Fixed vs Growth: Effort, Saved to Love

We are saved by grace through faith.  That is our fixed identity in Christ.  But it would be foolish and wrong-headed to reject effortful godly actions out of fear that we might be perceived as trying to earn salvation.  This Christian mindset says “I can’t do anything to earn my salvation…therefore, I’m not going to do anything.  I don’t want people to think I’m trying to earn God’s favor, so I’m not going to engage in visible actions of love and compassion.  If I put forth that kind of effort, people might question my identity as a redeemed child of God and think I’m trying to earn my salvation.”  Nothing could be further from the truth!  But the difference is in the heart—in the mindset.  Only you and God know your motivation.  Are you volunteering at a soup kitchen to “get right with God”?  Or are you volunteering because you rejoice in God’s love for you and want to show that love toward others?  Do you spend time praying and studying your Bible to earn God’s favor?  Or do you hunger for His presence and want to understand His word and will?  It is a wrong and very fixed mindset that prevents Christians from even attempting godly behaviors out of fear that their identity as saved children of God will be questioned.  We stand on the fixed and sure relationship with have with God in Christ and are empowered to grow has His children.

In Micah 6:8, the prophet tells his readers what God expects—not burnt offerings and generous sacrifices, but justice, mercy and humility.  In Matthew23: 23, Jesus chastises the Pharisees for their picayune tithing of spices while neglecting the more important matters of justice, mercy and faithfulness.  He is calling them out not for their actions, but for their unloving, un-compassionate hearts. Two chapters later, Jesus tells two parables:  the parable of the talents, and the parable of the sheep and the goats.  In your Bible, these are likely separated into sections with headings; the implication is that they are distinct, unrelated narratives.   But if we reflect on these two parables in light of this idea of spiritual growth and effort, of growing in faith and in godliness, of living out faith through actions, we can see that they are related.  In the parable of the talents, the three servants are given money (called talents) and expected to use it wisely.  The only servant who earns the displeasure of his master is the one who, out of fear of somehow screwing up, simply buried his allotment of money in the ground.  The other two servants used their endowment wisely, multiplying it through industrious effort and offering both the original and the dividends back to the master.  The second parable describes the separation of the sheep from the goats at the end of the world.  The sheep are described as people who diligently demonstrated mercy, kindness and generosity to the sick, the imprisoned and the destitute—not out of fear of punishment, but because of their love for God and for His people.  The goats are described as those who failed to do the same—who neglected to show kindness toward anyone in need, who even seemed oblivious to the presence of suffering in others.  Christ as judge states that He Himself is present in the sick and destitute, and that our actions are experienced as service to—or neglect of—God Himself.  In Matthew25: 46, Jesus makes a direct link between actions of love or neglect resulting in eternal punishment or eternal life.  The call to live out our faith, to grow in faith and to make every effort to add to it goodness, perseverance, knowledge and brotherly kindness is real.  James 2: 26 says it clearly:  faith without deeds is dead.

This is the crux of the matter.  The effort we are to expend is to grow and live out our faith.  Without that, faith is dead.  How do we know when a plant is alive?  It grows and it produces fruit.  Our salvation is by faith alone, but faith is never alone.  How do we know that faith is alive?  It grows and it produces fruit. The growth mindset of the Christian is to grow in faith and godliness, to never stagnate.  We do not bury our talents—our faith, our wealth, our natural or spiritual gifts—in the ground, operating out of fear of judgement or failure.  We revel in our identity as forgiven, redeemed children of God who have no fear of failure and who overflow with the love of God toward other people.  We live out that love through service, through patience, kindness, perseverance, generosity, mercy and justice toward others.  A quick “control F” of this document [the original format of the blog posts so far] so far finds the word “fruit” more than 20 times.  Being Christ-followers means being fruitful.  Being a Christian is about growing and producing fruit.

Any Christian discussion of fruitful living leads us to Galatians 5 and the list of the Fruits of the Spirit.  Interestingly, the book of Galatians is a treatise on faith versus works, faith versus human effort. The epistle to the Galatians is an impassioned plea to the people of Galatia to rely on faith alone for salvation.  Their church fellowship was being corrupted by people who taught “faith and works” for salvation.  The first chapter, verses 1 through 10, describes these false teachers who were throwing the people into confusion, trying to add to the purity of the Gospel message of salvation by grace through faith in Christ.  They were teaching that certain acts—like circumcision and the avoiding of certain foods—were essential components of salvation; that faith in Christ was not complete, and that these actions must be added to the equation.  Paul blasts these false teachers, saying that by adding something to the purity of the Gospel message they have corrupted it into no Gospel at all.  He is clear:  salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone.  Paul describes two “payment plans”:  the all sufficient payment for sins made by Christ and received by faith (the Gospel), versus the attempt to meet all of God’s holy expectations by human effort (the Law).  We can’t mix up those payment plans and the human effort payment plan will never be enough.  But then Paul’s discussion moves back to godly behaviors:  where do those behaviors fit?  They are not to earn salvation, but are a product of God’s Spirit in us.  We are not fruitful to earn God’s favor; we are fruitful because we have His favor, His Spirit.  It is the same Spirit that grants us faith that empowers us to grow and be fruitful, to behave with love and peace in our hearts, patience toward others, and faithfulness in our duties and obligations. 

1)      Read Galatians 5.  The first verse tells us that “it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”  If we start viewing certain acts and efforts as a way to earn salvation, how does that enslave us?  In other words, if you were to view your time spent volunteering, your diligence at your job and your compassion toward your family as a way to earn God’s favor—how would that perspective make you a slave, creating fear of failure and a burden of guilt?

2)      “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love.” (Galatians 5: 6b)  Faith is lived out in love.  And we are reminded in verses 14 and 15 that God’s desire is that we love one another and live in peace.  How do the Fruits of the Spirit in verses 22 and 23 expand this idea of living out God’s love?

3)      They are called the Fruits of the Spirit because they are only possible through God’s Spirit in us.  Human effort alone will fail miserably:  we are naturally full of sinful, selfish desires (see verses 16 through 18).  How does this comfort and strengthen you as you consider acting out those Fruits in your life?  How is it freeing to know you don’t have to achieve love, joy, peace and patience on your own efforts?

4)      Think again about the call of Jesus to Peter to “feed My sheep.”  How will these divine Fruits lead to success in this calling?  How will the Fruits of the Spirit look in your life?  What opportunities do you have to demonstrate them?

5)      Meditate on this:  you are God’s redeemed child, saved by faith and blessed with His Spirit.  You are both called and empowered to be fruitful, to demonstrate those Fruits.  It will require effort, but not your effort alone:  God has given you His Spirit and it is that Spirit that empowers all of your effort.  Any conviction or guilt you feel when you read the words love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control can be turned over to God.  He forgives all of your sins for Jesus’ sake and blesses you with His Spirit to be fruitful.  There is no risk of failure—of losing your salvation through inadequacy as a Christian--only opportunity for growth and fruitfulness.