Earning vs. Effort

Have you ever felt the tension between understanding God’s grace and our responsibility as Christians to live holy lives? On one hand, Scripture makes it clear that salvation and holiness are gifts of God’s grace—we can’t earn them. On the other hand, we’re commanded to pursue holiness, to make every effort. The author of Hebrews writes to make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14 NIV). So the question becomes, how do these two truths fit together?

The key is understanding that God’s grace is incompatible with earning, not with effort. The Christian life is not a passive experience. While we can’t make ourselves holy by our own strength, we’re called to actively pursue holiness everyday. It’s a response to the grace God has given us. John Koessler, in Real Holiness, puts it this way: The holiness that the writer urges Christians to practice is energized by grace. It begins with grace and is carried out through grace. Holiness is both a gift and a pursuit. It’s something we receive from God, but it’s also something we live out daily through obedience and dedication. Think of it like an athlete training for a race. No amount of effort can earn them a natural gift of speed. But through daily practice, training, and effort they can develop their ability and compete effectively. In the same way, our pursuit of holiness is not about achieving something on our own, but about cooperating with the transforming work of God in our lives.

The danger comes when we fall into either extreme—either believing we must achieve holiness on our own or assuming that since holiness is a gift, we have no responsibility to pursue it. Both are distortions of biblical truth. We’re called to “make every effort” because holiness is essential as we live as God’s people who have been set apart. Without holiness, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14b NIV). This is not a call to legalism but to love— to pursue holiness because we desire to be close to our holy God.

So what does effort in holiness look like? It means regularly spending time in God’s Word, seeking Him in prayer, repenting of sin, and striving to live in obedience. It means allowing the Holy Spirit to shape our thoughts, words, and actions so that we reflect Christ more each day. We don’t do these things to earn holiness, but as a response to God’s grace working in us.

Take a moment today to reflect: Are you striving for holiness in your daily life? Not in an attempt to earn God’s favor, but as a response to the grace He has already given you? Remember, God does not expect perfection from you, but He does call you to a life of pursuit. Holiness begins with grace and is carried out by grace— but it still requires effort.