Stop Trying to Earn Salvation
Paul writes to Timothy: "That is why we labour and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe." (1 Timothy 4:10)
We've seen over the last two days that we have a calling to be spiritually healthy - nourished on truth, trained in godliness. But let's remember that we don't live this way because we hope that our efforts will win us God's approval.
Instead, we seek spiritual health because our hope is in Jesus, who has already saved us! As people who were already saved when we put our trust and hope in Him, we can now live for Him out of gratitude, not out of pressure to measure up.
If you are trying to earn God's love by getting spiritually healthy and living the Christian life, you've got it backwards. Taking your salvation into your own hands, by spiritual disciplines and habits, is not the Christian message.
Hoping in Christ for salvation through His death on the cross, and then living for Him because of what He's already done - that's the Christian message.
A Story About Taking Salvation Into Your Own Hands
There's an old Alfred Hitchcock story about a woman serving life in prison for murder. Desperate to escape, she hatched what seemed like the perfect plan.
She befriended an elderly prisoner who had the job of burying inmates who died in the prison. She bribed him with a simple deal: next time someone died, she'd hide in their coffin. He'd wheel it through the gates to the cemetery, and the next day, he'd come back and dig her out. Freedom!
Late one night, the death bell rang. This was her chance. She crept down to the workshop, found the fresh coffin, and squeezed inside next to the body. She pulled the lid shut and waited in the darkness.
Soon enough, she felt the coffin being wheeled along, then lowered into the ground. Dirt hit the lid above her head. Any moment now, she'd be free.
But hours passed. Nothing. Where was he?
Panic rising, she struck a match. In the flickering light, she saw the face beside her - it was the old man himself. He had died. No one was coming. She was buried alive, trapped with the very person who was meant to save her.
She'd taken matters into her own hands, trusted in her own plan, and it had led her to a tomb.
Living for Christ Because He Has Already Saved You
This is what it will feel like for those who try to take their salvation into their own hands! It ends up leading to their spiritual death. But for those who hope in Christ, the Saviour of all people, they find freedom, and begin to live for Him, carefully watching their lives so that they glorify Him, because He saved them and they want to honour His saving grace.
A godly life, they say, is the fruit and not the root of your salvation.
So yes, be nourished on the truth, train yourself up in godliness, watch your life so that it honours God - but not so that God will accept you. Your only hope of acceptance from God is trusting in Christ's death on the cross as the basis of your salvation.
He did it! Now live for Him because your salvation is already paid for.
Paul reminds Timothy that we don't pursue spiritual health to earn God's approval, but because Christ has already saved us.