DOING MATTERS

DOING MATTERS:

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” -Galatians 6:7-8

I think it’s funny how quick we “enlightened” Christians are to “name and claim” passages of Scripture ripe with promise of blessings, grace, and abundance yet when it comes to imperative commands, rebukes, and warnings - we ascribe those to fanatical fundamentalists and primitive backwoods theology. For example, virtually every Christian recognizes “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Entire churches have been established on “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” Then we quickly dismiss or disregard less desirable portions such as:

“Don't be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Behold— the devil is going to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor's crown.”

-Revelation 2:10

Recently I read the statement, “The way God sees us isn’t determined by what we do, but rather what Jesus has done for us.” Don’t misunderstand me, God’s unmerited grace truly is amazing, but that grace is universally attended with, and inseparable from, abiding obedience.

The problem? This statement, and its underlying teaching, alone is contextually invalid and doesn’t jive with Scripture. What Jesus has done for us is only wrought, fashioned, and consummated in those who are born again by the Holy Spirit of God. That occupation, residency, and tenancy of Immanuel (God with Us) invariably produces drastic, outrageous, prodigious, and legitimately discernible transformation unto radical obedience with the fullness of Scripture’s testimony.

When we present an incomplete gospel to convince anyone, especially children, that “The way God sees us isn’t determined by what we do, but rather what Jesus has done for us,” - apart from a full explanation - we consign an incomplete and deceitful message of exemption and autonomy wholly vacant within Scripture.

Heroes of faith throughout Scripture and history, both known and obscure, are not the purile Judases who promptly renounce, readily waive, or flippantly doff responsibility and steadfastness. Instead, they are those tragically flawed - yet self-aware - saints who continually grapple within the tension of God’s divine sovereignty and their endowment of obedience.

God commanded Noah to build an ark. Abram left everything. Moses rebuked Pharaoh. Joshua was strong and courageous. The LORD commanded Israel to inhabit Canaan, and ordained that His faithful would serve as a kingdom of priests as a blessing to all nations to the ends of the earth. Jesus Christ didn’t alter that message by one jot or tittle, but rather fulfilled it perfectly and invited us to joyfully, and obediently, participate in adorning, advancing, and announcing the gospel.

The authentic occupation of the Holy Spirit of God within finite earthen vessels cannot befall us in a manner indistinct, unobtrusive, or benign. We are gloriously victorious children born, not by prosaic human decision, but rather in and by God Almighty!

The irresponsible spewage of fragmentary truth for the sake of allure, appeal, and digestibility is egregious. Numerous times throughout the New Testament we find words like persevere, stand, walk, and endure. The Old Testament warns us not to trust intuition or instinct because, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” Elsewhere it warns, “There is a way that seems right to us, but in the end it leads to death.” Jesus’ final message in Matthew’s gospel, to those who would follow Him, was to disciple, baptize, and teach.

Numerous times throughout his epistles the Apostle Paul warns us not to be deceived by the enemy or to fall into his crafty traps. In 2 Corinthians Paul writes, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?” What is the test? Active, obedient participation in the advancement of the gospel. In Ephesians Paul writes, “For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Regardless of where one goes in Scripture - the idea of doing is never disconnected from being. Existence is always defined by function. There are certainly those who “do” works devoid of the Spirit of God, and whether casting out demons, prophesying, healing, or leading - Jesus’ rebuke is categorically resolute, “Away from me you evildoers!” There is explicit evidence identifying doing divorced from faith (teaching, healing, miracles), but within the revelation of Scripture there is not even the slightest allusion to a pattern, precedent, or paradigm of authentic faith shorn, fleeced, or robbed of active, faithful, and persevering obedience to God.

It is only a partial truth to convey to our congregations, “The way God sees us isn’t determined by what we do, but rather what Jesus has done for us.” A prayer of conversion does nothing to alter the eternally fateful trajectory of our depraved souls - nor do any other “good works.” If by “what Jesus has done for us” we communicate a dire need for repentance, regeneration, intimate identification, and the opportunity to actively participate in His mission to bless all the peoples on earth… then YES! That’s exactly right. But if what we communicate to our children and congregations is that our relationship with Christ is wholly disconnected from our actions and that service, fidelity, altruism, kindness, perseverance, and participation in the gospel have no merit or bearing - then we are the false teachers Scripture warns of.

We are not saved by works, but saved for them. As Paul said in Romans 6:17, “But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed.” The comprehensive message of Scripture is that of an active, relentless, missional Creator that will stop at NOTHING to rescue, restore, and redeem His creation - humanity. Jesus came, Paul went, disciples go, evangelists preach, and martyrs die - all for the purpose of adorning, announcing, and advancing the gospel of Christ to the ends of the earth.

It is impossible to be alive in Christ yet disconnected from His mission, disinterested with His people, and dispassionate about the gospel. Jesus said, “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Jesus said this so that we would not be deceived, sprouting up hastily like the seeds planted in rocky places with little soil and quickly scorched. The magnitude and impact of what Jesus has done for us always produces an unrelenting tidal wave of obedience resulting in active and intimate identification with Him, and His mission - of blessings all the families, tribes, and peoples on earth with the gospel.

Those works of intimate identification and simple obedience certainly do NOT save us or merit favor with God; but without them, what evidence of regeneration is there in our lives? Jesus’ brother, James, wrote, “So you see, a claim of faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”

Apart from abiding, active, steadfast, authentic redemption in Christ, God still sees us in our sin. The way God sees us is, in fact, determined by what we do in response to what Jesus did at the cross. We must accept the unmerited gift of faith in Christ and validate that fact by: laying down rights to ourselves daily, picking up our crosses, and following Him in active obedience and participation in the mission of God.

We began today with Galatians 6:7-8, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” We’re all sowing, i.e. doing, something.

What about you? Are you personally identified with and actively participating in the mission of God - to bless all the families, tribes, and nations on earth with the gospel of Jesus Christ? Have you bought the field, leveraged the farm, left parents and siblings, sold all, and endured much? Or does the boundary of your “faith” fade and fail with inconvenience, discouragement, and disapproval?

The way God sees us is, in fact, determined by what we do and who we do it for. Whether unto destruction or eternal life - please know that doing truly matters.

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com