Broadcast Date 7-11-99

DIY – these letters stand for Do-It-Yourself. Are you a Do-it-Yourself kind of person? You know: the bathroom tap is leaking and you buy the necessary washers and fix it yourself rather than calling a plumber? Or, you need a kitchen pantry cupboard and you buy all the necessary parts for it (including a throwaway screwdriver) in a kit and proceed to assemble it yourself. Some of us are very good at it; others need to read manuals or watch television programmes explaining how it's done. Whoever we are, though, we always feel good when completing a Do-it-Yourself project successfully. It's satisfying to know that we did it ourselves, not needing anyone else's help.

Some of us are Do-It-Yourselfers in our religious practices, too. Our understanding of religion is that if we don't do something (now), then religious happiness will pass us by. And so we spend countless hours in doing things to make God happy, to make us feel better about ourselves, to attain peace and inner harmony and spirituality. Some of us have a "feel" for this; many read a wide variety of books and other literature to help them.

The best guide for attaining this inner peace and spirituality is the Bible. But, surprisingly, it doesn't have a lot to say about doing it yourself. In fact, it teaches quite the opposite. In the New Testament book of Romans, for example, the Bible says that,

There is no-one righteous, not even one; there is no-one who understands, no-one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no-one who does good, not even one . . . the way of peace they do not know.

The apostle Paul wrote the book of Romans. In another book (his letter to the Philippians), Paul told his readers about his own Do-It-Yourself efforts. He tells them about his Jewish pedigree (circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews). Paul was a model Jew. He knew the Jewish laws (from beginning to end) and practiced them; he zealously tried to keep the Jewish "church" pure (by persecuting those who followed Jesus); in outward conformity he was without fault. Yes, Paul knew all about "doing it yourself". He was very good at it, and was respected by many for it.

But . . .

Paul tells his readers to give it all up. In fact, he gave it all up, too. He found out that "doing it yourself" was a total waste of time and energy because it could not achieve spiritual peace and harmony with God.

You can read the story of Paul's conversion in the book of Acts, chapter 9. In this chapter you can read how God taught Paul in a miraculous way that the only way to true spiritual joy and true worship of God is through faith in Jesus Christ. Because of this conversion, Paul wrote some years later to the church of the Philippians that "whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ." That is, Paul re-oriented his self-centred thinking (which he thought would profit him), to being completely centred in Christ. He continues writing: "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish …"

That's right. Paul's new way of thinking made him realise that his former goals (the Do-it-Yourself kind of religion, where he focused on outward conformity to the Jewish laws) were worthless; he considered them to be rubbish. If Paul were around today, he'd no doubt tell you that, while it's possible to buy a Do-It-Yourself pantry cupboard in a box from your local hardware store, the same principle doesn't apply to religion and faith. Paul knows: he tried it. And failed.

How, then, do you go about serving God? If you can't do-it-yourself, what's the alternative?

Paul gives us the answer: Jesus Christ.

He writes that we can not gain religious freedom through any other means than through the blood of Jesus Christ. Why is that? Because, writes Paul, Jesus Christ is the only way of gaining favour with God. Not even the most subtle Do-it-Yourself trick in the book will help. Jesus Christ is the only way.

Paul writes:

I … gain Christ, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ Jesus – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

Righteousness – that is, being once again in God's favour, having that peace that comes when one's sins are forgiven – can not be earned through personal achievement. Paul tried to achieve it through zealously persecuting followers of Jesus Christ. Others have tried it by living perfect lives. Some, today, for example, wear themselves out in doing good for all people. That's not to say that "holy living" isn't important, but some people seem to think that it is "holy living" per se that gains them a place in heaven.

Paul says to such people: stop! It's so much easier than you think it is. You don't need to do anything yourselves. The key to righteousness that comes from God is faith. That is, the only necessary ingredient for all of this is to trust that Jesus truly did die for your sins, and that, through Him, you are restored to God's favour. Faith means that you surrender everything to the Lord. It means that you no longer see a need to work for your spiritual happiness, but that you recognise that this happiness is a gift of God – it is given freely, because of Jesus' spilt blood for sin.

Faith, then, is trusting God for all things in life and in death. It is also a life dedicated to His service. No, this service isn't the passport to heaven itself. But, because the passport has already been given (through Jesus Christ), it is this very gift that gives life meaning, purpose, and focus.

Paul's message is deceptively simple: faith in Jesus. And some have accused him of inciting people to sin. They would say that Paul was encouraging people to sin, so that they could (in turn) be forgiven. Paul had an answer to these critics: "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"

Indeed, it is because believers have already been given their passport to heaven, through Jesus Christ (and accepted in faith), that their lives are no longer driven by sin. On the contrary, their lives are filled with the Spirit, and, led by Him, they reflect the great love that God has for sinners. Their lives are filled with joy and thankfulness for God's gracious gifts.

Dear listener, there is no message as glorious at this morning's: God's salvation is FREE. There are no strings attached, there's no small-print. You don't need to wear yourself vainly trying to achieve it, but it's given freely.

Everyone is called to respond to this gospel of grace.

What will your response be? Will you respond to the offer of the Gospel in faith?

Or would you rather Do-it-Yourself? Do you find it difficult to "let go", letting the blood of Jesus pave your way? Remember, though, that any Do-it-Yourself project in relation to spirituality is doomed to fail; the Bible tells us so.

We pray that many in this world will find true spiritual joy and happiness, by placing their faith and trust in the blood of Jesus Christ. If you do not yet believe in Him, we pray that God will answer prayer, leading you to the righteousness that is through faith in Jesus Christ.

Last modified: November 23, 1999