As Christians, we have been given the most amazing treasures imaginable: the love of God, forgiveness, reconciliation, redemption, and promises of glory. In all the other major Faiths of the world, people live with the tension of not knowing what their post death experience will be. Hindus and Buddhists live knowing they will be returning to this planet in some reincarnated lifeform and social status, determined alone by karma, an impersonal, uncaring force. Muslims keep doing all that is religiously required of them, hoping the literal scales of Allah will tip to the “good” and paradise will be their destiny, otherwise, an eternal hell awaits them. Even Jews can only hope they have lived good enough lives that Yahweh will judge them worthy of paradise. In these religious traditions, there are literally billions of people hoping that, by the time they die, they will have done enough good works to have a positive outcome in their experience after this life.
Not so for us who embrace Christ. Because of the teaching of the Bible, we understand that our sins have separated us from God…all of us. We understand that we deserve condemnation and that no amount of good works could ever “buy” us a place in heaven. We understand that hell is real and that we deserve to go there. However, we also know that God’s grace is real, that his love for the people of this planet is true, and that he has intervened on behalf of every human being he has ever created. We know and believe that he sent his one and only Son, the Lord Jesus, to become sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God. For all who embrace and confess the holy life, sacrificial death, and bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, redemption from sin and reconciliation with God is real. We know that we have been declared forgiven and justified, and that when we stand before God, heaven will be opened to us…not because of our own righteousness, but because of the righteousness the Lord Jesus has graciously given to us.
Followers of other religions—Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and even Jews, as well as members of pseudo-Christian groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons, can only dream about the kind of grace, mercy, kindness, and goodness that has been freely expressed to us who have embraced the true gospel. What we take for granted, they have to earn, always hoping they’re doing enough. Let’s face it though, the sad irony is, many Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and Jews live much more disciplined, devout, and honorable lives than do many Christians.They know their destiny depends on it, while we know our destiny depends on Christ–consequently, the spiritual anxiety they experience, we do not. In truth, we should be living far more disciplined and sacred lives than all of them, not because of the anxiety of earning favor, but because of the gratitude that should be pouring from us…however, the painful truth is, many of us do not. Though good works certainly do not save us, we were saved to do good works as a testimony to others about the goodness and grace of God and as an expression of our love for him and obedience to him.
In our Faith, we strongly emphasize the necessity of believing the right things, an important endeavor for sure. Yet, equal time should be given to behaving the right way, but here we are often negligent (and the world loves to point this out). What we believe and how we behave are the blood and breath of the true Christian experience; Jesus expects us to know what he commands (believing the right things) and to obey what he commands (behaving the right way). Otherwise, as unnerving as it sounds, we may be embracing a faith that cannot save us (see James 2:14-26).
Never can a Christian who believes the right things say salvation must be earned, but never can this same Christian say nothing is required of the one who is saved. Once the choice to follow has been made, the new believer must be intentional in his devotion to Christ Jesus (to know him) and nurture his desire to please him (to obey him). This issue of placing faith and works in a balanced, symbiotic relationship can be a real struggle for believers. On one hand, the New Testament is brimming with the theology of justification by faith alone, while on the other hand, it abounds in passages related to necessary good works. Someone once said, “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is never alone.”
A faith confessed with no works expressed is a misrepresentation of the very nature of Christianity. Christians alone, of all the religions of the world, carry the greatest treasure ever to be entrusted to humanity: The gospel of Jesus Christ. This is an astronomical responsibility, no doubt, yet, it was not given to us only to protect from the world, but to project in the world; Jesus commands us to obey him and take this message of faith and obedience to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:18-20).
In the evangelical world, following Christ is typically framed in the context of personal relationship. We are told God loves us and that he sent Jesus to die for our sins so we could live with God in heaven forever. We are told about grace and forgiveness. We are told God has plans for us, good plans…plans for our prosperity and joy. It all sounds so wonderful, so beautiful, so…easy. Sometimes when I hear the gospel preached, it reminds me a bit of someone trying to sell memberships to a gym…lots of excitement and encouragement about the guaranteed results, but very little is mentioned about the hard work, daily discipline, and lifestyle change that is inevitably necessary if these “guaranteed results” are really going to happen.
