There is a human urge to make grace more complicated than it is. The pure Gospel rejects this urge every time. https://biblia.com/verseoftheday/lightbox/EN_Acts_15_10 …

The demand of the Gospel is enough, according to Jesus: If you want to be a follower of mine you must deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me. If you wish to save your life you will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. (Matthew 10.38-39; Matthew 16.24-27; Mark 8.34-37; Luke 9.23-26; Luke 14.25-28; John 12.24-26)

No one, and I mean no one, could fulfill the demand of discipleship apart from the grace and power offered us through and because of the cross of Jesus. It is this truth Jesus pounded firm into the ground of eternity when he instructed the apostles, “…repentance for forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed in [my] name to all the nations…”

That is it. Turning from being my own god, receiving forgiveness of the sin of pretending to be the god of my life, and following the One who Was and Is and Will Always Be, God.

The Gospel of Jesus is too ‘straightforward,’ too ‘easy,’ to ‘simple.’ We can’t help but attempt to add to it. The Apostles argued about whether or not the covenant of circumcision was required, whether or not abstaining from eating meat sacrificed to idols was required. They were upset by the power of a revolution that was apart from the input of human opinion.

And so are we.

It is enough to surrender our lives in repentance and receive forgiveness we could never merit. It is enough to lose in order to gain forever, to follow rather than direct our own steps.

Reject the ‘extra’ receive pure Grace.