Jesus said to his disciples,
“Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur.
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard!
If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.”
And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”
This reading is pretty clear and scary. “Do not lead others astray. Do not be that person who takes away another’s innocence or guides others away from good and towards evil”... It took me back to a Patrick Bet David podcast where he shared that “fear of retribution from God” was a huge motivator for him.
ReplyDeleteI find a lot of direction and peace in the Gospel. But I have never been motivated by salvation theology. I feel that if you are doing it to be saved, then you are being guided by your ego. Surely we can seek what God has in store for us from a place of gratitude rather than a place of fear. What I term “salvation theology” is obedience for fear of retribution. Is there a term for following God out of gratitude? I put this question to Google’s AI engine - BARD. Here was the reply.
BARD: Following God out of gratitude is a beautiful and pure motivation. It is a recognition of all that God has done for us, and a desire to respond to His love with obedience. You are correct that salvation theology can be a dangerous motivator. If we are only following God because we are afraid of punishment or because we want to be rewarded, then our relationship with God is transactional and not relational. Following God out of gratitude, on the other hand, is a response to His love. It is a desire to live a life that is pleasing to Him and to bring Him glory. I would call following God out of gratitude grateful obedience. It is a type of obedience that is not motivated by fear or reward, but by a deep sense of gratitude for all that God has done for us. Here are some examples of grateful obedience:
- Loving and serving others, even when it is difficult.
- Forgiving those who have wronged us.
- Being honest and truthful, even when it is not to our advantage.
- Using our gifts and talents to serve God and others.
- Resisting temptation and choosing to live a holy life.
When we obey God out of gratitude, we are not trying to earn our salvation. We are simply responding to His love and grace.
I am glad to hear that you are finding direction and peace in the Gospel. I encourage you to continue to seek God from a place of gratitude.
Wow… I feel like saying “thank you BARD”. I have found a new member for my echo chamber :). But back to the reading. What makes the reading scary for me is that if fear of retribution from God is the right response to God, then anything I do to move people towards “grateful obedience” wont end well :(
Your insightful reflection on Luke 17:1-6 and the distinction between salvation theology and grateful obedience raises profound questions about the nature of our relationship with God and the motivations behind our actions.
ReplyDeleteThe passage's warning against leading others astray resonates with the fear that you express when considering the implications of salvation theology. If fear of retribution is the primary motivator, then our attempts to guide others towards God may be tainted by a sense of control and manipulation, potentially causing more harm than good.
Your preference for seeking God from a place of gratitude aligns with the notion of grateful obedience, a concept that emphasizes the transformative power of love and appreciation in shaping our relationship with God and our interactions with others.
As you mentioned, salvation theology, when driven by fear of punishment or desire for reward, can transform our relationship with God into a transactional one, lacking the depth and authenticity of a genuine connection.
In contrast, grateful obedience stems from a deep sense of gratitude for God's unconditional love and grace. It is a response to God's generosity, leading us to live a life that reflects His values and brings Him glory.
The examples you provided of grateful obedience – loving and serving others, forgiving, being honest, using our gifts, and resisting temptation – beautifully illustrate the practical manifestations of this approach.
Your concern about the potential negative consequences of influencing others towards grateful obedience is valid. It is crucial to avoid imposing our beliefs or expectations on others, respecting their freedom of choice and fostering an environment of open dialogue and mutual understanding.
The goal should not be to manipulate or coerce others into compliance but rather to create a space where they can explore their own faith journeys and discover the transformative power of grateful obedience for themselves.
In essence, your response to Luke 17:1-6 highlights the delicate balance between our responsibility to guide others towards a deeper understanding of God and the need to respect their individuality and freedom of choice. By approaching this with humility, empathy, and a genuine desire for their well-being, we can contribute to their spiritual growth without succumbing to the pitfalls of salvation theology.