Passive Faith
The title of this article can be taken in one of two ways. Christians have been put right with God, forgiven our sin against God and have a secure eternal future, not because of any actions of ours but because we have become followers of the Lord Jesus. We are saved through faith alone,
“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
“But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour 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 Saviour.” Titus 2:4-6
So in this respect our salvation is passive, it all comes from what God has done for me. My standing before God, my being credited with being righteousness, is a gift to those who truly belong to Christ. God also gives his people his Holy Spirit.
However the effect of the Holy Spirit in a person is life-changing. If a person, claiming to be a believer, knows nothing of this life-changing work then they must question whether they are really Christians. Paul wrote to the church in Rome,
“You, however, are not controlled by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Romans 8:9
Pastor Pokorny had been a Nazi Youth Leader in Germany. He became a prisoner of War and he became a Christian because of the witness of local Christians. After the war he became a Christian minister in Germany. He was then invited to come to England to lead a Youth mission. He was asked what he thought of Christian youth in England and replied,
“I am concerned with the casual quality of their faith. They don’t even give to Christ the same devotion that we gave to Hitler.”
An old West Indian minister stood up to preach. He read from his text,
“And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments.” Matthew 4:24 KJV
He continued,
“The epidemic of divers diseases is among us. Some dive for the television set during the evening services. Some dive into a bag of excuses about work that needs to be done. Others dive for the car and take a trip over the week-end. Then a few dive into the flurry of fault-finding every time the church takes on a work programme. Yes! Brethren it takes the Lord of Love to cure ‘divers diseases’. When you’ve got ‘divers disease, you’s in a bad way.”
We can question this ministers exegesis of the word ‘divers’ but the sentiment is the same as that of the apostles. The Spirit’s presence results in a radically changed life.
Paul explains the radical change that comes about when we believe in the Lord Jesus and illustrates this with what happened to him. Note the move from ‘we’ to ‘I’.
“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labour, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” Colossians 1:28-29
Peter was concerned that there some Christians are ‘ineffective and unproductive’. Their knowledge of the Lord. Jesus should be life changing. They had been saved by God’s grace as a gift but the presence of the Holy Spirit brings radical responsibilities.
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.” 2 Peter 1:5-9
No passivity is expected here! All Christians rest on the finished work of Christ but they then strive to become the sort of people God chose them to be. At the end of this final letter of Peter he urges to live in the light of eternity and to ‘make every effort . ..”
“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forwards to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” 2 Peter 3:14
Peter repeated warns us in this letter that those who fail to make every effort are endangering their eternal salvation (see 2 Peter 1:10, 2:20-22, 3:17).
The Corinthian church was trying to experience God through various mystical means. Paul contrasts this with what he understands the effect of God’s Spirit to be; although he is free to live as others do, he now feels constrained to live for Christ’s glory, not his own:
“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” 2 Corinthians 9:19-23
Paul detests a ‘feelings-orientated’ spirituality, where the emphasis in worship is to try and experience the presence of God. The Spirit encourages us to work for the Lord Jesus and his reputation and this requires dedicated self-training.
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; . . .No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” 2 Corinthians 9:24-27
Our ‘divers diseases’ are curable but only at the foot of the cross. Is it my priority to spend time each day reading God’s word and praying for his glory? Is it my priority to find ways to share the gospel with those around me? Is it my priority to keep encouraging other Christians by regularly attending the local church meetings and praying for the teams success? The Lord knows if my priority is my career, my family, my success or whether it really is his glory. The evidence is usually clear.
It is no coincidence that the two verses mentioned above that stress how our salvation is a gift, both go on to stress that we have been saved in order that we should work for Christ.
“. . . it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no-one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10
“He saved us . . . And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.” Titus 3:5-8
What a tragedy it is for people to think that because they accept a good theology and go to church that they are therefore saved. Catherine Booth, the wife of General Booth, the founder of the Salvation army, was addressing a church meeting. She was concerned at the passivity of many present so she asked:
“Is this all you do for God – you go to church!”
What are we doing to save the lost?
BVP
May 2023
