I grew up in a church that had a weird relationship with effort. We talked about salvation as a gift - free, can't be earned. But then if you didn't 'work out your salvation,' you weren't really saved. It created this constant undercurrent of anxiety. Either I was working hard enough or I wasn't, and I could never be sure which.
I've been reading this verse differently now. Paul's not saying you earn your salvation through effort. He's saying you participate in the salvation you've been given. It's like someone gives you a gym membership - that's a gift, totally free. But if you actually want the benefits, you have to show up and use it. The gift is real. The participation is also real.
So I'm not trying to earn God's love anymore. But I'm also not passive. I'm showing up to my own transformation. I'm working with the Spirit to become the person God created me to be. That's a relief - no more earning, but also no more waiting passively for God to fix everything. We're working together.
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