What is the goal of the Christian life?

By: David Schwier–4/19/2016

I was just watching an online video of a pastor giving a sermon to his church. The topic was ‘How to live so you’re becoming more like Jesus.’

Now first off, there’s an assumption embedded in that. That the Bible has in mind for you to become more like Jesus.

In the words of this pastor, “He’s our leader, so we want to become more like our leader.”

After all, this is why Jesus had disciples, right? People who were learning to be like him.

But let’s look at what Jesus was actually doing with his disciples.

Jesus was teaching his disciples how to live the 613 Laws of Moses as he was living the Law of Moses himself (Galatians 4:4). These Laws were the contract God had with Israel in the Old Testament, up and through Jesus’ life until he died on the cross and rose again.

Once Jesus rose from the dead, the book of Hebrews states very clearly that the Old Covenant (the Law of Moses) was ended for a NEW and BETTER covenant. A covenant Paul simply calls, ‘the way of the Spirit,’ or ‘living by the Spirit.’ (Romans 7:6)

Paul wasn’t trying to live Jesus’ teaching, and certainly wasn’t teaching others to do the same.

Why?

Because Paul knew Jesus was teaching the Law of Moses.

What Paul was trying to live was Jesus’ message of what He came to do, namely to announce the coming of the kingdom of God, which was characterized by rest, victory over death, total and complete forgiveness, and the ongoing celebration of life and living life to its fullest.

Paul called the Law ‘the Ministry of Death’ because it only pointed out how imperfect we are, without the ability to give life. Paul didn’t emphasize Jesus’ teachings when Jesus was teaching the Law (most of the book of Matthew) because he understood God had put it aside for a NEW and BETTER covenant. (Book of Hebrews)

So does God require us to follow the Sermon on the Mount?

No.

Why?

Because the SotM was Jesus teaching the Law of Moses to those who were under the Law with him. (Galatians 4:4)

Ok….so if rest and celebration is what Jesus wants us to do, what are churches currently teaching that is not only incorrect, but far from what the Bible intends for us?

Well, first off, church sermons are pretty much only self-help motivational speaking on behalf of Jesus. Again, there is this idea that what Jesus was teaching his disciples was also meant for us.

Now when Jesus was teaching the Law, it’s still God’s words. True. They are still valuable as truth.

But Paul and the rest of the NT writers seemed to understand that we don’t follow the words and teachings of Jesus when he was teaching the Law.

Can we distinguish when Jesus was teaching Law and when he wasn’t?

Absolutely.

It’s super easy to do. It’s pointed out for us in the text in every instance. In many instances, Jesus refers to the Law when talking to lawyers. If he talks about God’s commandments, those are part of the Law of Moses, all of which can be found in the Old Testament.

Ok, so back to the original point:

Sermons are simply motivational speaking trying to move people toward being more like Jesus, as Jesus taught his disciples to do. The problem is that Jesus’ disciples failed miserably. But Jesus was Ok with that, because he knew that people could not accomplish following the Law.

He KNEW they would fail at it.

So he only asked the people of Israel, and 12 men in specific, to try. He spent his life teaching them and asking them to follow the Law, so they could clearly see that it COULDN’T be done….by anyone but Jesus.

So I ask you, why do thousands and thousands of pastors and Bible teachers get up each week and try to get people to do what EVEN JESUS HIMSELF COULD NOT GET THEM TO DO? Jesus could not get them to have the perfect character of God simply by motivationally speaking them into doing it.

Oh, but you say, Galatians 2:20 says the Spirit of God is inside us to help and guide us toward being like Christ. What about that?

I’ve heard this taught as well, but what happens in actual practice is it’s still our own effort toward trying to be like Jesus. That has been my experience for 40 years in church and millions of other people’s as well. And it just doesn’t work.

Why?

Because according to the NT, ‘following the spirit’ isn’t about us doing anything in our own effort, especially not putting forth effort to follow the words and teachings of Jesus. And even if we say we are ‘walking by and with the Spirit’ when we try to be ‘good’ and be ‘like Jesus,’ it’s still just us acting in our own strength, power and ability.

Jesus proved by his interaction with his disciples that this was not effective at all.

So in actual fact, what pastors do each week is drive us, try and motivate us, cajole, guilt and persuade us to do something that is……not Biblical.

So what IS Biblical? What did Jesus have in mind for us after the cross that Paul was so excited about?

-Rest. (Matthew 11:28-30)

-Celebration. (Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:19)

-Freedom from religion. (Galatians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 3:17)

-Doing things that are profitable and not things that are unprofitable. (1 Corinthians 6:12; 10:23)

Oh, so what was that last one exactly?

Just what it states.

Paul said this: ‘Everything is permissible, but not all things are profitable.’ Twice. He said it twice.

Paul did not reiterate the Sermon on the Mount. He simply said, “Do what is beneficial, and don’t do what is harmful.”

Of course Jesus’ words are a good guide for how to do this.

Certainly.

He wanted us to love each other as God loves us.

But certainly, after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the NT is clear Jesus (God) does not intend for anyone to try and live the 613 Laws of Moses.

I think God is more happy with us being restful, celebratory, fully-forgiven and content in our inner-beings as we simply live our normal lives alongside the presence and power of the spirit of God who’s with us.

Who’s always with us (Matthew 28:20).

No matter what (Romans 8:39).

And that is how we will love each other as God loves us.

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David Schwier, host of The Substandard Seminary, is an international journalist, Bible scholar and former missionary living in Colorado.