I was taught that Jesus did his part on Calvary. Now it’s up to us. Up to us to do right, since baptism covers sin up to that point but we’ll still face judgment for any wrongs since baptism. Up to us to come to God, to ensure time with him, to be dedicated enough, to stay saved… that on the cross Jesus said ‘it is finished’ and so he had done all he could to save us. The rest was up to us. And yet we were told we couldn’t be good enough, couldn’t do it on our own.
I don’t know exactly what Jesus meant when he said it was finished, but I don’t believe he meant he was finished. Not with reaching out to us, drawing us, saving us. Not with helping us, walking with us, living through us.
We can’t live for him on our own. He knew that better than anyone. If everything past the cross is left to us, we won’t get very far. We were taught that salvation is a daily, hourly thing, but Christ was left out of the equation past Calvary. ‘It’s no longer I that live, but Christ living in me’ doesn’t sound like it’s ‘up to us’ or that all Jesus would do to save me was finished 2000 years ago. Perhaps the plan for salvation was finished, but not Jesus’ part in our salvation. That part is continual.
