Growing up within the Christian community as I did, I encountered many answers to the question, "What is the heart of Christianity?". Most commonly, I was told that the Christian life was about loving Jesus by living the way he said to live. And that way was a holy way, a moral way, a way of righteousness. As a younger man, I didn't understand that what I was hearing in this particular answer was only a half-truth and as such was not actually the truth. In fact, this view of the Christian life is what is known as Moralism and is actually quite devastating to true Christian living.
The main idea in Moralism is that the apex of the Christian life is holiness. What all Christians ought to shoot for is a life that is highly moral, free of sin and its fouling stain. Typically, on Moralism, this holy life is attained by "bearing down," by "committing to," by "discipline and determination," by "self-sacrifice and persistence." So, when I was told that, as a Christian, I ought to live a holy life, I was usually also told that doing so was accomplished by tremendous and costly self-effort.
But, it was simply my duty, my obligation, to "dig deep" and "live for Jesus." He had died for me, after all, and so, in return, I was obliged to sacrifice myself in pursuit of Christian living. And if I didn't, well, the yawning maw of hell waited to engulf me, as it would any who turned back from the great and holy work of living for Jesus.
In this thinking, three very spiritually-dangerous things - Moralism, self-effort, and fear - are bound up together, creating a "perfect storm" of faulty thinking that could only lead to frustration, compromise and hypocrisy in my walk with God. And they did.
Is righteousness the primary goal of the Christian life? No. It is merely the avenue, the means to, enjoying loving, rich fellowship with God.
Hebrews 12:14
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
In this verse, what is the purpose of living a holy, peaceful life? Is holiness an end in itself? NO! It is just the means by which the Christian believer may "see God." Is this verse speaking only of the heavenly hereafter? Or does Scripture tells us we may experience God - "see" Him - on this side of the grave, too?
The New Testament is bursting with verses that indicate that God is not just some happy future prospect we must wait 'til death to enjoy, but One with whom we may fellowship right now! The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, teaches us divine truth, and glorifies God within us (John 16:8-14); the Spirit strengthens us (Philippians 2:13; Romans 8:13; Ephesians 3:16); the Spirit produces in us spiritual "fruit" (Galatians 5:22-23); the Spirit transforms us into the likeness of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). And so on.
As the Holy Spirit works in us, we come to know God more, to understand Him better, and to enjoy deeper and deeper communion with Him. In this communion, this fellowship, with God there is incredible fulfillment, meaning, joy, love, peace and rest (John 14:27; Matthew 11:28-30; 1 John 4:16-19). It is this wonderful fellowship with God that is the end goal of our holy, Christ-centered living and is, actually, supposed to be the prime motivation for it.
1 Corinthians 1:9
9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
2 Corinthians 13:14
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
1 John 1:3
3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
I lived for many years trying to be a holy man without ever truly knowing God and enjoying Him. Oh, I knew about God, I knew the facts of the Bible concerning God, but I didn't think I could actually experience God directly and personally on a regular basis. And so, I couldn't know Him for myself, like I would any in my social circle I called friend or family.
It was...very hard to stay motivated to live for such a distant figure I knew nothing of personally - and certainly didn't enjoy. But, I went through the motions, failing and compromising regularly, shouldering the burden of Christian living as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, though my heart yearned for - and often strayed into - other worldly, fleshly and unholy things.
I had adopted a very Moralistic approach to being a Christian, though, at the time, I'd never heard the term "Moralism." Live right. That was my goal as a Christian, which meant not doing things that were immoral. So, I went to church three or four times a week; I prayed over meals, before bed, and at Prayer Meeting on Wednesday evenings; I didn't go to the movie theater, or drink alcohol, or smoke, or listen to secular music; I didn't swear, or party or hang around with non-Christian people. I was - outwardly anyway - a good Christian guy. My moralistic thinking, though, had made me a Pharisee:
Matthew 15:7-8
7 "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you:
8 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
This is where Moralism always ends up. And this is because it is working for the wrong thing entirely, and usually from the wrong power source and motive. The purpose of holy living isn't simply to be holy but to create a life in which a holy God may be known, experienced and enjoyed.
John 10:10
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Living among so many other moralistic believers, it took decades for me to figure this out.
(Continued in following post.)
