Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. None of us are worthy of any glory. Can we work our way into God’s favor?
Ephesians 2:8,9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Knowing we have been saved by Jesus’s sacrifice, should we then live by our works? Galatians 3:3, “How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?” (NLT) We can’t gain merit by our works.
We have worth because God says we have worth! We were created in His image; Jesus died for us; God loves us. Let no one, not even yourself, separate you from the love of God by a false idea. We will NOT lose our relationship with God if we do not attend a service or if we politely refuse a service.
Our first priority is to have a close walk with God. Our Christian growth depends on our prayer life, Bible studies and obedience to His will. When we make time to be with God, our hearts will be full of joy and peace. Then, the way we serve God becomes an outgrowth of our relationship with God. It is when our relationship with our Father is healthy and strong that our services become delights.
But what if we are losing peace, feeling pressured, and feeling frustrated? Then something is wrong. If we are so busy, it may be that we are neglecting quiet times with God. Service which supplants devotion and study doesn’t work. Others will sense our pressured feelings and our unspoken message may seem to be, “A Christian has a stressful life full of work…” We don’t want that… But when we are close to God, our services will reflect our peace. Our unspoken message will become, “A Christian is full of thanksgiving and peace. Don’t you want to have my happiness?” Our relationship with God comes first; our works will grow as we experience God’s wise love in our life.
Additional Resources:
Christian Questions Podcast
Episode #1155: “Is It Faith or Works That Gets Us to Heaven? (Part I)”
Understanding the fundamental role of faith in our Christian walk
Preview Video
CQ Rewind Show Notes
Episode #1296: “Do Christians Have to Go to Church?”
Understanding what the Christian church is and what it is not
Preview Video
CQ Rewind Show Notes
Episode #981: What Makes a Church a “Good Church”?
Important foundation stones of a true Christian church
Preview Video
CQ Rewind Show Notes
For children, parents and Bible class teachers:
CQ Kids video: “Why do we go to church?”
