I saw a rather interesting post on Facebook this morning, comparing the last earthly words of Jesus and Buddha.
Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19 v 30), while Buddha is claimed to have said, “Strive without ceasing”.
Now, I checked other sources for his final words and got many different statements, including, “Strive with earnestness” and “Live life pure with diligence”.
Whatever his last words were, Buddha was telling his followers that they still had to do something and indeed keep doing it well.
Jesus told His followers that what had to be done had been done; indeed whatever it was had been finished.
Buddha was talking of works, while Jesus was talking about rest.
Christianity is all about what Jesus has done and completed, religion is all about what we still have to do.
Christianity is not a religion, in that it was not man made, it was Christ made!
All religions of this world (and I do not include true Christianity in this list) are systems of rules and regulation whereby men try and live a worthy and good life, allowing them to reach out to God.
Religion is all about works.
Christianity is all about resting in the finished work of Jesus, or it should be.
Christianity requires you to have faith in Jesus and does not require works for you to be worthy in the sight of God (John 6 v 29).
Paul warned the church about the dangers of religion, reminding them not to return to dead works and slavery (Galatians 5 v 1).
This warning is as true today as it was when Paul wrote his epistle.
Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that we can enter into His rest and liberty through the finished work of Jesus”.
Galatians 5 v 1…..Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of slavery
