Seven Unfiltered Thoughts
On January 25th, 2023, I wrote seven things in my journal entry titled, “My Thoughts Unfiltered.” Here are the seven things:
I know that salvation is not based on feelings, but I don’t feel saved.
I pray and read the Word and I don’t feel anything.
I tend to have doubts and unbelief.
I’ve been stressed and anxious.
I’ve been angry, impatient, and unsatisfied.
I don’t have joy.
I’m not growing spiritually.
I felt like I was unredeemable. I felt like I wasn’t saved. The problem was not that I wasn’t saved. It was rather how I forgot that my salvation is based on three things: (1) the grace of Jesus, (2) the work of Jesus, and, ultimately, (3) the Person of Jesus.
The Grace of Jesus Is Enough
Oftentimes in life, I leaned on my own understanding in any given circumstance. There is a problem, though. A lot of my understanding stemmed from how I presently felt in my circumstances. If I feel like I am not saved, I'll eventually start thinking that I am not saved.
We must trust in the Lord that He has us in His hands rather than leaning on our present feelings in difficult circumstances (Proverbs 3:5). Our present feelings do not dictate our past salvation. Nothing that we feel now can affect what Christ already did on the cross.
It may feel like we’ve sinned so much that we can’t be saved, but it is in those very moments that Jesus reminds us of His sufficient grace. When Peter first met the Lord in Luke 5, he cried these words: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Peter probably felt like he was unworthy to be in the presence of Jesus. Peter probably felt like he had made too many mistakes that he couldn’t be redeemed. But Jesus said to him, “Do not be afraid.”
Even after the disciples denied Jesus and scattered, Jesus extended His grace to them. Several days after the resurrection in John 21, Jesus made an appearance to His disciples and prepared breakfast. Yes, you read that right. The Lord Jesus prepared breakfast for the disciples even after they ran away from Him and denied Him.
Despite our sins, mistakes, and failures—no matter how far we may have gone—Jesus still welcomes us to the table because of His grace. Accept the grace of Jesus, friends. You are saved by His grace through your faith (Ephesians 2:8). His grace is sufficient for you even in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
The Work of Jesus Is Enough
Because I felt completely unredeemable, I wanted to do things that made me feel like I was redeemed. I read the Bible more. I prayed more. I spent time alone with God more. I preached in my ministry to the homeless more. I prayed for others more. I served others more. I contributed to conversations in my Bible study group more. But at the end of the day, these things didn’t assure me of my salvation. Rather, they gave me a false assurance, causing me to think I was saved by doing all sorts of good things.
When we don’t feel like we are saved, we most likely resort to doing “good works” so that we can begin feeling like we are saved. However, our works do not contribute to our salvation (Isaiah 64:6; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:20). Our “obedience” to the Law will do no good for us since we will still fall short, either at one point or another. God demands perfection for salvation. As hard as we try to strive for it, we will never attain it.
But there is One who has attained it for us: Jesus. God has gifted us with the ability to have faith in Jesus so that we can still be saved. We must place our faith in the sufficient work of Jesus.
Such righteousness of His is credited to us as our own because of our faith in Him. He took our place on the cross so that we can take His in right standing before the Father. His righteousness is ours (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
Believe in the perfect and complete work of Jesus and be relieved from all burdens of striving (John 5:36; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13). It is finished. The work is already finished!
The Person of Jesus Is Enough
One might seek to study and know God’s Word and still not (desire to) be saved. Consider Bart Ehrman, for example, who is an American New Testament scholar and an agnostic atheist. Ehrman knows Bible verses off the top of his head. Ehrman has an expert understanding of biblical culture. Yet, Ehrman does not believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior.
A Western culture of Christianity often promotes the study and knowledge of God’s Word. Now, there is nothing wrong with that at all. However, it becomes dangerous when we begin to make Scripture the source of our eternal life. It becomes dangerous when we study the totality of Scripture without Christ in view.
The Jewish religious leaders knew the Old Testament page to page. They probably believed what they thought was “sound doctrine” and “solid theology” since they memorized the Word of God so well. Perhaps, we can say that they studied and knew the Word of God better than anyone else.
In John 5:39-40, Jesus said to the Jewish religious leaders, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” Although the Jewish religious leaders knew the Word of God so well, they could not even recognize that Jesus was the Messiah whom the Scriptures testified about.
Eternal life cannot be found apart from the Person of Jesus. Jesus prayed these very words in the Garden of Gethsemane: “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). Notice how Jesus does not say: “And this is eternal life, that they know Scripture in and out and have all the right doctrine and theology.”
Scripture does not give us eternal life. Our “sound doctrine” does not give us eternal life. Our “solid theology” does not give us eternal life. Our study and knowledge of God’s Word do not save us!
Dare I say that it is easy to fall in love with the words of a person more than the person themself? Let that not be the case for us in our pursuit of loving Jesus. The Word of God testifies about Jesus. The Word of God points us to Jesus. Therefore, it is the Person of Jesus who saves us ultimately!
Know Jesus more today than yesterday. Be reminded to love the Person of Jesus above everyone and everything, even Scripture and theology (Mark 12:30). Be reminded that eternal life can only come from the Person of Jesus. Read Scripture and study theology with Christ in view!
Three Reminders of Salvation
When I feel unworthy, I must remember that salvation is based on the grace of Jesus—not on my feelings. When I attempt to earn salvation, I must remember that salvation is already made available through the perfect work of Jesus—not in my strivings of “good works.” When I study God’s Word and theology, I must remember that salvation is found only in the Person of Jesus—not in my knowledge of Scripture. Accept His grace today. Believe that the work is finished on the cross. Know and experience Jesus.
In Jesus, we can have eternal security. In Jesus, we can have full assurance of our salvation. In Jesus, we can have joy and satisfaction. Jesus is our salvation!
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