Failing Forward

One of the big differences I've encountered during my Christian journey is between Christians who believe that, having been saved, they're now suddenly and irrevocably perfect, and those who believe that their redemption lasts through the end of their life on earth.

Actually, I've seen something of a continuum between these two positions. One church I attended seemed to proclaim that, having converted, we were now able to "go and sin no more." In my opinion, that attitude selects for failures and phonies, because I have yet to encounter a human, Christian or not, who is able to consistently make a snap judgment about something that has moral implications which will look perfect in retrospect. So, if you're at such a church and discover that you've made a slip, that would mean that somehow your conversion "didn't take" and you either have to do it again, or walk away in dejected failure, or ignore your error and pretend nothing's wrong, which tends to lead to digging oneself pretty deeply into a hole of self-deception.

Other churches seem to take the attitude that it doesn't matter what we do as long as we believe, since it is our faith alone that saves us. Certainly, I agree with the basic thesis here that our redemption is by the grace of God alone and it is ours to receive and accept. But if someone gave you a gift and, after saying thanks, you never unwrapped it but just put it on a shelf, would you really be able to say you'd accepted it? This reminds me of 2 Timothy 3:5 (ESV), where the Apostle Paul talks of people, "having the appearance of Godliness but denying its power."

This is no small matter, of course, and even Martin Luther had significant discomfort with James 2:14-17 which essentially says that faith without works is dead. After all, isn't our saving redemption by Christ a completely free gift with no other action on our parts required than to accept it?

Of course it is! The question is, how do we respond to it - or, more accurately, how do we allow the power of that redemption to be at work in and through us in our daily lives?

Here the theory seems to diverge from practice, because, as that great old hymn says, "they'll know we are Christians by our love." That's not infatuation or affection. That's real living love, acting in caring ways that we need from each other, not because we are able to on our own, but rather as a manifestation of God's freely-given love and grace working through us. So, some Protestants may argue that we are saved by faith alone, and Catholics may say, "no, you need works, like James 2 says." But, in practice, both, in living out their faith, show the work of the Holy Spirit guiding them forward to do good works as a manifestation of the grace of God.

That's important, because it takes away the excuse of those who might be tempted to say, "I'm saved. That's all that matters. Don't look to me for anything else." But it also takes away our legitimacy in judging others based on how perfect they may seem, since each of us is on a journey of redemption, as God's saving grace, which has already bought us a place in Heaven, now works to enable our participation in His kingdom even while we're on Earth. And that journey may start so far away from our personal criteria for perfection that some people may never seem to be "Good Christians" to onlookers, despite the amazing work of redemption that God is carrying out in their lives compared to where they started and where they were headed before becoming Christians.

So, instead of expecting Christians who have been saved to suddenly become moral and spiritual Kens and Barbies, we allow that conversion to be the beginning of a journey of redemption and good works that are also by the grace of God through His Holy Spirit in us, healing us and growing us into fully-redeemed members of the kingdom, and ready for the resurrection of the body at the end of time.

Or, as Philippians 1:6 (ESV) says, "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Seen from the perspective of the Apostle Paul who penned these God-inspired words, the day of Jesus Christ turns out to have been at least two millennia in the future, at least in terms of the second coming. That's a long time for this good work to be brought to completion - basically the lifetime of everyone who ever read these words so far.

And that's a good thing, because, as I've previously observed, I've never met a Christian who was already perfect. And that includes any Catholics I've met. In fact, getting to the point of this blog/chapter, while I as a Catholic Christian have the blessing of faith, which by grace and Christ's redeeming sacrifice will bring me to Heaven, and while I have works that are signs of my ongoing growth and redemption during this life on Earth, I'm also a consistently and self-confessedly imperfect person. (See my blog/chapter on Burdens and Betrayals.)

Here's where one of my favourite verses in the Bible kicks in: Romans 8:28 (ESV), which says, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." In other words, as a forgiven Christian whose place is reserved in Heaven, everything I do, no matter how imperfectly, is not only a part of my own journey of redemption and growth, but is also turned into a positive result.

That's a whole lot better than the secular experience embodied in the well-known saying, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

So, no, we're not perfect. Yes, we're saved. No, our attitudes, intentions and actions don't stand as worthy by the standard of perfection, and there's no fudge factor that lets us get away with pretending they do. But, yes, there is both a forgiveness and a redemption factor that takes who we are and what we do, all by the freely-given grace of God, that makes us participants and citizens in the Kingdom of Heaven starting the moment of our conversion.

That works for my faith.

(Copyright (c) 2011, Reg Harbeck, all rights reserved)