"Justify Yourself"

I have written and spoke on Social Exchange for years now. Many have been blessed by the transformation of thinking that comes with grasping how our human nature, like all other nature, seeks balance or equilibrium. This is supply-demand in economics and the basis for justice, a quid pro quo reciprocity based on receiving in balance with what you give. Equity, "getting what you deserve", forms the foundation of most all institutions, especially when it comes to rewards and punishment.

Yet, when people are introduced to social exchange for the first time, it seems to be somewhat difficult to grasp. This is especially true when Christians must reconcile how this natural propensity wars against Grace. I was recently handed an article from Christianity Today, "Justify Yourself: Why we prefer the law 500 years after Luther reminded us of the Gospel." It is so endemic in human nature that we must make sense of life through lenses of cause and effect, that while we can embrace the Reformation in our head, our soul stays on exchange. That's been going on for 500 years, more if you consider Augustine and even more if you consider Paul's letter to the Romans.

No where does this issue manifest itself any more than in how believers view rewards in the Kingdom of God. Over and over people struggle with exchange because to cast off the notion of exchange in our Christian life is to deny the many verses in Scripture that speak of rewards. BTW, the notion of rewards is added by many preachers to scripture that does not even use the word because its so important to them to emphasize how the Kingdom must operate with a contingent reward system.

I was recently asked about a devotional that used Matt 19:29. The author starts the devotion saying
"There is a false spirituality in the church that insists we are never to serve God with an eye on the reward."

The passage in scripture actually goes like this

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life."

The emphasis in the passage of scripture focuses on "receive" and the writer calls it a reward. Maybe it is a reward, but Jesus didn't call it a reward. Jesus described what we "receive" as we become a part of His Kingdom, true. In fact, I think receiving is the main point of the Gospel. Not what we do to receive, but that the King gives, willfully and gladly. If you look at this statement in context of what is going on, its clear that Jesus is pointing us to the reward giver and a totally different idea about rewards than contingent compensation.

Think of it like this:
An orphan receives much when adopted. These benefits can be considered a reward but it is usually not viewed that way. It is usually seen as a condition of adoption. The adopted child receives all the provisions and privileges of the father.

Contrast this to how some view the scriptures as an employee benefits manual. This is what you receive contingent on remaining gainfully employed The more you do, the more you get. This is exchange. This is the core of fallen human nature. This is why we needed a Savior.

The cycle of pondering ... this message never gets old!!