Breaking Free from a Works-Based Faith
By Megan Conner
Bible Reading:
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” - Matthew 9:13, NIV
We love to pursue spiritual ambitions like, “Giving it all for God,” or “Going BIG for Jesus.” We long to chase hard after God with our faith and our deeds. However, we must be careful that we do not become consumed with what we are doing for God as opposed to what we are doing with God. There will always be another Bible study to attend, another service opportunity to sign up for, another donation to give. These are all beautiful and admirable demonstrations of our desire to serve the Lord. But how often does our spiritual walk become more focused on what we are doing as opposed to WHO we are doing it for?
Legalism is a slippery slope and one many of us can easily fall prey to. One of the flaws of mankind is our sinful lean towards self-reliance. Many of us have been trained since our youth to “pull up our bootstraps,” “go big or go home,” and determine that “you can do anything you put your mind to.” While these famous mottos encourage us onward with resilience when faced with hard times, they can also lead us down the road of becoming a “self-made man (or woman).”
There have been times in my own life when God, in His rich mercy, had to call me back from an existence steeped with unrecognized legalism. I was doing it all and being it all. Little did I know, I had forsaken my First Love. The church and my role in it had become my sole focus. It had become an idol in my life replacing the Lord and His rightful place on the throne of my heart. Perhaps you have found yourself in similar circumstances. You are burned out and overwhelmed by all you are doing for God, when the truth is, you may be doing more than He is asking of you.
The call to follow God is not one of achievement, but rather submission. It is not one of pride and exultation but of surrender and deep humility. When we view our sanctification as something that can be earned because we are “good people,” we are wading into murky and potentially dangerous waters.
In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter seven, Jesus shares a serious warning to all who may knowingly, or unknowingly, be relying on their own merit and good deeds to enter into heaven.
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.” Matthew 7:21-23 (NLT)
This rebuke may sound pretty harsh from our mortal perspective. But it doesn’t make it any less true. The Bible clearly tells us: “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,
and our sins sweep us away like the wind,” (Isaiah 64:6, NLT).
We cannot be made righteous through our own works, no matter how good we strive to be. Rather, “righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:22-23, NIV).
We simply cannot achieve redemption. We will never be good enough or holy enough to earn a key to heaven. Our access must be gained through intimacy. When Jesus refuses entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew 7:23, what was His reason for denial? He said, “I never knew you.” Deeds to not equal relationship. If you work a job for the owner of a business but never speak to them, you may earn a paycheck, but that does not mean you “know” them. If you walked up to the business owner’s private home expecting to gain access, would they let you in? Probably not.
Yes, there are many works that can and should be done as part of walking out our Christian faith. But if our sole focus is on the deeds done in the body rather than a true understanding of our sinful state and need for redemption, then we are missing the mark. Fixated on the pursuit of accomplishments, we will struggle to find peace, contentment, and genuine rest while in this world. Freedom from the yoke of performance comes through an abiding relationship with Jesus. Nothing else will fill that God-shaped hole in us.
He is not looking for our sacrifice, He is seeking our hearts.
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:13, NIV
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Are you burned out from trying to do all the right things for God? If so, take some time today to consider your priorities. Are you more focused on the work you are doing for the Lord or the time you spend with him?
Further Reading:
Romans 3:21-31
Isaiah 64:1-8
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Urupong
To read more from Megan, check out her Blog, Just One More Chapter. If you would like to connect further with Megan, you can discover more on her Website, on Facebook, or Instagram.
Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com!
Related Resource: 3 Simple Steps to Manage Your Emotions
Are you tired of up-and-down feelings stealing your peace, sabotaging your relationships, and filling your mind with self-defeating thoughts? What if you had a proven emotional management tool to biblically respond to your feelings with compassion and clarity? Join us for today’s episode to discover three simple steps to manage emotions, reduce stress, improve decision-making, and grow closer to God. If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to The Love Offering on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
