Balancing The Scales

Looking at it one way, you could say, “Anything goes. Because of God’s immense generosity and grace, we don’t have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster.” But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well. 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 MSG 

For by grace you have been saved by faith. Nothing you did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the love gift from God that brought us to Christ! So no one will ever be able to boast, for salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving. Ephesians 2:8-9 TPT

Insight 

Confession time. Lately, I’ve been trying to ease the guilt I feel over my sins by doing a few ‘good’ things to ‘balance out the scales’ and safeguard my self-esteem. I tell myself that it is okay that I maintain my destructive patterns of behavior, because I’m still a ‘good person’ on the whole. I’ve been serving and loving others to try and counteract my shame, not to make them feel the love of God or bring honor to His Name. My motivations are incredibly skewed. 

I know, logically, that my salvation comes through grace and faith in Christ alone. Yet, I’ve internalized a perverted version of the Gospel (like so many of us have). I feel I need to secure my salvation by my own merit—which is something I could never achieve (Romans 3:23). I often think I have to ‘earn’ my way into heaven, so I play this exhausting game of trying to prove to myself—and to God—that I am more loving than I am sinful. But here’s the Truth: God doesn’t need me to prove myself to Him. God doesn’t need you to prove yourself to Him. We don’t have to ‘earn’ His love. Jesus has done everything required to save our souls and liberate us from sin. Because of the cross, we are holy and beloved in the Father’s sight. That will never, ever change. 

But this doesn’t mean we should keep on sinning. When we accept God’s grace without allowing it to change our heart and behavior, we reduce ourselves to believers—as opposed to followers—of Jesus. God has proven Himself to be faithful to us, even rejecting His blameless Son on our behalf (Romans 8:31). In response, we ought to trust Him with our decisions and follow in His ways. In light of His grace and sacrifice, we are compelled to give our lives in service to Him and those He loves. 

Because Jesus paid the infinite debt we owe to God, we are free to obey Him, not out of fear of punishment (1 John 4:18), but in grateful response to Who He is. Our faith is not about our performance. Our faith is about loving God with all that we are and loving His people well (Matthew 22:36-40). Our focus ought to be on humbling ourselves before the Savior and His beloved children. Our faith is corrupted when our focus remains on our sin and self-evaluation. 

Rather than embracing His correction and viewing it as an extension of His grace, we can often view it as an attack on our self-image. I’ll be the first to admit it: sometimes, I want to see myself as ‘good’ more than I want to honor Him or love His people. However, God is faithful to transform the motivations behind our actions as we continue to confess before Him and repent. God is faithful to remind us that our identity rests not in how well we can keep His law; our identity is in Him. We don’t have to evaluate ourselves ruthlessly, anxiously trying to determine whether or not we are “good enough” for God. We are more than good enough, not because we “behave well,” but because Jesus shed His blood for us. 

Reflection 

• Are you stuck in a cycle of ruthless self-evaluation? How can you refocus on the Truth of the Gospel, rather than measuring your “performance”? 

• What are your motivations for obeying God? Are you driven by a need to see yourself as “good,” or by gratitude and genuine love? 

Prayer 

Heavenly Father, You are good and worthy to be praised! Thank You for freeing me from the crushing pressure of having to “earn” Your love. Remind me that I don’t have to prove that I am a “good person”—to You, to others, or to myself. I am “good” because You have chosen to love me and clothe me in Your righteousness. Father, purify my motivations for serving others. Let me be driven by a desire to glorify You, rather than a desire to ease my shame or boost my ego. Let me love others out of genuine care for them. Abba, thank You for being Who You are, and for taking away the sting of sin and death. Amen.

Port City writer Kate Redenbaugh wrote today’s devotional.