Huh? My Attitude?

There are people who think that since they are already saved, they can continue living however they want to & do whatever they want to. They have obviously been misguided. But then, there are many “sincere” Christians who want to be mature & more ‘godly’, so they load up their lives with so many “have to’s.” “If I’m going to grow, I have to do this,” “The pastor said I have to do that.” I have to be more mature, more disciplined, more committed…

When we think this way, we are in danger of substituting duty & obligation for a loving response to God’s grace.

This should be clear: We should seek to practice commitment, discipline & obedience. We should be thoroughly committed to submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ in every area of life. But we should be committed in these areas out of a grateful response to God’s grace, not try to earn God’s blessings.

Our reason & motive for commitment, discipline & obedience is important to God, perhaps even more important to Him than our performance. David said to Solomon, “You, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, & serve Him with wholehearted devotion & with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart & every motive behind the thoughts.” (1Chronicles 28:9 NIV)

God searches the heart & understands every motive. To be acceptable to Him, our motives must spring from a love for Him & a desire to glorify Him. If we view our efforts as a duty or obligation, or because we fear the consequences if we do not do our ‘Christianly’ duties or we do these things to gain favor with God or so that we can ‘look good’ to the other people in the church, we are not pleasing God.

We should look to the cross & find inspiration to obedience, commitment and discipline. Our actions then will naturally reflect a grateful response to the grace He has already given us through Jesus Christ.




Reference: Balancing the Christian Life. Charles C. Ryrie. The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, 1994.