Working It Out

Exercise is important, not only for body but also for spirit.

When I started in a cardiac rehab class about eight years ago, part of my recovery process after having had open-heart surgery, the first step was an orientation session. During that time one of the staff did an evaluation, seeking to determine where I was physically and establishing where I wanted to be.

I don’t recall the specific conversation. I do remember looking at all of the exercise equipment and thinking it seemed a bit daunting. But I think the nurse did a quick appraisal and said something like, “Arm muscles? Check. Leg muscles? Check. Heartbeat? Check. Now, Mr. Tamasy, exactly what would you like to do with those muscles? How would you like to train them as we work on your overall condition?”

Since I’d been an avid power-walker prior to my surgery, but hadn’t really been using any fitness equipment like treadmills, rowing machines, exercise bikes, weight machines and free weights, I didn’t have a good answer for her. But one thing was clear – even though my muscles were already there, they weren’t going to tone and strengthen themselves. I would have to be doing some work, strenuous work. And to have any lasting result, I would have to do that work with some consistency and dedication.

It’s kind of like that spiritually. The Bible says God gives each of His children “a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3), but it’s our responsibility to exercise that faith – to put it to work. Sometimes crises in our lives – issues at work, family problems, financial and health struggles – leave us with no alternative but to put our faith into action. These occasions can be extremely beneficial since they enable God to show us what He can do, when we’re helpless or at a loss as to what we should do to remedy or resolve the situation.

At other times, we’re called to exercise our faith simply during the course of daily living. We might not be confronting dire circumstances or insurmountable obstacles, but we still need faith to apply the truths and teachings God gives us through the Scriptures.

For instance, loving our neighbor as ourselves, as Leviticus 19:18 instructed and was affirmed by Jesus in Matthew 19:19 and in other passages of the New Testament. Or believing, as Jesus declared, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). “Really?” we ask, to which He responds, “Trust Me. I know what I’m doing.”

Through the centuries one of the more problematic scripture passages for some theologians has been Philippians 2:12, which commands believers, “as you have always obeyed…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” They read this and say, “Wait a minute! Doesn’t the Bible teach that salvation – being redeemed and put into right standing with God – has nothing to do with our works?”

That’s correct. The Bible says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). And Titus 3:5 concurs, stating, “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but according to his mercy.”

So then, which is it? Are we saved by God’s grace and mercy – His unmerited favor – or not? Yes, we are. But just as the person who is either recovering from surgery or some kind of illness, or one that simply wants to get into better shape physically, must exercise the muscles they already have, we too must exercise the spiritual “muscle” – faith – that God gives to each of His people.

When I was starting my rehab exercise class, my intent was not to acquire new muscles but rather to use and strengthen the ones I already had. In a similar manner, the Lord calls His followers to put into use the faith He has given them, to develop it, strengthen it, and prepare themselves for the purposes and work God has for them.

As the Bible teaches, we don’t have to work to become saved. We work – exert our faith – because we are saved, out of gratitude to God and a desire to glorify Him as we put our faith into action. In fact, if we don’t use it, that could be an indication that our faith isn’t genuine at all.

The apostle James asked this penetrating question when he wrote, “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him?” (James 2:14). That’s like believing, following an employment interview, that you’ve been given a job but then never showing up for work. What good is that?

James wraps up his discussion on this topic by observing, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder” (James 2:17-19).

So the next time you go out for a job, head to the fitness club for a workout, even compete in some strenuous event like a mud run, marathon or triathlon, ask yourself: “What am I doing to exercise my faith? How am I working out my salvation – working out what God has already worked into me?”

What’s God Got to Do With It?

There’s been considerable discussion about how – and even if – spiritual faith should intersect with how a privately owned company should be run. What's God got to do with it, right? The question has even reached the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.

I’m not the person to weigh in on this issue from a legal perspective, but a broader concern is involved here. We often hear religion or faith described as “personal,” as if it’s something to stored away and dragged out only at appointed times and special occasions. “Faith is faith, and work is work, and never the twain shall meet” seems what society would have us believe.

This type of thinking often manifests itself in all strata of society, including the Oval Office. When President Obama discusses issues of faith, he often uses the term “freedom of worship” rather than “freedom of religion.” This distinction is significant.

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is very specific in guaranteeing freedom of religion, and to me this is very different from freedom of worship. In the minds of many, worship is an isolated religious activity, removed from the flow of everyday life. To them it takes place in a church, synagogue, temple, mosque or other worship center – set apart from daily realities.

An ornate cross on a tabletop or desk
might be reflective of one's belief,
but genuine faith requires action.

This might suffice as “religion” for some, but many people sincerely find their beliefs influencing every aspect of their lives. Frankly, I cringe when people call me “religious.” To me that sounds rigid and superficial. I prefer being considered very spiritual, my spirituality being informed by the Bible.

There was a time when I, too, confined my religious/spiritual activities to an hour or two on a Sunday, only to spend the rest of the day – and remainder of the week – living as if there were no God. I’d attend worship services, then get frustrated in the church parking lot because people in front of me were slow in exiting. They were making me late for the football game on TV!

Then a discovery transformed what I believed: God was not a deity who’s “out there,” distant and unknowable, but Someone desiring an up-close-and-personal relationship with me. This meant much more than having my sins forgiven and receiving the promise of eternal life. It meant a new way for living each day, gaining God’s power to pursue life as He desired. God didn’t just want a sliver of my life, an hour or two each week. He wanted all of me, including my work.

Years ago a friend introduced me to Acts 17:28 which states, “For in him (Jesus) we live and move and have our being.” This means more than having a different mindset; it also involves changing our “modus operandi” – our method of operation or way we do things.

One of the curious aspects of Westernized thinking is we can claim to believe one thing and then unapologetically act in contradiction to that belief. However, the Bible clearly teaches true belief means acting upon what you believe. “In the same way, faith by itself, if it not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17).

Over the years I’ve met hundreds of business and professional people, devoted followers of Jesus, whose thinking and actions are shaped by principles and truths they’ve learned in the Bible. They can’t separate their professional lives from their faith any more than they could remove their heads and continue walking.

The apostle Paul stated, “…I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). This is true for every genuine follower of Jesus. Spiritually, His life is manifested in us and He affects every dimension of our being.

It’s not a matter of being “religious,” or of worship for that matter. It’s a matter of living out the values and convictions Christ has given us – and this includes the workplace, whether we’re business owners, top executives, or simply employees.

To do otherwise is truly hypocritical.