To watch the video version of this study, click here
Do you have a nagging feeling that you need to do something for God? A lot of believers have this feeling, and it causes them a lot of distress because they feeling as though they are somehow “letting God down” or not living up to their full potential. It’s actually a huge mental trap to get stuck in – especially because churches always tell people that they need to find “God’s Perfect Will” for their life; and so people are left wandering around and stumbling about looking for this mythical unicorn of “God’s Perfect Will” – I know because I’ve lived that way, and it is very discouraging and disheartening thinking that there is this magical path you need to go down, but not knowing where it is; and having so many Christian brothers and sisters telling you that you need to find it, but no-one seems to be able to help.
Well, if that happens to describe you today, then I’m going to share something with you that’s going to be very freeing… you don’t have to do anything for God! Now I know that right away some people will want to scream blasphemy! Heretic! Yet the Biblical truth is that God only wants you to do two things, and neither of them are what we could consider to be “works of service” He wants us to: Believe, and Live.
In John 6:28-29, Jesus is asked by the scribes, what the works are that God requires… Jesus’ answer may surprise you:
“Then said they to him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent.”
His response to their question is directly opposite of what we typically think or are told: that we need to work to serve God and please Him, and do A, B and C… but man complicates the things that Jesus made simple. These Jewish scribes knew all about works, and they were used to it – being brought-up in that mindset already ingrained in them since childhood. Jesus had prime targets here if He wanted to machine-gun a fresh list of rules and do’s and don’ts for people to follow. Notice that He didn’t make such a list though.
They asked in plural, what the “works” of God were – but Jesus answered in the singular, this is the (definite article) “work” of God. That you believe on Him whom he has sent. Could it really be that simple? Yes, actually it is that simple! God knows your flesh, and He knows your frame. And He would not jeopardize your soul to the fruitless and dead self-efforts of your corrupted sin-nature.
So many people get trapped in thinking that they need to do all these things for God… He simply wants you to believe on Him, and live. Do you understand that by you living a life of belief on Him, that life will be far more peaceful, rewarding and rich than countless dead works based on self-effort and fleshly ambition?
There are a lot of people running themselves ragged trying to serve constantly in their church buildings and even in their communities or abroad, but God never sent them to do it. They picked-up a work which He never gave them – they are just doing it because they have some misguided sense of religious duty – and they are actually harming themselves, all because of a misunderstanding about the nature and character of God, and what He actually wants.
Consider 1st John 4:9:
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”
God manifested (or made known) His love towards us in sending Jesus into the world – and He did so for a very specific purpose: that we might live through Him. Take special notice of the fact that it does not say “live for Him” but it says “live through Him” – and realize that those two things are very different… they are worlds apart. A lot of people are trying desperately hard to live for Jesus, by doing a bunch of works and engaging in all manner of sacrifice and service, thinking that all of that suffering and hard-work and effort is making them closer to God. However that’s kind-of like me thinking that if I work really hard and carve the image of a hamburger out of wood, my hunger will be satisfied. It simply doesn’t work like that.
On the other hand, living through Jesus is something else entirely. It is receiving His love and His life, personally for you, and existing in that new identity! Knowing that you are loved by God, and that you have His life on the inside of you, totally independently of any work of yourself or good deed you think you have done. In-fact, your works and deeds don’t even enter into the picture, because it is all about Jesus Christ and His finished work for you! He is why you can live, and receive love – not because of anything you have done, but because of what He did.
The lesson from all of this is that you should never engage in any activity – even if it seems holy, righteous or spiritual – if the motivation is religious in-nature. Meaning that if you are doing something as a way to earn favor with God, or increase your perceived standing with Him, or you otherwise think that you need to do it. Then you should take a step back and re-evaluate your motives.
Jesus says in Matthew 5:48, to be perfect, even as the Father in Heaven is perfect. That seems like an impossible goal, because we are translating it by what we think it to mean. However, the moment we realize that Jesus never said to do perfect, but instead He said to be perfect, then it makes sense. You see, Jesus was not spurning us on to behave perfectly, but to live perfectly – or more accurately: to exist perfectly. His focus was not on doing but on being. And there is only one single way to “be perfect as God the Father in Heaven is perfect”, and that is to receive His perfect Spirit of Life inside of you and to live by that perfect life. Which amazingly enough is exactly what Jesus has given to you!
So, you who are God’s beloved; you who have His Spirit of Life inside of you… please do not ever think that you need to work to earn the favor of God, or that you need to suffer to get His attention, or that you need to somehow pay for His blessing. You already have it all; not because of anything you have done, but because Jesus has already done the work, suffered and paid in full.
Now simply exist in that truth. Live your reality in Christ. Be all that He has made you to be.