Watch the great video by Steve McVey below, Christian Religion Lie #42: “You need to do your part in the Christian life” and my comments follow.
I’m sure you’ve heard this one before 
This lie gets told in a variety of different ways…
“If you do your part — God will do the rest”
“Do your best and trust God to do the rest”
“If you work hard for God — He’ll be faithful and work hard for you”.
Sounds convincing right? But it’s a LIE.
Why is this lie dangerous?
When you believe this lie, it’s like getting on the religious treadmill of religious activity. You hop on and start walking… slowly at first… going to church reading your Bible– “doing your part”.
Then you see other Christians who look like they’re doing a better job than you — maybe teaching Sunday school… or singing in the choir… or witnessing regularly. So you start to “jog” to catch up — “if that’s them doing their part — then I should be doing at least that”.
Next, you notice that the Christians in your Bible study all have a quiet time that’s double yours — you start to speed up — they tithe more money than you — you’re running now — oh, that one Christian mother makes it look so EASY parenting her family of five — so you’re now in a full on sprint desperately trying to “do your part” of religious activity.
Then it happens!
BANG! You burn out — you can’t keep sprinting — running full force forever. And then it sets in — Satan is right there next to the treadmill like some demonic Richard Simmons, ready to jump in and heap condemnation and guilt and shame on you. He tells you you’re such a poor Christian because you can’t do your part… you can’t “run the race” faithfully like “everyone else” who is a Christian. “God can never use you” He’ll say — “You can’t even do your part!”
Is this what Christ spoke of when He said…
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
What The Christian life is NOT:
The Christian life is not about you “helping” God accomplish His will (the Creator of everything is MORE than capable of helping Himself)… It’s not about God “helping” you in your life either — like God is your life coach.
It’s not about “doing your part” and letting God take up the slack.
It’s not about treating God like an investment vehicle, i.e., “I do this for God and He’ll do this for me”
What the Christian life IS:
The Christian life is about receiving salvation and with it the very life of Christ… and… then letting this indwelling Christ express Himself through you moment by moment… each and every day.
Paul says in Romans 15:18:
“I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— “
It is everything CHRIST and Christ ALONE is doing through you.
Your only “job” in the Christian life is to BELIEVE. To have FAITH that Christ is doing this through you… and WILL do it. And rest assured — He will be faithful to do it!
Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:24:
“The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”
So it’s settled then eh?
Stop believing this lie that you have to “do your part”… get off that religious treadmill… and embrace what Christ wants to do through you by opening to his leading moment by moment each and every day.
With Love
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