives. When an unexpected hardship came against them, they could now turn to Christ and depend upon Him for help and direction. No longer were they forced to rely on their fallible wills and elusive wisdom.

Christ died on the cross to pay for the sins of mankind, and now lives to provide for His children everything they need to live God-honoring lives for His glory.

Let’s choose to trust Him for everything, every day, and in every way.