Christ’s work for our walk

It’s not easy for me to rest in the work of someone else. I actually find it hard to rest at all—basically an obsession with accomplishment. But the message of the gospel is this: to walk as Christ walked, I must rest in His work.

Naturally, my mindset is altogether different. The message of my flesh is this: try harder, be better, and do more.

Maybe you can relate to my struggle. It seems wrong to rest in the work of another. We wouldn’t take a vacation with the paycheck of a co-worker. We wouldn’t take a couch from a neighbor, drag it home, and relax on the fruit of his labor.

The way of the world is learning to work. The way of the gospel is learning to rest in the work of Jesus. And to rest in Him is to walk as He walked.

In 1 John 2:1-2, we’re reminded of Christ’s work. John writes, “My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one. He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world” (CSB).

These two verses highlight the work Jesus accomplishes for us.

Notice the reference to “atoning sacrifice” in verse 2. Some English translations use the word “propitiation.” Other translations use the word “expiation.”

Propitiation means to make favorable. Expiation means to take away.

I like to think of them as two sides of the same coin. Jesus removes (expiates) our sin and shame, and because He does, He satisfies (propitiates) the wrath of God. This is what the atoning sacrifice of Jesus accomplishes. Through His death on the cross, our sin can be forgiven and our relationship with God restored.

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “He [God] made the one who did not know sin [Jesus] to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (CSB).

The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). But the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). No longer should we walk in sin and shame. Jesus can remove it.

Not only does the work of Jesus remove our sin and shame, but it also satisfies the wrath of God. To understand His wrath, we must understand His holiness. There’s no sin in Him, so our sin separates us from Him. And there’s no way we can make ourselves good enough.

We can try harder, be better, and do more all we want. But it won’t ever be enough. Until we rest in Christ’s finished work upon the cross, we’re subject to the eternal wrath of God. Only Jesus can rescue us from this wrath (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10).

When you rest in Christ’s work, you can find comfort in knowing He is your advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1). An advocate stands beside someone in a time of need. An advocate helps people who can’t help themselves.

Notice how the advocate in 1 John 2:1 is a present-tense advocate. A living advocate. Jesus doesn’t stay dead. He is alive!

Romans 8:33-34 says, “Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us” (CSB).

We have an accuser. His name is Satan (Revelation 12:10). He tries to accuse us before God. But we have Jesus who intercedes for us. He does what we can’t do because He accomplished what we couldn’t accomplish.

When Satan accuses us, Jesus stands up for us—pointing to His work on the cross and how He has removed our sin and shame. Pointing to His work on the cross and how He has satisfied the wrath of God.

In Christ, we don’t walk alone. We don’t fend for ourselves. He is our advocate with the Father (Hebrews 7:25). And the power of His intercession rests not in what we’ve done but in His finished work on the cross and subsequent resurrection.

It’s the work of Jesus that leads John to write, “I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. . . .” (1 John 2:1).

Newsflash: they sinned. And John knew they would. We still sin too. That’s why we need a righteous advocate. Walking as Jesus walked comes as a result of resting in the work Jesus accomplished. We’re becoming more and more like Him (Romans 8:29) as we rest in His work and walk by faith.

I’m not sure where you are spiritually this Easter weekend.

Those of us who have a relationship with Jesus often need reminded that there’s nothing we’ve done to earn or deserve salvation. It’s His work. It’s His accomplishment. And our response is one of repentance and faith. We must rest in His work and allow that to shape our walk of obedience.

But maybe you still haven’t come around to resting in the finished work of Jesus. Please don’t let another Easter pass without coming to know Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life! There’s so much more about this weekend than bunnies (even though they’re fun), Mini Eggs (even though they’re addictive), and Easter dinner (even though it’s delicious).

Will you rest in the work of Jesus today? He removes sin and shame. Will you trust Him to remove yours? He satisfies God’s wrath. Will you trust Him to do that for you? He is the righteous advocate before the Father. Will you trust Him to be that for you?

The Bible says, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

So, it’s good to be obsessed with accomplishment—just not our own. This Easter, let’s celebrate the accomplishment of someone else. Let’s learn to rest in the gospel and be obsessed with Christ’s work for our walk.