Relational God or Spiritual Vending Machine?
Is your relationship with God transformational or transactional?
Take a minute to think about this question. Perhaps you’ve been a Christian for a little while, and the wonder of what the Lord did in your life has taken a backseat to the daily tasks of living. Maybe your faith has become a list of boxes to be checked in order to remain a good Christian: you go to church, read your Bible, pray and tithe regularly. In exchange, you hope your prayers will be answered, your kids will be protected and your life will prosper. Like a vending machine, you envision your religious deposits as the currency that will make God respond with gifts of blessing.
But this is not what the Gospel is about.
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)
When we go back to Scripture, we see that our relationship with Christ is exactly that: a relationship. It’s one of transformation so powerful and moving that it permeates the hearts and lives of others. It isn’t like other religions, where good works are achieved in order to earn salvation and receive blessings.
Rather, the Christian faith is the complete opposite; it’s by the grace of Christ alone, solely through His perfect sacrifice, that we are offered a gift we could never earn. It doesn’t make sense, and we certainly don’t deserve it. Yet, it is exactly why we are compelled to be transformed — for the sake of ministering to others in tender love, obedience, and grace.
The Immature Approach
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)
How quickly we forget the point of our place on this earth. All too often, we fall into the habit of trying to make our relationship with Jesus transactional, thinking if we give so much money, go to church, and help others, we can pay Him back for his sacrifice. The truth is that we never could.
This transactional love mindset is spiritually immature, and we must open our eyes to embrace a fuller outlook on Christ, our relationship with Him, and our purpose on this earth. Rather than treating God like a cosmic vending machine, we need to see the Lord for all that He is — worthy of all our praise, attention and obedience — to become transformed from the inside out.
I want to know Christ — yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. (Philippians 3:10)
The Mature Approach
Our mature approach must be desperation for Jesus. It is not out of our circumstantial need that we seek Him, but rather, it is with all desperation that we seek Him — to know Him, to live for Him in all we do, all the time. Jesus is not our get-out-of-jail free card, a nice sentiment, or an added bonus to our lives.
Jesus is our life’s purpose.
In our relationship with Him, we are transformed to act in servant-hearted love toward others, not because we must but because we want to do so. It’s not about attending church, putting money in the bucket and thinking, “I’m good for the week.” It’s noticing that homeless person on the street after you walk out of those church doors, asking for his name, and giving him a warm meal.
It sure is easy to say, “Yeah, well, that homeless man doesn’t deserve my money! If he got a job or made better choices, he’d be able to provide for himself.” Can you imagine if God had once had that same mindset with you, reasoning that your sins led you to a situational destination and that He wouldn’t extend His grace to you because, well, you didn’t deserve it?
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly … but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6, 8)
Let us move forward to think about faith more deeply, growing in greater comprehension of God’s mercy on our lives. Alongside this pondering, let us earnestly seek the heart of Christ, knowing Him and better understanding His perfect, loving character.
In doing so, we will come to be transformed in Christ Jesus, loving others as He does, with merciful eyes to see the broken, lonely, lost, and hungry. This is how the transactional, elementary religiosity will fade away to be replaced by a bold faith of truth and love that seeks to obey the Lord and put others first for the sake of Christ.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Bob Burckle is president and CEO of EEM (Eastern European Mission), which has been delivering God’s Word to the people of Eastern Europe since 1961. Today, EEM publishes and prints Bibles and New Testaments as well as Teen Bibles, Children’s Bibles and coloring books, distributing them through a vast network of partner churches and organizations reaching 35+ countries in 25+ different languages.