Our lives don’t depend on the great things we do. Our lives depend on Jesus.

“By faith.” Those are some of the simplest words to say but the hardest words to live by. The truth is that we want our lives to be all about what we do. That thought is ingrained in all of us by nature. We want to do big things. We want to be great. We want people to respect us and look up to us and . . .

That’s why I—and probably you too—feel so worn out. So discouraged. We’re not as great, successful, or popular as we want to be. A regular day in our lives sure doesn’t seem very important. We see way more things that we’ve done wrong than things that look successful.

That’s why we need the Bible’s message: “[We] know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16).

“A person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ” (Galatians 2:16).

Not by works. Not by works. Not by works. Isn’t that a great refrain? By faith. By faith. By faith. Get it? In Jesus Christ. In Christ Jesus. In Christ.

Each of those three phrases is repeated in this one little verse. “Not by works. By faith. In Jesus Christ.” This is the gospel! We don’t have to save ourselves. Jesus saved us. Our lives don’t depend on the great things we do. Our lives depend completely on Jesus Christ our Savior. Isn’t that good news?

I was once lamenting to a Christian friend how I wasn’t doing anything great. He wisely said, “Nathan, why do you keep thinking that your life is about you doing something great? Jesus has done the great things for you. You can just do whatever God has called you to do today.” What a relief!

“By faith.” Those are some of the simplest words to say but the hardest words to live by. May God work in our hearts a simple trust in him. Making life about what we do is exhausting. Peace is found by faith in Jesus Christ.

Author: Nathan Nass
Volume 112, Number 10
Issue: October 2025