I’ve confused these two words a lot. Faith. Perfect.
I thought Abraham was perfect. I thought David was perfect. But when we look at their stories they really weren’t perfect. They did some messed up things, but God still used them. So how were they righteous? Not by their own merit. Not by their acts. But their faith. Not in themselves. But in their God.
See when you are an achiever like myself, it’s easy to confuse faith with achievement. It’s a belief wrapped up that says, “I’ll show you God why you want to use me…” and “I’ll teach your people to get it together.” But faith is not within ourselves. Isaiah says, “even our righteous acts are like filthy rags to God.” I think because even our good acts are compromised by our humanness. And when we teach people to achieve and try hard to be perfect, we teach others to become Pharisees.
Pharisees hurt the people that were following them by placing unbearable burdens and laws on their followers that were impossible. I’m sure a lot of people stepped away from this walk and were judged harshly by the Pharisees because “they couldn’t cut it.”
I’m challenging this belief in myself because it has no merit in the gospel. It’s the opposite. God does not desire for us to live perfect lives. But to realize in Christ we already are perfect before Him because of what Jesus did on the Cross.
Now we get to live messy, stumble, get up, and move forward in grace and love. Not in works and achievements we once so desired.
James 2 makes it clear that God honors works, but James 1 declares we are free from this law. So we have the freedom to serve and to live out our faith. God calls us to work, but maybe in a simpler way. A way that takes the impossible burdens off our shoulders to do it all, to hold everything up, to keep everything in line, and instead move with grace and love and pour that out instead of burdensome living.
Because if you are like me, its easier to measure our works. But a heart changed by God is a miracle. One we cannot do. And I want that for others, not a burdensome living that is impossible to measure up to, but a life that is free. Free to serve.
Faith, not perfection, in a God who is true and honest and pure. He wants our faith in Him and He will move mountains.
Oh help us to see Lord.
