What if I were to tell you that the work of God is not what you think it is? It isn’t striving, straining, laboring, or forcing. It isn’t something that can even be done out of our own strength or merit. In fact, it isn’t even something we “do”. It was never intended to be.
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” -John 6:26-29
Most people don’t think of believing as an active, intentional action. Look at the way it’s used, though. It’s a verb in the infinitive form.
God is not asking us, “What are you going to do?” as most would presume. Rather, as a result of Jesus Christ fulfilling the Law in Himself, He is asking, “Who are you going to be?” To view Jesus’ words as external things promoting an inward change is neglecting the very strength and nature by which Jesus Himself worked!
Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. -John 5:17-20
What I’m not saying is that there is no action to faith. What I am saying is there is no action that WE can do. The action comes from Jesus. He has given us the Holy Spirit to show us what we are to do and to empower us to do it. That we work not from our own strength, but out of His. That we work not for ourselves, but for Jesus. That we do not receive the glory, but all glory goes to Jesus! These are Jesus’ words:
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.” -John 16:12-15
We are not left alone and without help. We are given all we need to live the life Jesus calls us to. All of it comes from Him and we simply live it out following Him, walking in the Spirit, letting Him lead us, and giving Him reign, control, rule over our life. When Jesus is given control of our lives and we see Him as Lord over us, the Spirit is freed to do what it needs to do in us.
This brings us into more and more freedom from bondage. It frees us from having to try and do it all ourselves. Is there work for us to do? Yes! Though it may look differently thank you thought. The Father will lead us into what He wishes for us each day to make us more and more like Jesus, give us abundant life, and to share that life with those around us. There is always more to do. There is an abundance of work that the Father calls us into but apart from His leading, there is no power and no sustainability that goes with it.
May we set our eyes and our hearts and our thoughts on Jesus for His guidance and direction for our daily life actions, decisions, and living!
A number of years ago, I was sat peaceably at the back of a church contemplating the singing. Suddenly the Lord interrupted my thoughts with these words.
EVERY DAY,
YOU DO,
WHAT ADAM DID!
I write in capitals because it was said just like that, abrupt and blunt to the point. Ouch.
Sometimes when God speaks I have to seek understanding, other times it comes with understanding and clarity, this was one of those times.
“……Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you…..”
The point being made was that I was eating regularly from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Fruit that produces death rather than life.
For God’s sake! This is what I do, I am human! I get hungry and I eat! I can’t help it!
Or can I?
It wasn’t that I was a rebellious Christian, not at all. I was on fire for God and truly desired to walk in the Spirit. I just didn’t recognise the extent of how much of my choices were wrongly resourced. What I thought was good was, as far as LIFE was concerned, equally evil, having come from the wrong tree.
Although it is not actually said, there were two choices for Adam. There was not just the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, there was also the Tree of Life, which he should have chosen.
Because God desired fellowship with mankind, he needed to allow man to have freedom of choice. Adam was the crowned ruler of the earthly creation, therefore any decision as to the way forward was Adam’s to make.
At that point in the creation, paradise was on earth. Adam as spirit and as flesh seems to have had equal prominence. The spirit man was led by the relationship with God, Adam’s flesh man was led by his perception of the creation. Which was going to be on top?
Despite the warning, in eating from the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, Adam chose that his own created knowledge should rule.
When he did this, his spiritual relationship with his maker died, and Adam clearly knew it.
This is the issue I am faced with daily, and so often fail
I am a spirit man, led by God. I am also a physical man, led by my own intellect MY tree of knowledge of MY assessment of it being right or wrong, good or evil.
My two selves two are at war.
I have no fear about any permanent rift between me and God, as I am a blood bought son and I trust in his love and mercy. However my choices will always bear fruit for either life or death in my progress on earth.