No Self-Effort in Christianity?
Are Other Religions all about Self-Effort?
Part I: Other religions are not merely about self-effort.
Part II: Christianity does involves some self-effort.
Sometimes Christians make strange claims regarding the uniqueness of their religion. Recently, G.B. wrote the following:
"One hallmark of the biblical gospel that stands contrary to all world religions is the absence of self-effort. In the gospel Christ accomplishes our salvation for us. In every other religion it is up to us."
That is quite a sweeping claim. Is it valid? No.
I will offer 4 quick points to start, then I'll provide examples contrary to this claim, first regarding other religions, and then regarding Christianity.
How many texts, scriptures, or books of other religions have you read? Can you list them please? ... If you have not read the literature of "every other religion," what basis do you have for making claims about "every other religion"?
Below, I will provide examples, references, and/or quotations from other religious traditions to show that they were not reliant merely on self-effort for salvation.
Even in Christianity, the issue is not as simple as you portray it. Some texts imply that individuals must put forth effort; other texts imply that the Christian god chooses whom to save regardless of any merit. Often Christians combine both ideas into one doctrinal system. The arguments can become intricate, which is why Christian writers and speakers have continuously addressed the matter for almost 2,000 years trying to clarify. They have not always agreed.
Your comment was inspired by Galatians, right? But the kind of effort most opposed by the writer of Galatians is the effort to attain righteousness by keeping the "Law of Moses." It isn't that the writer thinks Christianity requires no individual effort at all. For example, the writer has to warn the people not to commit certain acts, or they will not enter the "kingdom": Gal 5.19-21: "19. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20. idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21. and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." They would not be avoiding such actions without self-effort. If no self-effort were required, the writer wouldn't bother creating a letter, but would simply pray that his god cause people to believe and live "right" regardless of their own tendencies.
Part I: Non-Christian religions are not merely about self-effort in attaining "salvation."
Religions that involve gods are usually a mixture of self-effort and divine help. (Christianity is no exception!)
Ancient Egyptian religion: Osiris "accomplished salvation" for the Egyptians just as much as Jesus "accomplished salvation" for the Christians. In ancient Egyptian religion, an individual had no power on his own to stop himself from dying "the 2nd death," no power on his own to give himself a resurrection or eternal life after death, but because Osiris, an ancient pharaoh of divine birth, did not decay but rose from the dead and lives forever as king of kings, lord of lords, and Lord of the afterlife, an Egyptian who lived well, believed in Osiris, and said the right prayers could also be guaranteed eternal life with Osiris. These beliefs are everywhere in the pyramid texts, the "Book of Coming Forth" (a.k.a. The Book of the Dead), and coffin texts, from the mid 2,000s BCE down through the time of the Greeks and Romans and the beginning of the Christian era. The Jesus story is practically a reincarnation of the Osiris story, variations on a theme. Egyptians gained eternal life by faith in Osiris, Christians by faith in Jesus. But both have to put forth their own effort, as well, and avoid living a life of sin that would prevent their eternal bliss.
Hindu religion: "Faith in any God is God's own gift and will not fail of its reward, since all worship is really directed to the true God. Faith in Krishna leads the spiritual aspirant to true knowledge and perfect peace." (Classical Hinduism, by Mariasusai Dhavamony, p. 27, 1982)
Greek religion: Greeks who accomplished great things did not do so by their personal strength alone; the gods guided them. It was Athena who inspired Odysseus with the Trojan horse concept, and who gave Diomedes strength in battle. When Ajax boasted he fought by his own strength, Athena punished his arrogance. Greek religion/literature often featured a concept of "double causation" – any action could be attributed both to human motives/action and divine motives/action. Just as later Christians would, ancient Greeks, too, argued over free-will versus predestination/determinism. E.g. When Helen left Sparta with Paris, she made a bad choice and received condemnation, yet some Greeks excused her saying she was overcome by Aphrodite and couldn't help it.
