Our culture lives with eyes set on retirement. Longing for the day when we have finally done enough and no longer have to do anymore. The day when we can simply sit back relax and enjoy all that we have already done. For the most part, man’s goal in life is to one day be done working. There is nothing wrong with such a goal as long as it does not begin to slip its way into our faith life.
You see many times we fall into thinking as Christians that one day we will have done enough in service to the Lord. That we will reach a point where we have given enough, served enough, shared our faith with enough people, loved enough, and so on. But that will never be the case at least not until we step into eternity and receive our reward. While we remain on earth though our calling is never complete and the Bible calls us to continually do even more of what we have already been doing.
When Paul was writing to the Thessalonians he instructed them in different ways of serving the Lord. Many of which he admitted they were already doing. Yet, he didn’t want them to stop or feel as though they were already at the max. So he called them to do even more of those very things. Yes, they already lived in a way that pleased the Lord but they could do so even more. They lived out the love of Christ daily but they could still stand to love more and more. They already lived righteous lives and ones that many would find sufficient. But as Christians, our goal should never be sufficient service to the Lord after all he has done for us. Our goal should be to do more and more in hopes of living an exceptional life for the one who saved us.
1 Thessalonians 4:1 (ESV)
1 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus,
that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.
1 Thessalonians 4:9–10 (ESV)
9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,
Nothing we do in serving the Lord has an expiration date or a limit to reach. We are to live certain principles out throughout our daily lives. Growing in them more and more as we go. In terms of giving to meet the needs of others, we see no time in scripture that a certain number is given that indicates one has given enough. Instead, scripture simply calls us to give as we are able. Maybe we fulfill a need but that doesn’t mean we should stop giving because more needs exist. As Christians, our goal should simply be to keep giving more and seeing more needs met as long as we are able to give.
2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV)
7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Acts 20:35 (ESV)
35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Matthew 5:42 (ESV)
42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
2 Corinthians 8:12–14 (ESV)
12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.
Never will we be able to look back and say that we have led enough people to the Lord. Instead, we should be looking for even more ways to reach the lost around us. Jesus called the church to go into all nations and make disciples. That includes your own nation in which you encounter people every day who are in need of the truth you possess. So even if you are already sharing the Gospel and making disciples do so even more. Remember just how important the work you are doing is and the great blessing you are able to offer others.
Matthew 28:19 (ESV)
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Psalm 96:3 (ESV)
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
Some believe that at some point you learn all you need to know about God and can simply stop studying His word. Or even attending Church. But as you grow in God you should strive to learn even more. Paul often wrote great accommodations to church’s that lived great faith-filled lives yet still prayed that they would continue to grow in knowledge. The Bible itself speaks of the need to constantly return to it both in study and mediation.
Colossians 1:9 (ESV)
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
Ephesians 1:16–17 (ESV)
16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
Joshua 1:8 (ESV)
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
2 Timothy 3:14–17 (ESV)
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Psalm 119:11 (ESV)
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
As far as the continued need for church as you grow in your walk with God, church isn’t simply about knowledge and learning. Church is a time dedicated to the Lord. Times in which you come together with the body of believers to worship God. Offering Him what He is worthy of. Simply put it isn’t all about you but no matter how much you know, church still benefits you. Keeping you on the right path, drawing you closer to other believers, allowing you to receive prayer from others, and remember the Bible teaches the one who thinks he knows something doesn’t. Church isn’t just for the new believer or the unlearned but for every Christian no matter the length of their walk. Also as Paul says as the last days approach we should come together even more.
Psalm 95:6 (ESV)
6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
John 4:23 (ESV)
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
Hebrews 13:15 (ESV)
15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
James 5:16 (ESV)
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
1 Corinthians 8:2 (ESV)
2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.
Hebrews 10:25 (ESV)
25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
I could continue to list more and more aspects of the Christian life that scripture gives no limit to. Such as living in love, peace, kindness, joy, prayer, free of sin, and just all around righteously. But I think you get the point. All of these are important and we never reach a point in which we no longer need to keep working at them. No matter how good we are or how much we try to do if we are honest there is still room for improvement. There are still ways in which we can do even more and we know within our hearts that serving the Lord is a lifelong commitment that is worth every second.
So don’t get the wrong view of the Christian life. Hoping that one day you will have done enough and can step away from serving the Lord. That may work in the world but that’s not the life presented to us in the Bible. The ways you serve God may change but the call to service never goes away. In fact, you may find that when the day comes in which you can finally retire from the world it only enables you to live for the Lord even more. But don’t wait until then start today. Take living your life for God to the next level by doing what you are already doing more and more. Following the call that we see given in our Bibles.
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