I certainly believe it is right to speak of the gospel in terms of relationship with the Lord Jesus, this is a biblical essential in our reconciliation to God through Christ. However, there are many kinds of relationships; the typical relationship model that has been embraced, endorsed, and promoted in our culture over the last many decades is one that is characterized by happiness and personal fulfillment (as indicated by the term “self-actualization” popular in our culture). Unfortunately, when relationships are built on such a self-oriented foundation, they often fail. When Christians are birthed and raised (spiritually speaking) in a religious milieu which contextualizes our relationship with Jesus Christ in similar ways, it is no wonder so many of us who follow him believe his primary desire for us is health, wealth, and happiness.
The words “personal relationship” cannot be found in the New Testament, but the concept certainly can. As I said above, a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus is essential for a true, vital, and authentic Christianity (see John 15:4-8, for example). Yet, it is the nature of our relationship with him that often seems misunderstood. We generally emphasize the friendship of Jesus, or the gentle shepherd imagery, but in the New Testament, the prevailing relationship concepts between Jesus Christ and his followers always place him in a strong, superior role, while placing us in the clearly subordinate role, such as master/slave, teacher/disciple, Lord/subject, shepherd/sheep, and so on. These are indeed relational terms, but they are relationships with clearly defined roles that express inequality, something with which we don’t always do so well.
The truth is, Jesus did not invite people to a mere relationship, he called people to obedience, and through that obedience real relationship happened, and disciples were born. Nowhere in all of the teaching of Jesus does he offer a relationship apart from discipleship. Even in the wonderful passage in John when Jesus tells his disciples he considers them his friends, this friendship is still contingent on their obedience: “You are my friends if you do what I command. If you love me, you will obey what I command” (see John 15:14; 14:15).
Jesus’ expectation of obedience wasn’t just for the twelve disciples, but rather for “whoever” and “anyone” who would follow him, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me” (John 14:21), “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching” (John 14:23-24), “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love” (John 15:10).
We are indeed deeply loved by God; while we were yet sinners, he sent the Lord Jesus to die for us…this is a mighty proof of his proactive and enduring love. And, we are indeed saved by grace through faith alone, not one single thing do we contribute to our own salvation. Yet, we are saved to serve, sacrifice, and, yes, suffer (if it is God’s will for us). God is committed to transforming us into the image of his Son, the Lord Jesus, and he will use all things necessary to do this, “And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:28-29). When obedience to God’s will and Word is at the center of our daily lives, we will know we are being conformed to the image of his beloved Son, for this was the attitude of Jesus, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work” (John 4:34, for example).
As we count the cost of becoming a true, biblical follower of Jesus Christ, it can feel daunting, but countless millions of people for two thousand years have picked up their crosses and followed Jesus—the fact that you and I are having this discussion now is a testimony to their faithfulness. Here we are, two millennia later, on a continent that had yet to be discovered (North America) and speaking a language that had not yet been created (English) considering what it means to follow Jesus Christ—what an amazing proof of God’s sovereignty and the perseverance of his children!
Remember, what God calls us to do he also enables us to accomplish. The people of God have always done hard things by the strength that comes through him alone, “‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty’” (Zechariah 4:6). The apostle Paul, who likely suffered more than any follower of Jesus, relied on this promise from God, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (1 Corinthians 12:9). Paul encourages other believers with these words, “No trial will come your way that is not common to all people—God is faithful; he will not let you be tested beyond what you can manage, he will always provide what you need to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Through many trials and much suffering for nothing more than preaching the gospel, Paul could still write these words from his dismal Roman prison cell, “That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return” (2 Timothy 1:12). The apostle Peter also tells us that as we suffer patiently, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). Jesus himself humbly bore his cross, “He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death—his death on the cross” (Philippians 2:8).
As we walk the path of humility and obedience, bearing our cross and striving to fulfil that for which we have been saved, Jesus strengthens and encourages us with these words, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). Let us embrace the examples set by Jesus, Peter, Paul, all the other New Testament authors, as well as all of the brothers and sisters through the ages and count the cost of following Christ, pick up our crosses daily, and continue the work they all embraced and carried forward.
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(C) 2015 D. Edwin Cohea/Coheasive Concepts.
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