Saved for good works

When I was composing the blog I posted on 10/31, a chapter title from a book came to my mind.  H. Michael Brewer, in his fine book Who Needs a Superhero? Finding Virtue, Vice, and What’s Holy in the Comics has a chapter he entitled Saved for Service.  In that chapter he writes,

“The Fantastic Four’s origin follows a particularly common comic book pattern: the process of peril-power-promise.  Here’s how it works: Our hero faces a crisis that threatens to destroy him.  Instead our hero emerges with superhuman abilities and vows to use them for good.  Christian life follows a similar path.  The initials differ for steps in the process, but the pattern is nearly identical: sin-salvation-service…Sin-salvation-service and peril-power- promise both lead to the same action: devoting oneself to a lifelong mission of gratitude.  Unfortunately, many Christians overlook the final step in the process as if a profession of faith in Christ in Jesus finishes their stories.  Quite the contrary is true.”

 

Brewer goes on to quote from Ephesians 2.  Verses 8 and 9 of Ephesians 2 are cited often because they are so powerful; the verses declare, “For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  But verse 10 is not quoted as often; and that’s a shame because it reads, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”  I would put it in these terms: when you become a Christian, you’ve just joined the team, so to speak, and the Coach has a place, a role, for you to play on that team.  How humbling it is to understand that God chose the good works that He wanted me to do before I even gave my life to Him.  He gave me certain gifts and abilities and He wants me to use them for Him and for others. 

So, if that’s God’s standard, this brings up a question: why is that some Christians miss out on this blessing?  I think that’s a multi-faceted answer that I couldn’t possibly cover in this one blog.  Some, for example, simply don’t know that this is what they are to do.  But I actually think the biggest factor could be selfishness.

I was recently watching a You Tube video of a fan-made film of how Batman met Superman.  The best scene is when Bruce Wayne is chatting with Clark Kent.  At this point, each know the others secret identity.  Bruce questions Clark’s decision to hide his identity with a pair of glasses.  “People see what they want to see, Bruce,” Clark answers.  “What do you see?”  Clark’s response to Bruce’s inquiry has since gripped me: “I see a generation too consumed with themselves to even look at others…a generation losing their morality to technological revolution; a generation who think they deserve everything never having worked for it.”  (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH4eUCwawrY)

It’s a stinging indictment, but it sounds like something Superman would say (the fact that the fellow who portrayed Clark/Superman in the video looks like Christopher Reeve didn’t hurt either).  Is it possible that we’ve gotten way too consumed with ourselves?  I think the answer is yes.  In one of her songs, Rebecca St. James has this lyric: “I used to think that ‘me myself and I’ were all that mattered, but You’ve showed me all this world can give cannot compare to the joy that comes from giving away.”  The Bible puts it this way: “No one should seek their own good, but the good of others” (1 Corinthians 10:24).  Another translation renders it: “We should stop looking out for our own interests and instead focus on the people living and breathing around us.”

In conclusion, just so you know, when I write this kind of blog, I’m not just preaching at you; I’m speaking to myself as well.  If you got some benefit out of this, that’s great, but I was definitely challenged.  I was reminded that I have been saved for good works (not by good works, but for good works; that’s a very important difference).  I’ve been reminded that I am to take my eyes off of myself, and use my gifts for others, to the glory of God.

Kevin