Driven by Devotion or Good Works?

By Michael Griego on August 18, 2023 • ( 0 )

Do you do good works and service because you’re devoted to God or because you’re compelled by others, even your church? To help with this distinction, ask yourself 4 questions. ◊

There’s that intriguing incident involving a wealthy young man who encounters Jesus found in Matthew 19:16-30, Luke 18:18-30, and Mark 10:17-31.

This man approaches Jesus with the big question: “What do I need to do to have eternal life?”

Most people, Christian or not, would answer this question in one of 2 ways:

“You have to believe in Jesus.” (common Christian answer)
“You have to be a good person.” (common general answer)

By the way, even people who question the existence of God or a higher power, or even heaven or eternity, would at least acknowledge that one should try to live a life as a good person.

What’s interesting though is the way Jesus actually answers this young Jewish man, who apparently follows good Jewish precepts and law. After telling the rich man that he is actually lacking “one thing,” Jesus never says anything about religious belief or being a good person, although He says something that could easily be interpreted as encouraging good behavior. But that is not the crux of Jesus’ reply.

Here is what Jesus says:

“You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22)

Jesus is speaking simply of devotion.

The one thing here is simply putting one’s full trust and devotion in following Jesus versus full trust and devotion in all other things, even valuable things.

How Do You Do That?
In many Christian churches there is a healthy focus on Christian service. Church leadership and a dutiful congregation alike may place high value in volunteering time for important local and distant causes, ongoing programs, events or even outreach to help serve or reach the community.

Certainly, these can be wonderfully helpful activities and initiatives that proactively engage a loving church community with the larger community of believers and non-believers in varying levels of need.

While these are positive acts of Christian love, care, utility and charity, is there a distinction between Christian service and Christian devotion? Does it really even matter?

Yes. I believe it matters to God significantly.

Real Service is an Outgrowth of Devotion
Oswald Chambers in his daily devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, maintains that our real service objective should be “the service of passionate devotion.” ¹

We count as service what we do in the way of Christian work; Jesus Christ calls service what we are to Him, not what we do for Him.

Ouch.

He’s pointing out that true Christ-following discipleship is based on devotion to Jesus Christ, not in good actions we do on His behalf. Our mission in life is to be devotees to Christ, not devotees to actions and causes regardless how noble.

This is not to say that one should stop “serving” but rather confirm motives and priorities.

A man touched by the Spirit of God suddenly says – “Now I see Who Jesus is,” and that is the source of devotion.

Christian service is therefore an outgrowth of devotion.

Noble Cause Dilemma
There have always been followers of the Christian faith who are attracted to good causes of service such as feeding the poor, providing for the needy, preserving wildlife and natural resources, advocating and administering social justice, and many like areas of real and urgent need.

But be cautious. There are many devotees to these causes who serve:

“…in Your name… but I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'” (Matthew 7:21-23).

Jesus also says:

“If any man comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters – yes, even their own life – such a person cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26).

While the word “hate” in Hebrew is often in contrast to “love” and sometimes used to communicate preference, these are nevertheless very difficult words.² Indeed, Jesus is making a strong comment about full devotion to Himself.

Unfortunately, I suspect that there are many people currently active in good Christian causes who would take offense if confronted with the fact that Jesus Christ is the one and only way to God and He demands 100% devotion to Himself alone.

Will of the Father vs. the Cause of Humanity
Chambers points out that our Lord’s first obedience was to the will of His Father, not to the needs of men. He modeled it for us. If we, as proclaimed Christ-followers, are more devoted to the cause of humanity only, we will soon be exhausted and be found wanting.

No, unfortunately for our reasoned minds, love for humanity is not enough:

But if I love Jesus Christ personally and passionately, I can serve humanity with humility regardless of my stature. The secret of a disciple’s life is devotion to Jesus Christ, and the characteristic of the life is its unobtrusiveness.

Our main motive in life is to be humbly Christ-like and obedient to the will of God.

Motives, Works, Gifts, Lordship
But the world’s modern culture has an insidious secular vein that confuses good service and works with good faith, charity and Christian devotion. God certainly knows the truth that lies within each of our own hearts on these matters. We too can and should assess our own motivations here.

Here are 4 simple questions to ask yourself in conducting your own truth-seeking navigation of your own actions and motives:

Ask Yourself: “Why Am I Doing the Service Acts I’m Doing?” – If your honest answer is related to social pressure, guilt, pride or envy, then your motives are suspect. Service done under social duress or peer pressure in any form is hollow, frustrating and may lead to lingering resentment and even anger. You’re better off just saying “No” and continuing further self-assessment.
Ask Yourself: “Are My Good Works an Outgrowth of My Faith?” – Humble Christian service flows like a spring out of a humble heart devoted to the source of that devotion, Jesus. There is no outside compulsion but an inward compulsion led by the Spirit of God. You’re in a good place if you’re spiritually led or inclined to areas of service that just feels right and fills your heart with true desire to humbly serve.
Ask Yourself: “Are My Good Works in My Areas of Strength or My Wheelhouse?” – God has wired each of us with unique gifts, talents and proclivities. There are just some areas in which we excel. It’s God-given. In your heart of hearts you’ve known or suspected these patterns of excellence all your life. And it’s not about size or scale – it’s personal to you. A life truly surrendered to God is a truly gifted life surrendered to His use and service in the Kingdom. Your service or works area should be something in which you thrive and which brings you natural joy and freedom.
Ask Yourself: “Is Jesus Christ Lord of My Life?” – If you are coming up with hollow and empty answers to the first three questions, then you might examine the issue of real lordship in your life. Adherence to a belief or creed is ultimately insufficient in sustaining a vibrant Christian faith. Again, Christian discipleship is based on devotion to Jesus Christ. This bell-weather point exposes mere devotion to good human causes apart from the work of the Holy Spirit. The good news is that the Life-giving antidote is clearly available through Christ.

So may we all continue to do good and love and support our fellow-man in our hurting world. But as even the godless want to do good for humanity’s sake, the devoted servant of God is personally directed to do good for Christ’s sake.

What drives you to do good works of service?
_________________________
“But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15

¹ My Utmost For His Highest, by Oswald Chambers, “Service of Passionate Devotion,” Dodd, Mead & Company, 1935.

² For a good treatment of this difficult verse, see “What did Jesus mean when He instructed us to hate our father and mother (Luke 14:26)?”, an article in GotQuestions.com, https://www.gotquestions.org/hate-father-mother.html.