Moralism seems embedded in every one of us. Even when we're not conscious of it, we tend to lean on to the moralistic side of things.
What is moralism? It's living in such a way that puts emphasis on morals as a means of earning salvation and favour.
There is nothing inherently wrong with morals and nothing bad about trying to earn things. We all need to have morals and we will have to earn many things in life—our means of living, the trust of people, and so on.
But there are just some things in life that we cannot earn and that have to be simply given freely as a gift. One of those things is the grace and love of God.
Left to ourselves, we cannot earn God's grace and love. We have betrayed God over and over again and we cannot be trusted with His favour. But that's what makes the gospel so beautiful in that we can still access God's favour not because we've earned it but because Jesus already paid the price in full.
Moralism is such a big problem because it redirects our trust from God to ourselves even when we can never truly add up. Moralism implies that we have the power to save ourselves when we really don't. Unless we are released from the grip of moralism, we will end up falling short of salvation and grace just because we try to gain it ourselves.
Here are three ways to overcome moralism.
1. Know That Christ Is Enough
Hebrews 10:10 says, "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
Jesus' death, burial and resurrection were more than sufficient work for our victory over sin and death. We can now experience life to the full through Christ and need not add to what He has already done for us.
In Christ, we are made new. In Christ, we gain favour. Our sanctification, and therefore our right to God's presence and favour, are not up to us or anything we can do, but solely on Jesus and what He has already done.
2. Recognise the Spirit's Work in You
While there is an expectation placed on Christians to live a certain way and accomplish certain milestones, it's never by our own strength that we do it. Only by the work of the Holy Spirit are we able to achieve the things God calls us into. Philippians 2:13 says, "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."
3. Work Through God's Grace, Not for It
Ephesians 2:10 tells us, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
We were created to do good works through Christ, but never to earn Christ through good works.
God's salvation and grace come simply by believing that Jesus' work was more than enough. That spurs us to do good works. It never comes the other way around. Works come after grace and never precede it.
