A Mindset Switch About... Good Works, Effort and Eternity
Throughout Jesus’ public ministry, He taught about ideas, concepts and principles that ran counter to the ways of the world. These teachings were one of the reasons why the Jewish leaders were so upset and threatened by Him! He challenged the way of life they were accustomed to and their power and position within society as they knew it. It was difficult for them to embrace and understand some of Jesus’ ways, and it can still be a struggle for us today. One counterculture teaching from the Bible is about effort and human works.
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
This is so hard for many of us to fully accept. Effort is everything in our way of life! We strive toward promotions at work, good grades in the classroom and achievements of many kinds. We put in calculated effort to establish certain relationships and to carefully create our own self-image and reputation. And in many cases, our efforts do translate into gains. When we strive for things, we can often attain them.
But one thing we cannot earn through our own human works is salvation. Stacking up good works and acts of service in the name of Jesus cannot add up to an eternity spent with Jesus. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad thing to do good works! In fact, James 2:17 says that faith without works is dead. But our good works do not, and will not ever, earn us eternal life in relationship with God.
This makes me think of the weaving in and out of traffic I do sometimes… Can you relate? If I’m running late, I hate to say it, but I’m definitely one of those drivers who will (safely!) weave in and out of lanes to try and get ahead. More times than not, I end up finding myself right back where I started. For example, the other morning on my way to work, I switched lanes to move past a driver who was going just a little bit slower than I preferred, and then just shortly down the road, I got stopped by a red light. Of course, that driver I’d maneuvered to get around pulled up right beside me at the light. There we were, together again! My efforts had been futile. I just shook my head and smiled, remembering that try as I might, the traffic weaving usually doesn’t do much more than help my brain—for at least a moment—think I’m helping myself out, when in reality, I’m usually not.
As humans, our brains seem programmed to think that way in life! We think we need to do and do and do in order to earn ourselves salvation. It feels too unrealistic and honestly just absurd that life eternal with the all-powerful God of the universe cannot be attained through striving. Not much is handed out freely in the lives we navigate here on earth. Jobs, homes, financial security, degrees, titles, respect… All of these things are most often earned through hard work. So how could the best gift of all, eternal life with the Lord in His perfectly restored kingdom, not rest on a record of hard work or good deeds?
It’s time to flip that switch in your brain! Switch into your “kingdom mode.” …God’s kingdom, that is, because His kingdom operates differently. It’s an upside down kind of kingdom, and that’s great news for you and for me. Salvation cannot be earned. If your mindset is, if I do enough nice things for people I’ll make it to heaven, it’s time for a mindset switch. And if your mindset is, I messed up so badly today, I bet I’ve lost my place in eternity with Jesus, it’s time for a mindset switch.
Salvation comes through faith alone. If you believe that Jesus is your savior, you are saved from the penalty and power of sin. Sin brings death, but through salvation, we are freed from bearing sin’s penalty and are able to live in freedom, with the hope of eternal deliverance and fellowship with God. Although we will face a constant struggle with sin while living on the earth, the gift of salvation means that even while living in a fallen world, we can look forward to the day when Jesus’ new creation will be ushered in, and sin will be gone forever.
While doing good works for God’s glory is in line with His will for us, those good works are not the key that unlocks our freedom from sin and death. That freedom, and the privilege of eternal life in communion with God, comes through grace alone. Have you thanked God for that recently? How does this truth impact your worship? None of us are perfect, but all of us are welcomed to accept the free gift of salvation. Of course, it wasn’t free for Jesus—it cost Him His life. Now we, because of the love that motivated His ultimate sacrifice, get to believe in Him and receive the gift of salvation.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. -Romans 3:23-24
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. -Titus 3:4-7