Recently I was able to attend a men’s retreat. My good friend and mentor Todd Miller of The Branch Men’s Ministry proclaimed the gospel of grace to a group of fifty men. One of the main topics of conversation was identity in Christ. This is something that strikes a special note in my spirit.
As I look back over the last several years it's easy to find a behavioral pattern. In my times of burnout, frustration, and failure I have viewed my own performance as the scoreboard of my spiritual “success.” When we become introspective, or compare ourselves to others, we throw ourselves under a yoke Christ never intended for us to carry. Whether in academics, social justice, or the miraculous, the subtlety of performance based religion can quickly ensnare anyone. Paul's letter to the Galatians reveals that even the Apostle Peter and James (Jesus brother!) fell for this trap. How do we identify performance based religion vs the real gospel?
Let’s go to the scriptures-
Matt 7:21–23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Many people use this passage as an argument against the supernatural. Ironically Jesus is appealing to these as some of the greatest things a person can do. But why is Jesus dressing down these folks? Because they are appealing to their own performance as their backstage pass through heavens gates. Jesus says nada. Your righteousness can’t touch it. You need mine. God doesn't care what we do. He cares who we're in.
We know we got saved by grace through faith. Any evangelical will tell you that. The only problem is, after we got saved we reverted to working up to God. Consequently, our unbelief disqualifies God in Us- or shall I say God with us- Emanuel. Do you see the relevance of Jesus struggle with the pharisees? This self-righteous, performance based Christianity is sin. It’s the same sin that left Jewish corpses strewn all over the desert during Moses ministry. I spent years stuck in this mess.
In our quest to serve God (seemingly noble), we forget the only one who faithfully served God. We pretend our fate is in our own hands, as if we're the great shepherd of our soles. We actually imagine self to be the benefactor and God the needy beneficiary. We pretend God needs us to fast, pray, get anointed, translate the Greek Testament, go on mission trips, build food banks, etc etc. All theses things are wonderful expressions of Christ moving through us, but like I said, God doesn't care what we do, he cares who we're in. I'm writing this because I get a high off of it, Woe to me if I don't preach the gospel! That's cool, and God blesses it, BUT if I suddenly find my identity as a theology blogger instead of a son of God, then all of a sudden I'm just another doofus with an apple product. That's the last thing the world needs, yet I put my insignificant role on a pedestal of will worship, imagining God NEEDS ME to save all of Google+, and ultimately I miss Jesus. Israel was a doofus with a Torah- much cooler than an apple product- and yet they failed to recognize their own Savior. God fed the Israelites mana from heaven. He wrote the bible. He built a 2000 member church in one day. I wonder how impressed God really is with our ministerial abilities? I don't know. I do know for certain that there is one man's ministry who the Father is absolutely astounded by. So impressed the Father said sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool. As Jake Hamilton sings, "He's not looking for an army. He's looking for one. He's looking for a daughter. He's looking for a Son." God's much more concerned with Sonship than good works. We are in the Son and the Son is in us. Gal 2:20-21-
I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!
Performance feels good for a while. It’s the culture we’ve been groomed in. Grace sounds foolish to us. We actually like performance religion for a while. Eventually though we all reach the place where it destroys us. Read the Old Testament. That whole Mosaic Law thing didn’t work out so well for Israel. Praise God it worked out exactly as his redemptive genius intended- The law increased sin until Israel crucified their own Messiah, simultaneously destroying death itself. By embracing us in our mess and loving us unto death Christ conquered the grave! Let us never forget what he did on the Cross. Thank you God for Grace. We must remember the law's purpose has always been to destroy us and reveal sin. God set us up for failure. At the Cross the ministry of death was fulfilled and annulled. In my grace walk, I want to keep it that way.
A few days ago I read a wonderful quote by Phil Smith-
“Judas and Peter are not all that different – Judas betrayed Jesus and Peter denied Him. Judas allowed his failures to define him and he ended his life. But Peter allowed Christ to define him- rename him and call him to be the first Leader of the Church. Peter was defined by Christ not the denial of Christ.”
Wow that's good. If we allow Christ to define us, our lifestyles will certainly follow suite.
The Apostle Paul is the ultimate example of what undiluted grace can lead a man to do. 2 Cor 11-12 makes it clear that Paul was an absolute wild man for Christ. Jason Borne couldn't touch this guy. He preached all over the world, was shipwrecked three times, endangered from the Jews, gentiles, false brothers, and wild animals. He was taken up into heaven and given revelation too great for human language- These days, 2% of Paul's credentials could put a minister on the New York Times best sellers list. Nevertheless, Paul never appealed to his own accomplishments. His boast was always in Christ accomplishment on his behalf.
1 Co 4:3–4 “with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.”
Bottom line- don’t base anything on your own performance. It always comes back to bite you. You’re one with Christ. His performance is your performance. If we keep this mindset we’ll begin to truly manifest the lifestyle that Jesus lived. Not through willpower and striving, but through intimacy with our life- Christ Jesus.
Heb 12:1–2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
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