There are many individuals who have an inaccurate view of earning favor with God. Various cults and false belief systems try to promote the idea that an individual can earn favor with God. These false statements try to claim that a person can either find favor with God or not.
In other words, they want to say that we, as fallen human beings, can earn favor with God. When we are given questions such as these, it is important to see what the Bible says. Can we earn favor with our holy and righteous God?
Favor Is Not Earned
Favor is not something that we can earn. Rather, favor is given to us freely because we are God’s children. God loves us, and we are favored because He created us, loves us, and died for us. This shows us that there is nothing we can do to earn favor with God.
Nothing we do can make God love us more, nor is there anything we can do to make Him love us less. In the same way, there is nothing we can do to earn favor with God, nor is there anything we can do for Him to stop favoring us.
It is because of our faith in Jesus that we are favored by the Father. Through Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, we are given favor. This is not because of anything that we did, but rather, solely based on what Jesus has done for us.
When we keep this in mind, it will humble our hearts and also give us a sense of peace. We do not have to work to earn favor with God — we already have favor because of His Son.
We Cannot Work to Obtain Salvation
Closely connected to the matter of favor is the matter of salvation. Just as many people think you can earn favor with God, many people also think you can earn salvation. This is not true.
The Bible tells us plainly, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
As the Apostle Paul says in this passage of Scripture, there is nothing we can do to earn salvation. Salvation is by grace through faith alone.
This means that we are only given salvation because of God’s grace. There is nothing that we did to earn salvation, and there is nothing we can do to lose it. Salvation is given to us the moment we place faith in Jesus.
At the moment of salvation, we are freely given forgiveness of sins, eternal life, redemption, grace, and favor. This is given to us by God Himself, and there is nothing that we can do to earn any of these things. Rather, each of these things are gifts and blessings from God.
With this in mind, we need to know that there is nothing we can do to earn salvation, nor is there anything we can do to earn favor with God. While many individuals in the Old Testament sought to earn favor with God, we do not have to do this anymore.
We have inherent worth and favor found in Christ. During the Old Testament, Jesus and the gift of salvation had not yet been disclosed, which was why individuals were still trying to find favor with God.
As believers in the modern day, we do not have to seek out favor with God because we already have favor from the moment we place faith in His Son.
God Loves Us Without Conditions
When we struggle with thoughts that we have to earn favor with God, we need to remember the truth that God loves us unconditionally. The Father loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for our sins (John 3:16-17)./p>
This displays to us just how much the Father and Jesus love us; not to mention the love the Holy Spirit has for us by permanently indwelling us, guiding us, and helping us to grow in our Christian walk.
By looking at all these things, we can see the truth that we don’t have to try to earn favor or earn love from God.
Rather, we are already eternally loved by God, and we have favor in His eyes because we have placed faith in Jesus. Many people in our lives can try to hold ultimatums to their love and support.
This is not the way that God works. Sinful human beings can make us feel like we have to earn favor or earn love from them, but this is not true with God.
We do not have to earn favor or earn love from God because He is already seen as highly favored, unconditionally loved, and redeemed.
The Lord loves you, and this will never change. There is nothing you can do to make Him love you more or to make Him love you less. The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are always there for you, and they are proud of you.
As mentioned, important individuals in our lives can twist love and make it feel as though we have to earn their love and favor, but this is not right.
Our loved ones should not do this to us; however, we have to remember we live in a fallen world, and everyone falls short, even our loved ones (Romans 3:23).
This means that our loved ones can give distorted views of what love and favor are to us from a very young age. If you have been thinking in this distorted way for many years, ask the Lord to help you see things more clearly.
If a person loves you, they will not make you feel like you have to earn their favor or their love. Instead, they love you and like you just because you are you. When there are double standards, you can know that it is wrong and not the right way to treat others.
God does not work like this in any way. He loves you simply because He loves you. There is no hidden meaning behind His love, nor does He treat certain individuals with a double standard. God loves all people equally, and as His children, we are highly favored.
We have placed faith in Jesus and accepted Him as our Savior and Lord. Everything that the Lord did for us is now imputed onto us, and we are declared to be righteous before the Father.
God Does Not Show Favoritism
As mentioned, God loves all people equally. He does not show favoritism (Romans 2:11). Yet again, there may have been many people in your life who showed partiality or favoritism to certain people over yourself.
This can make us feel as though we have to work to earn their favor, love, and acceptance. Know that God does not work this way. He does not play favorites, nor does He give certain people special treatment. Rather, He loves us all the same and treats us all the same.
The Father is a loving father, and He will not play favorites even if our earthly fathers did. While it can be painful to not be the “favorite” of your parents, we do not need to dwell on these things.
It is okay to take time to grieve and feel your feelings, yet it is also important to look to our Father in Heaven.
He is not like our earthly fathers — instead, He is a Father who loves us unconditionally, without partiality, and with full favor.
Whenever you feel as though you need to earn favor with God or that you need to work on becoming His “favorite,” remember that you cannot earn favor with nor become His “favorite” because you are already highly favored, and He does not play favorites.
For further reading:
What Does it Mean That Good Works Are the Result of Salvation?
Can We Be Sure of Our Salvation?
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