There was only one perfect human—Jesus. Adam and Eve were perfect for a short time; every other person born is isolated from heavenly perfection. Sometimes in our sinfulness, we try to impress God. Like the enthusiastic young man who had recently received his plumber’s licence. Observing the massive flow of water at Niagara Falls, he remarked “I think I can fix this”.
Our sin is greater than our capacity to save ourselves. We are born in an environment that is deeply flawed. This impacts our spiritual journey. It distorts our understanding of God’s character. Our thinking becomes twisted. We are trying to save ourselves. We are trying to tame Niagara Falls. We can never save ourselves.
The mechanics of salvation
The start of our spiritual journey can be uncomplicated. “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31, NRSV). Accept Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to lead. However, difficulties can arise. The journey muddles, perhaps because of home, schooling, personality or self-abnegating traits of character, a low self-esteem or a depressive nature. People loved by God can struggle to accept His resolve to save. “There is a myth flourishing in churches today that causes incalculable harm, once converted, fully converted” (B Manning, Ragamuffin Gospel, p27,28). We are reminded that the converts of one decade can easily become the Pharisees of the next (unknown source). The Psalmist encourages us, “If his children [King David’s] forsake my law and do not keep my commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with scourges; but I will not remove from him my steadfast love, or be false to my faithfulness, I will not violate my covenant, or alter the word that went forth from my lips” (Psalm 89:30-34, NRSV italics added). These verses show the enduring grace of God. He remains faithful. God never wavers.
A gift
Some find it difficult accepting God’s gift of salvation. We struggle to understand the outrageous love of God. Jesus tells the story of a person who was forgiven a monumental debt. “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began his reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children, and all his possessions, and payment be made. So, the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘have patience with me and I will pay you everything’, and out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him his debt” (Matthew 18:23-27, NRSV, italics added).
Jesus’ story shows that we may not grasp the magnitude of our debt or God’s vast forgiveness. Instilled in our fallen nature is resistance to grace, kindness, generosity and forgiveness. We accept forgiveness, but we fall back into the demands ingrained within. We rely on grace that gets along on crutches. We want to contribute to our salvation. “Though lip service is paid to the gospel of grace, many Christians live as if it is only personal discipline, and self-denial that will hold the perfect me” (Ragamuffin Gospel, p14).
Paul Tillich writes, “Simply accept the fact that you are accepted. If that happens we experience grace. . . . You may be insecure, inadequate, mistaken or potbellied. Death, panic, depression and disillusionment may be near you. But you are not just that. You are accepted” (The Shaking of Foundations, p161/2, italics added).
Salvation’s terms
We cannot change the terms of our salvation. It is never granted on credit. Nor can we pay by promissory note. We cannot please God by condemning ourselves. Denying ourselves the appropriate pleasures of life does not cut it either. Some attempt to earn credit through self-sacrifice, giving up this or that, by faithful witnessing or service. None of this comes close to being enough. Are good works required for salvation? No! Absolutely not! However, when our hearts are united with the Saviour’s heart, when His gift of grace is grasped, we choose to obey. A relationship with Jesus is crucial. No promises to do better or try harder are enough. But getting to know God’s heart gives us eternal life. Understanding the “free gift” is our great need. Paul wrote, “For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1, NRSV). “We think conformity to God’s ways will lead us closer to him, when the opposite is true. One can obey God and yet not trust him. One cannot however, trust God and be disobedient to him. . . . all disobedience flows out of mistrust in God’s nature and of his intentions toward us” (Wayne Jacobson, He Loves Me, p80,88, italics added). Be aware, organised religion can try to assume the role of the Holy Spirit by setting out a regime of requirements. It can lead to lip service by imposing requirements of the flesh.
Fact or feelings?
Our understanding of God is more than intellectual. Our hearts and minds must engage. Factual religion on its own is dead. It results in an epidemic of moralism and perfectionism. The servants in Jesus’ story plead for time to pay their debt. They are utterly unaware of their hopeless situation. Time, no matter how much, cannot erase the debt of sin. Forgiving debt stands apart from human activity. The solution is so radical that we find it unbelievable. A life severed from Christ leads to the treadmill of works. Perfectionism is a tragic striving for merit and credit. It is salvation by promissory note. Obedience is always part of the Christian’s journey but it plays no part in redemption. It never will. It is true, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). Time spent focusing on our obedience apart from Christ’s life within has never brought salvation to a single sinner. Only obedience that comes from faith is legitimate. The only obedience that matters is that which responds to God’s love. It comes from the heart. It is a natural response. It is not contrived. It does not save us; it comes from a heart that has been redeemed. Jesus said of religionists, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honour Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Matthew 15:8-12).
Where to focus our time
Our task is to understand the freedom with which God has blessed us. Stressing obedience without a relationship with Christ and lacking the motivating love of the Saviour, is spiritual death. Like the servant seemingly released from his debt, we live demanding from ourselves and others a greater effort. It is like “trying to earn points with someone who is no longer keeping score” (He Loves Me, p135, italics added). “Freedom to grow in him comes when we recognise that his love isn’t affected by your actions” (p137).
Ellen White penned these words: “There are those who profess to serve God, while they rely upon their own effort to obey His law, to form a right character and secure salvation. Their hearts are not moved by any deep sense of the love of Christ, but they seek to perform the duties of the Christian life as that which God requires of them in order to gain heaven. Such religion is worth nothing” (Steps to Christ, p44, italics added). Only when God’s gift of grace is internalised, is obedience of the heart manifest. It is “the obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5;16:26).
Worrying about our obedience is futile. Am I doing enough? Is God pleased with my walk? It takes faith and courage to believe we are children of God, not servants, nor slaves living under the obligation to our Father in heaven. The great men and women of faith, the bond slaves, the sons and daughters of the King of kings serve Him because they grasp this freedom. Lose sight of our freedom in Christ and we lose our heart for the “obedience of faith”. When we understand God’s grace, His acceptance, love and forgiveness then obedience comes from the heart.
Avoid people and churches that constantly pressure you to obey. Such chiding will always sound right to the sensitive sinner. It will align perfectly with what you learned growing up from some parents, teachers and preachers. Our only deliverance comes at the cross. Paul found freedom for holy living in the cross of Christ. “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified“ (1 Corinthians 2:2, NRSV). Every reference in Scripture to obey can only be understood correctly through the cross.
A farmer had experienced several bad years. So, he visits his bank manager. “I’ve got some bad news and some good news. Which would you like first?” asks the farmer.
“Why don’t you give me the bad news and get it over with,” the banker suggests. “Okay,” said the farmer. “With the drought and inflation, I won’t be able to pay anything on my mortgage this year. Nothing on the principle amount or interest.“
“That is pretty bad,” the manager replies.
“It gets worse,” said the farmer. “I also can’t pay anything on my loan for that machinery I bought.”
“It is serious,” replies the banker.
“It gets worse. You know I also borrowed to buy seed and fertiliser. Well, I can’t pay anything this year on that debt either.”
The banker retorts, “You’d better give me some very good news.” The smiling farmer replies, “The great news is, I intend to keep on doing business with you.”
God’s grace is so often buried under religious moralism. Do we have ears to hear this incredible news? Inspite of our catastrophic failures, God keeps doing business with us. He gives us life. He showers us with His favour. He bathes us in His magnificent grace. Although we persistently bargain, offering Him worthless promissory notes, God says, “You are My son. You are My daughter. My child, I have wiped your debt.”
Peter Cousins is a retired pastor and family ministries director, who lives with his wife Meredith in the Wyee Lifestyle Village, New South Wales. They have two daughters and three grandchildren.