Some Greeks hoped for a good afterlife by placing their faith in the powers of various gods who lived forever and had the power to give that to humans. Greek initiates into the mysteries of Dionysus compared their Dionysus to the Egyptian Osiris. Figures like Orpheus (went to underworld and back alive), Hercules (virgin-born god-man who rose up to heaven like Jesus), and Asclepius (virgin-born god-man who rose up to heaven like Jesus), could bring healing, salvation, and/or a happier afterlife to humans.
According to the thinking of some Greeks and Romans, all gods were but manifestations of the all-encompassing God, and all beings were part of God and would eventually be reconciled to God. In some kinds of Stoicism, for example, all souls are ultimately part of God, the Over-Soul, and cannot but ultimately be reconciled. Thus, ultimate salvation was not merely a matter of human effort.
Ancient followers of Mithras seem to have been purified/sanctified not merely by their efforts at being good, but by the blood of the cosmic bull slain by Mithras.
In Islam, it is Allah that gives faith to those he chooses, and Allah guides Muslims who would be helpless without him. Two supporting examples from the Qur'an:
· "And indeed, it is difficult except for those whom Allah has guided. And never would Allah have caused you to lose your faith. Indeed Allah is, to the people, Kind and Merciful." (Surat Al-Baqarah, 2:143, the Noble Qur'an)
· "And know that among you is the Messenger of Allah. If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would be in difficulty, but Allah has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. Those are the [rightly] guided." (Surat Al-Ĥujurāt, 49:7, the Noble Qur'an)
Taoism is not an anthropomorphically god-based religion like Christianity; there is no human-like god up in the sky. Taoism does have a concept of Wu Wei, "doing nothing," "no effort," no striving. However, a Taoist still devotes himself to living in harmony with the Tao, the Way in all things. And practicing Wu Wei, ironically, seems to take a kind of effort/time/learning. It could be said that when one is in harmony with the Tao, the Tao acts through the person. But the Tao Te Ching also says, "He who knows doesn't say, and he who says doesn't know." So I'll say no more about this!
Part II: Christianity does not teach that no self-effort is required of believers. The following are a few verses which feature exhortations to effort:
Luke 13.24: "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to."
= Self-effort is improtant.
Matt 7.21: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."
= Actions are required, not mere belief.
Mt 7.19: "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
= Bear good fruit, or else.
Luke 9.23: "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me."
= self-effort, turning away from selfishness and following certain teachings.
Luke 14.33: " those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples."
= Is a god going to give up one's possessions for him, or does one have to take responsibility and take action?
Acts 26.20: "First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds." (NIV)
= repent and show it with deeds. No one can do it for you. Belief without repentance is worthless.
Acts 11.18: " "So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life."
= Belief without repentance is worthless.
Acts 20.21: "I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus."
James 2.14: " What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?"
= Action/Effort is necessary.
James 2.17: "faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
= Action/Effort is needed.
James 2.26: "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."
= Faith is worthless without effort.
1 Cor 9.24-27: " 24. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." (NIV)
= Run, fight, beat your body into submission lest you be disqualified = effort.
2 Cor 7.10: "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation."
= Can Jesus or a god do the repenting for you? Or do you have to repent?
2 Tim 2.15: "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." (NASB)
= "Be diligent" = Give effort.
Rev 2.5-7: "5. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. ... 7. ... To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."
= The writer of Revelation was warning churches to get rid of bad practices that could ruin their chances of eternal salvation. Mere faith was insufficient; without further repentance, they would not live forever.
Rev 3.15-16, 19: "15. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16. So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ... 19. ... So be earnest and repent."
2 Peter 1.5-11: "5. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6. and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7. and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. ...
10. Therefore, my brothers, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11. and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
= Make every effort.
2 Peter 3.14: "make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him."
= Make every effort.
Heb 4.11: "11. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience."
= Make every effort, b/c those who disobey don't make it.
Philippians 2.12-13: "12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."