What Are You Trying To Prove?
Perseverance, Foundations, Security
Dead works versus works of love
“a foundation of repentance from dead works…” – Hebrews 6:1, CSB
“For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints – and by continuing to serve them.” – Hebrews 6:10, CSB
Everything is built on this…
The foundation is kind of important, isn’t it! It must be solidly in place so that the rest of the endeavor, everything else built and relying on it, can stand the tests of time and trouble. Oh, the structure may stand for a while with those pesky corners having been cut, but when the winds blow and the seasons become harsh, that shoddy foundation work can bring down the whole house. All that work comes crashing down.
Faith-foundations: healthy or ‘wonky?’
Part of the healthy faith-foundation that is meant to be laid in the elementary stages of those who have turned to Christ is repentance from dead works. What do we mean by that? Dead works are any efforts made with the intent of earning or holding/keeping/maintaining our approval and acceptance with God (See Romans 4:4-5; Galatians 2:16).
This is vital for us – and them – to understand! If we’re trying to earn God’s approval through good works, our foundations are actually ‘wonky,’ unstable, and, sadly, unsustainable. So, do we not do good works, then? Is humanitarian work, neighborhood social service, or investing into people’s lives just a worthless enterprise? Of course not. No, these are excellent works, and they are meant to be done. They’re just meant to be done in faith-filled effort rather than fearful effort; they’re meant to build upward and outward from a secure foundation of confident faith (See Hebrews 11:6).
Take a deep breath
God does see, and God absolutely does reward our work done in love. When no one else notices, God does. In fact, He calls us to invest our lives into one another in ways like this. He just wants to be sure we also understand that we are secure with Him, and we don’t have to prove anything. So, take a deep breath, let it out, and repeat that a few times. He’s got you. Your ultimate foundation? It’s Him.
Think:
What kind of foundations do you remember being laid into your life in your early years? What kind of disciplines and patterns were established? Was ‘repentance from dead works’ a part of that foundation-laying? If so, thank God for that! If not, ask God for grace to begin laying that foundation now. He’ll love answering that prayer!
In your family, current endeavor, or ministry culture, how could you begin to lay a foundation of works done out of faith and acceptance rather than out of attempts to earn God’s favor?
What is one work or discipline you find particularly easy to sustain? What is one work or discipline that seems more difficult, but that would be beneficial to develop? How can you pursue that on a healthy foundation?
Prayer:
“Lord, thank You for Your foundational love and acceptance that sets me free from trying to earn my way into Your approval. On that firm foundation, may my works become more healthy, fruitful, faithful, and full of life. Help me teach and communicate this well in the culture that is growing around me.”