What is performance-based Faith in Christ?
Something that seems a major theme among most religions is an on-going struggle for performance.
Secular life today, and historically, teaches we all must work to earn rewards (paychecks, grades, promotions). What's unfortunate is this mentality is wrongly carried into the body of Christ and the Bible for what it actually says to us today. Professing believers today often will admit "salvation is a gift," but then do a 180 by spending their lives trying to prove they deserve it, creating "double talk" in their beliefs, teachings, sharing and even sermons. This fuels an exhausting cycle of self-centered, prideful questions such as, "Have I done enough? Prayed enough? Repented enough? Given enough?" The core issue is trying to be "enough" for something Christ has already finished for us.
Many people's sense of closeness to God then fluctuates based on their self-assessment for performance (e.g., feeling close after a "good spiritual week" and distant after messing up), revealing a focus on personal performance rather than God’s unchanging nature. This fire is fueled by many a false teaching pastor behind his spotlighted pulpit that he guards with unquestioning allegiance to that distancing distinction between leadership and laity, all on the basis of their usual job descriptions within churchianity here in the West.
What are the consequences of performance-based teaching?
Through the years, I've heard expressed fear from those whom I teach and/or minister, based on teaching that, although sin is forgiven by grace, it can cause loss of divine protection, delays in promises, sickness, demonic influences and even loss of salvation. Such teaching, while somewhat acknowledging grace, puts believers right back under fear and a performance cycle, implying or outright demanding their security depends on performance. By contrast, the truth is that, while bad choices have real consequences in all our lives, God doesn't withdraw His love, presence, or protection because of moral failure.
The hymn "Jesus Paid It All" followed by "All to Him I owe" can, although intended as gratitude, is routinely twisted into "Christian double talk" where believers feel compelled to make "spiritual payments." Good works such as prayer, Bible reading, meeting attendance, they're wonderful in some cases, but they become "righteous striving" if motivated by repaying what Jesus already paid in full.
"It is Finished"
That should resonate a message of finality to the reader, but to many it's transliterated as only a beginning toward a journey with no end but death. Jesus’s last words on the cross, "It is finished," (John 19:30) are central. The work is complete—not "mostly finished" or "finished if you keep up your end." Since Jesus paid it all, there's nothing left for believers to pay.
Scripture says believers are "made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Hebrews 10). Hebrews 10:14 adds: "For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." This is a completed status, not a future reward to be earned. Believers are already God’s handiwork. We're new creations, complete in Christ, forgiven, righteous, and sealed. These are starting realities, not end-of-life rewards.
An NFL rookie is still an NFL player the moment he signs on and makes the roster. He doesn’t train to become a player; he trains because he's already a playing team member. His identity is settled, even as he learns, grows, and makes mistakes. Likewise, we in the body of Christ aren’t working to become what Christ has already made us. Growth is learning to live out a settled identity. We grow from holiness bestowed, not into holiness not yet earned.
Ephesians 2:8-10 teaches salvation is God’s gift by grace, "not by works," then clarifies we are "created in Christ Jesus to do good works." The order matters. Grace doesn’t say works don’t matter; it says works are terrible currency for purchasing forgiveness, righteousness, or God’s love. We perform good works because we are God’s handiwork, not to become it.
Hebrews 4:9-11 speaks of a "sabbath rest for the people of God" and urges believers to "make every effort to enter that rest." This means ceasing from trying to accomplish what Jesus already accomplished. Rest isn’t inactivity. It’s stopping work already done for acceptance. This reframes spiritual disciplines. We should read Scripture to know the One who loves us, not to punch a time clock. We pray because He already hears us, not to earn an audience.
Titus 2:11-12 says "the grace of God... teaches us to say no to ungodliness." Grace is the teacher—not causing the pressure, issuing threats, or creating fear of loss and/or a fall from Divine love and family association in Christ as fellow heirs. Many trust grace for salvation but then rely on rules and fleshly effort in trying to live contrived, spiritual lives not in alignment with inspired scripture. Paul called them "foolish Galatians."
Security in Christ doesn’t lead to laziness. It enables healthy growth by removing fear. A coach who constantly threatens to cut a player breeds frantic performance, not confidence.
When we fail, religion asks, "How do I get right with God again?" Grace asks, "Who am I in Christ?" Grace provides a solid footing to face problems honestly without protecting or competing one's standing with God. We can admit failure without fearing God. That's growth from identity; by recognizing behavior isn’t who we are in Christ. Instead, many believe behavior can redefine our identity.
And by that will we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And verse fourteen says, 'For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.' Now stop there. We've been made holy. One sacrifice, perfect forever. That sounds pretty complete. Sounds pretty finished.
Security in everlasting salvation doesn't destroy healthy growth, as some are in the habit of falsely claiming. It makes healthy growth possible free of guilt that drives so many to performance-based salvation, which is no salvation at all.
MM
