Jesus Didn't Die To Make Us Good!

One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
~John 20:24-27 

I was wrong!  Yes, I heard you gasp and start to fan yourself.  I was wrong for many years.  You see, I was convinced that Jesus death on the Cross was to make me good and I have lived most of my life frustrated and irritated because "good" is simply not something I seem to be able of accomplishing.

Don't get me wrong, I can do good deeds, but I have never been able to BE good!  No matter how much I tried, how focused I was, how long and hard I studied Scripture, no matter what, my efforts were never enough. And I wondered, why did Jesus die if it was not to make me good?  Why did Jesus suffer if it was not to make me good?

Then I came across a couple of quotes by two of my favorite people:

1. "God had only one Son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering."                - St. Augustine
2. "Jesus did not die to make us good, but to make us His." - Dr. Steve Brown

 

 So, does that mean I should stop trying to be good?  Nope!  I still must try, but instead of beating myself up when I fail, I give it all to God through Jesus' and let Him remind me how much He loves me and forgives me and helps me.

 

Thomas said he needed proof that Christ had risen.  If you read carefully what Thomas said, you will find that not only did he need proof that Jesus had risen, but also that Jesus had suffered.  Why else would he need to put his fingers into Jesus' nail holes?  Why else would he need to put his hand into the wound in Jesus' side?  Thomas needed to be reminded of Jesus' love for him and THAT love didn't make Thomas good, but made Thomas HIS!