Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Rest in His Finished Work 8/13-8/20/26 (08/13/26)
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TITLE: Undisturbed Rest | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
08/16/26 -
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It is God’s desire that we learn the truth (John 8:32) about salvation that sets one free from all the anxiety, fear, and insecurity that Satan’s counterplan can generate.
Satan’s counterplan is to raise doubts about the Rom. 8: 1 security of one’s salvation.
He reinforces these doubts by promoting the blasphemous concept that faith and faith alone in the Person (John 8: 24) and the atoning Work (1John 2: 2) of the Lord Jesus Christ is not enough to obtain, and or to retain, the unearned, undeserved, irrevocable, gift of eternal life.
Sad to say, but Satan’s counterplan receives the unwitting support of the erroneous teachings and accompanying practices that have evolved within the “Christian” Community.
These “additional requirements” are promoted as necessary to obtain and or to retain salvation, when in fact, they amount to no more than unproductive traditions of men.
“In vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men (Matt. 15: 9 NASB2020.”
In Matt. 15: 9, Jesus was speaking about all the add-ons, misinterpretations, and misapplications of Old Testament Scripture on the part of the Pharisees. But the principle certainly applies to what various religious authorities have done with New Testament Scripture, as well.
Such activities are among the things that “are held in high esteem” by Man, but become insulting and “detestable” abominations (Luke 16: 15) in the eyes of God, when they are promoted as necessary additives to what Jesus Christ finished on the cross.
In John 19: 30, Jesus announced that “it” is finished. The “it” that He finished refers to the atoning work that He had just completed (past tense) on the cross.
The fact that His atoning work was finished BEFORE His physical death occurred is evidenced by His ability to speak when making this announcement.
He did not say it was about to be finished (when He died), but that it had already been finished!
It was AFTER His atoning Work had been FINISHED that He gave up His spirit and physically died (John 19: 30).
What appeared to have been His ultimate defeat, was His greatest victory, in our behalf!
The entombment of His body (Matt. 27: 60); His descending into Paradise (Luke 23: 43); His resurrection (Matt. 28: 6); and His Ascension (Acts 1: 9), etc., ALL had a part of the Mission that He came to fulfill, but it was the shedding of His atoning blood in the capacity of the Lamb of God (John 1: 29), while He was ALIVE on the cross, that paid the world’s sin debt.
The very idea that Man, through human effort and religious activity, could, should, or would do anything to add to or reproduce His sacrificial and atoning work that He finished on the cross, is ludicrous.
The ONLY requirement that Man MUST (John 3: 7) fulfill, in order to be completely and forever saved, is to believe when presented with the unadulterated Gospel Message, encapsulated in John 3: 16, 18.
No one can dispute the degree of physical pain that Jesus endured in our behalf during the events leading up to, and during the crucifixion. Many individuals (including Peter) were crucified, but only Jesus, in the capacity of being the spotless Lamb of God, could and did make atonement for the world’s sin debt (1John 2: 2) during His crucifixion.
Hollywood, and many Christians focus on the excruciating physical pain, humiliating embarrassment, agony, suffering and physical death associated with death by way of crucifixion. But in the process, many fail to realize that His greatest suffering was His spiritual death, being separated and forsaken by God (Psalms 22: 1), as the crushing weight of the world’s sin debt was placed on Him (Isa. 53: 5).
The reason born-again believers can rest assured (Rom. 8:1) that they are eternally saved is because, there is NOTHING we can do, or fail to do, that can change the irreversible, unearned, undeserved Work of God that took place on the cross (1John 2: 2), and His Work (Eph. 4: 30/Titus 3: 5) that took place at the moment we were born-again.
There is no resting in the midst of disturbance (Gal.1:7), confusion, and controversy. This is exactly why Satan keeps the ball rolling, by promoting his counterplan.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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Hallelujah! All glory to God!
What a God breathed sermon, this encouraged, blessed and reminded me of the most precious gift God gave us - Himself - eternal life - forgiveness of our sins - satisfied His wrath on the Cross through His perfect sacrifice to save us when we do not deserve it and we can believe and rest in Him!
Keep writing for the glory of God!