The Foundational Truth
When I was a freshman at the University of Delaware, I knew I wanted to be an institutional investor. To become an investor I needed to learn more about the stock market. Fortunately for me, the first day in my dorm I learned that two doors down from me was a sophomore who was actively investing money in the stock markets.
Every evening I would go to his dorm room as he taught me everything he knew about investing. I remember learning to read the financial section of the Wall Street Journal for the first time, spread out on his dorm room floor.
Using his knowledge it wasn’t long before I started trading stocks in the stock market as well. Between classes I would call my broker, stop at the pay phone, check my investments, make a trade if necessary, then go to my next class. Yes, that was back in the day before smart phones!
When establishing my relationship with my friend two doors down the hall, there was something I needed from him. Specifically, I needed his knowledge about investing in stocks.
When we think about our relationship with Jesus and our spiritual growth, there is something specific we need from Jesus in order to grow spiritually. This thing is his righteousness.
The basic, foundational truth that all spiritual growth is built upon is the truth that we cannot obtain our righteousness through human effort or human works. Not only can we not obtain it, we cannot even influence our righteousness in God’s eyes through our human efforts.
On the surface, this is hard to believe. Am I saying that when we pray, go to church, or read our Bible, that our relationship with God is not influenced? No, I am not saying that at all.
I am saying that when we pray, go to church, or read our Bible that our righteousness does not change. In a similar manner, when we do not do these things our righteousness does not change for the worse either.
I know this is hard to believe, and even harder to live out, but it is true. This is why the writer of Hebrews said that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Our human works cannot bring righteousness, only our faith in God can. Once we have obtained righteousness through our relationship with Jesus, our works, whether good or bad, do not influence that righteousness.
This is the foundational truth all spiritual growth is built upon because it enables the process of spiritual growth to happen from our spiritual activities. When we engage in a spiritual activity, such as a practice of spiritual growth, our motive is of significant importance. Are we engaging in the activity because we want to gain the approval of God through the activity or because we already have the approval of God?
It is very difficult to experience spiritual growth when engaging in spiritual activities for the purpose of gaining God’s approval or favor. Alternatively, spiritual activities pursued because we already have God’s approval produce an enormous amount of spiritual growth. This is why practicing our righteousness by faith is foundational to our spiritual growth.
As a follower of Jesus, pursue your spiritual activities knowing you already have the righteousness of Christ. You will find when you pursue your spiritual activities from this perspective they will produce an enormous amount of spiritual growth.
