A Quote to Consider
“Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God’s will.”
-Eric Metaxas
This quote from Eric Metaxas, who has become a controversial figure in recent years, is a restatement of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's philosophy.
Despite the controversial source, this quote is one of the clearest articulations of this important truth that I have encountered.
I have literally heard thousands of sermons in my life. If we include Sunday School lessons, Bible studies, devotionals, and other forms of spiritual instruction, the numbers get staggering. Far more often than not, those lessons focus on avoiding sin. Often, when teachers describe what doing God’s will looks like, they describe it more in terms of sins to avoid.
That might be why, when Christians seek to engage in public life, they focus on the sins they believe they need to battle. We need to take this quote a little further. God’s will is not just avoiding sin.
As a young adult, I remember being taught, in a professional context, that we become what we think about most of the time. The biblical image of sin is missing the mark, as in missing the target in archery. If it were a metaphor from my life, it would be missing the shot, missing the basket in basketball.
Whether one is an archer or a basketball player, the point is the same. To hit the target, or make the basket, requires intense focus on the goal rather than being distracted by things that are not the goal. If we are always thinking about sin, we are far more likely to commit it.
So many Christians spend their life asking, “Is this sin?” or “Is that sin?” I certainly spent many years thinking that way. I always found that yoke to be heavy. More recently, my focus is on whether I am emulating the character of Christ and pursuing His priorities. Do I love what Christ loves?
This yoke is much lighter. The more my loves are conformed to Christ’s loves, the easier it is to do and be what He wants me to be.
If I were to rework the quote above, it would be: The life of a Christian is not about diligently avoiding sin. Rather, the Way of Christ is to have our passions transformed to mirror Christ’s so that we love what He loves.
Prayer
Lord Jesus,
You are the resurrection and the life. Transform our passions so that we love what You love and courageously pursue Your will. Help us live today in the hope of the beautiful, embodied life You have promised.
In Your name,
Amen.
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Daily Reflections for a Life of Faith
Whispers of Grace is a series of personal reflections written by Rondall Reynoso, a long-time Christian, scholar of religion, and an artist. Each reflection begins with a Bible verse, continues with some honest thoughts about life and faith, and closes with a simple prayer.
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