A memorable movie line spoken by the character Yoda in “The Empire Strikes Back” exhorts, “Try not! Do or do not, there is no try.” The apparent point was the statement—”I’ll try”—which conveys a lack of confidence and commitment, basically assuming failure before even making an attempt.
In contrast, one of my dad’s many aphorisms was, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again!” In the 1970s, car rental company Avis had a popular button campaign featuring the phrase, “We try harder.” Much of what people hear from pulpits on Sunday carries a similar message about achieving success and holiness in the Christian life: “Just try harder.” Be more committed. Adopt the eight spiritual disciplines and follow them fastidiously. Some go so far with self-denial as to say that to align with God’s will, “Whatever you enjoy or want to do, do the opposite.”
While there is unquestionable value in Bible reading, prayer, fasting, worship, and acts of service, and though self-denial is taught in scripture (Luke 9:23), these are not the path to righteousness or holiness! The whole reason Jesus died for us was because self-effort wasn’t enough. We can’t make ourselves righteous no matter how hard we try! In fact, all our efforts to justify ourselves by good behavior are described as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). It’s only when we humble ourselves, approaching God fully recognizing our inadequacy and need of a gracious Savior, that we can attain to righteousness. Once we do that and remember that foundation daily, it sets our lives on a different trajectory!
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! (Romans 5:17).
When we know that we have a new nature as Christians and have been made righteous, we take hold of the key we’ve been given to enter the rest of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Hebrews 4:10-11). Our behavior springs from our sense of identity. If we see ourselves as sinners (instead of saints) we will see sinful behavior as the norm that we either give into or perhaps, strive to overcome through our own efforts and will-power. If we see ourselves as victims, we justify wrong behavior from a sense of loss and entitlement.
In contrast, we can stop trying harder and assume our correct identity. We can recognize what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross, putting on the robe of righteousness, rightly seeing ourselves as forgiven, holy, and accepted by God (Isaiah 61:10, Ephesians 1:4-6 NKJV, Colossians 1:22). We can choose to believe that His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness (2 Peter 1:3 NIV). We can exercise the fruit of the Spirit we have been given that characterizes our new nature: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). We can try less and rest more!
