Every few weeks I want to provide a question to spark conversations in your small group at church or with one of your disciples. My prayer is that this question would help you wrestle with your own walk with the Lord.
The question this week is:
“When does pleasing the Lord turn into performing for the Lord?”
In 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 Paul says,
“We make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”
He says his goal in life is to please the Father. He wants to stand before God at judgment and be confident his life mattered.
A worthy goal!
But when does living to please God turn into a works-based or legalistic performance for God?
It’s a significant question!
Christianity is not about performance. It’s about grace. Thousands of books & articles have been written addressing our tendency towards the performance trap. We quickly turn devotional times, prayer and church attendance into a box to check, streak to count, or amount to measure.
The way you answer this question is the difference between living like Paul or living like the Pharisees! That’s why so much of the New Testament addresses it:
- “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works…” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
- We know that our righteousness comes only from Christ and we do nothing to earn favor or approval from Him (Romans 3:21-25).
God’s approval is not earned. Believers are justified and accepted by grace, through faith alone.
However, the way followers of Jesus choose to live is very significant.
Christians are to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work” (Col 1:9-10). Paul tells us that because of what Jesus has done, we should “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1).
There is a great responsibility to please the Lord and live for Him.
So we’re back to the start…when does walking/offering/pleasing become a performance?
Over the next few weeks, I’ll write about living a life that is pleasing to the Lord. For now, I want to let you meditate on these questions.
What areas of your life are not pleasing to the Lord? Have you turned your faith into a performance? Are you trying to impress God thinking you will earn more of His favor and blessing?
Put it into Practice:
Do you feel yourself drifting towards performance?
It’s time for you to search the Scriptures on this topic. Look up the following verses and make notes of what they say about pleasing God.
These verses would be great to look up for yourself, with your disciple, or in your small group to help them wrestle through motives and the heart of the Gospel. I’ve included questions you can use.
- Romans 8:8 –
- Romans 12:1-2 –
- 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 –
- Galatians 1:10 –
- Ephesians 5:8-10 –
- Colossians 1:10 –
- 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5 –
- Hebrews 11:6 –
Discussion questions:
- What themes or repetitions do you notice in the verses above about pleasing God?
- What are examples of when living to please God turns into performing for him?
- What are some warning signs you are relying on yourself and your performance?
- To what extent do you see devotional times, church attendance, and other disciplines as necessary for God to be happy with you? Do you believe more of God’s blessing is available if you do those things? Why or why not?
- How would you coach someone who is wrestling with legalism and performance? Which Scripture would you emphasize?
Application:
- What areas in your life are not pleasing to the Lord right now? Confess those.
- Pick one of the verses to meditate on and pray through this week.
I’ve typed this up into a one-to-one conversation you can use. Click the link below and it will take you to a PDF you can print and use!
