In a recent Bible study on the topic of God's grace, a question was posed to the person teaching that deserved more explaining than time permitted at that moment. The question is, perhaps, one that many Christians struggle with and, if not, soon will in their walk with the Lord. It is an issue that must be thoroughly thought through in order to apprehend its implications. So, what was this insightful question? It was this: "Is actively trying not to sin considered a work?"
Some people may ponder, "how can not doing something count as doing something?!" The answer is: when we try not to do something, at the same time we are trying to do something else. For example, when a man tries not to eat a pizza pie on his own, he is trying to stay healthy, or at least not suffer the consequences after digestion; and when a wife tries not to demean her husband, she is trying to be loving and respectful towards him, or at least save herself from his terse remarks. Translated over to our issue, trying not to sin may also be trying to do something else, such as pleasing God, oneself, or others in order to gain satisfaction from within or favor from the outside.
Moreover, the inquiry "Is actively trying not to sin considered a work?" raises questions about where and how grace and works fit into, or not, our salvation and sanctification. The question leaves us wondering whether it is right to actively try not to sin because, if we do, it may be considered a work—which seemingly runs contrary to grace. God's grace does indeed free us from having to attain our salvation by doing works; so should God not also free us from having to work for our salvation or His favor by trying not to sin? Well...He does.
The Nature Of God's Grace
One of the confusing aspects regarding this topic—grace—is that it is talked about, taught, and lived out as if it were an abstract concept apart from the person of Jesus Christ; that grace is a "thing." In other words, we often hear phrases such as: "lean on grace," "grace has set you free," "the means of grace," etc. But as Sinclair Ferguson states, "It is not a thing that was crucified to give us a thing called grace. It was the person of the Lord Jesus that was crucified in order that He might give Himself to us through the ministry of the Holy Spirit." It is Jesus Himself, God Himself, who gives us His grace—who gives us Himself.
Therefore, it is always best to speak of grace with a qualifier attached to it: saying, then, something like "God's grace, " "Christ's grace," or "the grace of God." So then, what exactly is God's grace? In the New Testament, the word "grace" is a translation of the Greek word charis, which means "favor, blessings, and kindness shown to someone." Paul Enns, a theologian, says: "grace can be defined as the unmerited or undeserving favor of God to those who are under condemnation." God extends His undeserved grace towards us—grace requires a person in order to give it.
The Nature of Works
Contrary to receiving God's grace is the notion of working, but specifically working for our own salvation or for God's favor and blessings. While God does want us to "work out our salvation" (Philippians 2:12), in the sense of allowing the Holy Spirit to sanctify us, or by us doing good works out of/from our already-received salvation, He does not want us to try to work for our salvation or for His favor—that would negate the purpose and definition of His grace.
When one works for something, the reward or payment received is just that, an earned payment. But God does not want anyone to be able to boast in his or her ability to do anything, much less in achieving or earning his or her salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). Trying to work towards or for salvation is essentially saying to God that we can do it better and more completely than He has; it is the very sin of pride—and to the nth degree!
Not Sinning, A Work?
So now we get to our question: is actively trying not to sin considered a work. The short answer: yes—for the unbeliever and believer alike, especially when attempted to be carried out in the flesh. That is something God does not want us to be doing. We should not be actively trying not to sin in our own strength—in fact, we cannot even accomplish this! The issue, though, is what our reason for not wanting to sin is? Is it because we are trying to gain God's salvation or favor, or is it because we love Him and want to please Him? The latter reason is noble, but we still cannot do it alone (Romans 7:18, 8:6-8); and we will never be in a state of sinless perfection until we receive our glorified bodies at Christ's second coming.
On the flip-side, however, as a believer walking in the Spirit, when you work not to sin, is it really you working? Is it not God working in you—that is, the Holy Spirit doing the work? The apostle Paul puts it this way: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). It is not, therefore, so much about us working as it is about us dying to ourselves and our fleshly desires. Both things are actions, but working on not sinning is to perform the wrong action; we should be engaging in dying to ourselves and focusing on Christ in us.
Consequently, as Christians, we should allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, and not resort to trusting in our flesh—for we will surely fail. Paul says in Romans 8:13: "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." And again, he says in Galatians 5:16-17: "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."
Now, it is true that we still are ourselves when Christ comes into our lives; that is, we are still a person, a soul, with a freed will. That is why, when Paul says "by the Spirit" (Rom. 8:13), following that, he says "you;" and when he says "walk by the Spirit" (Gal. 5:16), he means we must walk—these examples imply some sort of action on our part. Jesus won't completely walk for us, but with us; and He may carry us at times, but we must, in a way, hold on to Him (i.e., abide in Him). So there is a sense in which we play at least a small part in our sanctification, even if merely by our choice to submit to, obey, trust, and love God by allowing His Spirit to work in us.
Reflection
As the article image depicts a soldier carrying his friend on his shoulders, we should also have the assurance in our hearts that Jesus has our backs, and that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. But that doesn't mean we should not still strive to walk closely with Jesus and abide in Him who does have the power to save us, sanctify us, and help us sin less. We are weak when we rely on our own power, but strong when we lean on God's power. When we are tempted to sin, He gives us the way out (1 Corinthians 10:13). Although God provides the way out, the verse does imply that we do something (take the way out); but taking the way out would not be considered our work, it is simply our decision to yield to the Spirit's work within us as He guides us out of that temptation. In other words, we can't take nor receive credit for it!
Also, if we go back to our first referenced verse in Philippians, and continue to read the following verse, we have the answer to our question: "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:12-13). Therefore, in sum, trying not to sin is a work, but it is a work that we should leave for God Himself to do within us, by His Holy Spirit, as we yield to Him. And if you are still worried, remember: the very fact that you want to not sin is evidence that the Holy Spirit is within you (Galatians 5:17)—now focus on Jesus doing the work in you, and not on you doing the work. Submit to and trust in Him.
May you be encouraged today in knowing that "He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). Amen.
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