Beyond Getting By With Our Faith

I guess you could say that we "practice" our faith. I have a hunch that somehow or other in God's incredible grace we could just "get by." After all, that is what "justification by faith" - and "grace"- really mean. You don't have to do anything to receive it. (I am not going to get into arguments that believing is an act on our part. That's for theologians and thinkers far deeper and smarter than I.)

But, and here is where something more comes into the picture. There is a relationship between faith and action. The famous passage from James reminds us of that. So does the word "disciple" which comes from the same root as "discipline." You can be simply a "follower" and "just get by" or you can jump in deeper and "practice" which takes "discipline" to become a "disciple." It may be okay with God for you to "just get by." If it wasn't it wouldn't be grace.

John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Jesus wasn't only interested in grace. It was clear that he wanted more from those who would follow him. Grace, as far as it goes (and it goes far) and in spite of Bonhoeffer's well phrased words to the contrary, is easy. If it wasn't, to repeat myself, it wouldn't be grace. But grace is not all Jesus offers. Here is where we often get mixed up. Jesus is also offering us more- that ability to do more than even he did. THAT is discipleship.

And that takes practice- the living practice of our faith. It doesn't make be a "better Christian;" it does make me a stronger disciple within the gifts and calling I have been given. Nor does it give me a more (or less) honored place in heaven or the church or the kingdom. Those workers hired in Jesus' infamous parable all got the same pay regardless of whether they worked an hour or eight in the blazing sun.

So we don't practice our faith to get more rewards or to get into heaven. We practice our faith because we have been called to. To do what Jesus did- and more- because he promised that to us.