The Eternal Current by Aaron Niequist

Author:Aaron Niequist
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2018-08-06T16:00:00+00:00

THE DUALISM OF DO VERSUS DONE

The dualism of faith versus works has wreaked havoc in my spiritual life. Teachers from Sunday school, summer camp, and beyond proclaimed, over and over, “It’s not about what you do for God but what Jesus has done for you!” “There is nothing you could ever do to earn God’s favor or blessing.” Or as Martin Luther famously taught, salvation is by grace—plus nothing!1

There is much to affirm in these proclamations. If we must earn God’s forgiveness and grace with our good actions, then we have no hope. God gives us grace because God is gracious, not because we deserve grace. This is a foundational reality at the heart of the good news.

But if I’m honest, these teachings often left me feeling paralyzed. I was so afraid of slipping into “works-based righteousness” and so convinced that my righteousness was dirty rags anyway (see Isaiah 64:6) that I felt handcuffed from participating in my own spiritual life. Thankfully, Jesus did not share this one-dimensional understanding of faith versus works. Notice the way he ended the Sermon on the Mount:

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