Jesus Plus

“For freedom Christ has set us free, stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1 ESV). I love how this chapter in Galatians begins. “For freedom Christ has set us free…” Christ did not set us free so we could pick up the yoke or weight of religion. In the context of the Galatians, Paul is telling them that the Jewish ceremonial laws and regulations are not a weight that the Gentiles(a non Jew) have to pick up by accepting the freedom of Christ. Please remember that the Bible has been written for us, but it was not written too us. Even though Paul had the Galatians in mind when penning this letter, the principles behind what he writes are for us.

When someone comes into our church and comes to faith in Christ, do you weigh them down with a heavy yoke of things they have to do now that they are a Christian? I love the satire of song writer Steve Taylor in his song “I Want to be a Clone” (the song is nearly 30 years old, live performance): I asked the Lord into my heart/They said that that’s the way to start/But now you’ve got to play the part/I want to be a clone…..They told me that I’d fall away/Unless I followed what they say/Who needs the Bible anyway?/I want to be a clone…..Their language, it was new to me/But “Christianese” got through to me/Now I can speak it fluently/I want to be a clone…..Cause if you wanna be one of His/You got to act like one of us.

Specifically in Galatians 5, Paul confronts the Gentiles that had put their faith in Christ and were being told by other teachers that they needed to be circumcised along with their new faith. Paul comes against the idea that you must have Jesus plus something. Jesus came to fulfill the Jewish law and has given us salvation through faith alone by grace alone in Him. In today’s jargon you might of heard the term “legalism” in stead of “law.” Legalism is a strict, literal or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code (Websters). Legalism destroys liberty.

In John 6 Jesus is talking to a group of people at a town called Capernaum. In verse 28 they ask Jesus “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” These people wanted to know what excessive conformity they needed to apply themselves so they could be seen by God as good or worthy. Jesus gives them an answer in v.29, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he(The Father) has sent.” We should have only one excessive conformity. To believe in Jesus.

When a English translation of the Bible uses the word “believe” it is usually meant as a heavy word. Belief is thrown around in our culture like a beach ball at a sporting event. I am no Greek scholar. What I do have is some books that very smart people (who study Greek for a career) have put together to use as a reference. When you start looking up words that are translated into the English word “believe,” you will discover other words: trust, faith, be persuaded in the truthfulness of, and confidence. When Jesus says “that you believe in him whom he has sent” it is not a passive belief. Interestingly Jesus calls it the only work that we must do. This is a belief that changes everything in your life.

The story goes more often then not, you believe in Jesus then someone comes along the side of you and tells you other things you must do. The “Jesus Plus” effect occurs. Please understand that I am in no way encouraging an abuse of God’s grace that says “We have grace and forgiveness through Jesus, so we can go live however we want.” If this is your attitude then maybe your “belief” in God is in question. Only God truly knows the heart.

The big idea that I am getting at is you can do nothing to get to the Father except through Jesus. Paul writing to Timothy explains it this way, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5 ESV). That means church attendance, music style, friend, husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, pastor, tithing, choice of clothes, brushing your teeth, even Bible study and anything else can not get you to God. I love how Mark Driscoll puts it, “Jesus plus anything ruins everything.” In Galatians 5, Paul was speaking against “Jesus plus circumcision.”

In John chapter 6, Jesus uses the word “work” in a singular form. One work.  Yes, it really is that simple. Believe in Jesus. Remember that simple does not mean it is easy. I assure you that it is not. Belief in Jesus is a life of repentance. It is a life of trusting in God no matter what you may see or feel. Not easy.

I debated with myself whether to call this out publicly on my blog. We do need an example that does not include circumcision. Here goes. Stellar Kart has a song called “Me and Jesus.” The song goes like this:

When there’s nowhere else to turn
All your bridges have been burned
Feels like you’ve hit rock bottom
Don’t give up it’s not the end
Open up your heart again
When you feel like no one
Understands where you are

[Chorus]
Someone loves you even when you don’t think so don’t you know you got
Me and Jesus by your side through the fight you will never be alone on your own you got me and Jesus

After all that we’ve been through
By now you know I’ve doubted too
But every time my head was in my
Hands you said to me

[Chorus]

Hold on to what we got
This is worth any cost so
Make the most of life
That’s borrowed
Love like there’s no tomorrow

[Chorus]

This song has been requested by boyfriends for their girlfriends on the radio. Essentially what this song does is it puts a person at the same level as Jesus. Jesus plus me. To be correct, it is me plus Jesus. We can not be the Savior for people. We can not even share the responsibility. Do not think I am discouraging you to not be there for people. When it comes to eternity, when it comes to our souls we only have one mediator, Jesus. I know you might be thinking, “Trevor, it is just a harmless song. It is no big deal.” It is a big deal. Especially when it is helping to form the minds of our young people and it says you can have a mediator besides Christ. This song is played on stations that are perceived as safe to listen too. Think again.

It is true that true belief in Jesus will change how we live our lives. This is to be done out of obedience, not religious obligation. If it is not obedience, then it is work. Work that can not save you.

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