You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. – 2 Timothy 2:1
A liberating truth of the gospel is that Christ’s merit secured our favor with God. We’ve been justified by faith in Christ’s work on the cross, and we have resulting peace with God. (cp. Rom. 5:1) This was all accomplished by Christ for us, and there is nothing we can add to His work, which would make us more accepted in Him, or more favored by God. You are favored by God, because God is pleased with what Christ has done. Christ’s righteousness truly became your righteousness (eg. Your right standing before God), when you accepted Christ.
However two important juxtaposing questions must be asked here. … One is … “Is there a place for the operation of actively pursuing spiritual disciplines in my life?” and the other is … “Should I simply rest in the work that Christ did, and stop all attempts to work at Christian life, knowing I’m accepted and favored by God?”
To think that I can make God love me more, and be more pleased with me, if I do more for God is error. Likewise, to think that, “because Christ has done it all, I’m free from striving and pursuing God.” Both positions are wrong. Striving for the favor of God will result in spiritual frustration, guilt and condemnation, and burnout. In contrast, living the Christian life in a passive, apathetic manner will result in becoming “lukewarm” in faith. Remember this – Paul challenged Timothy to “be strong in grace.” This is active, and there’s no passivity evident in Paul’s imperative statement here. Still we need to resolve – these disciplines must never never be done out of a sense of thinking that God is more pleased with me because of my religious performance.
The fact of the Christian life is this …. Prayer, worship, meditation, and the study of the Word of God, with a desire to walk out these truths in obedience to God will produce gladness of heart, and spiritual growth. A life filled with gratitude to God for all that Christ has done will truly result in the passionate pursuit of God in one’s daily life, not only increasing in the knowledge of scripture, but will have an effect on decisions and choices in our daily lives.
Paul stated his passion and pursuit of God in Philippians 3:13,14, where he writes
“…. One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” These words have no place for a passive Christian life, but rather Paul kept pressing on until the end of his life.
I want to urge you. Rest in God, and all Christ has done. He loves you. He delights in you. Make the practice of immersing yourself in scripture, prayer, meditation, and walking with God, a part of your daily life. The result will be the “abundant life,” of what Jesus promised to give us, (cp. John 10:10). You’ll experience greater significance in your life, and your testimony will have a ripple effect of impacting others of Christ. Grace empowers. Grace strengthens us and makes us happy in God.
photo by Charles Cutis
- Photo by Charles Curtis
