The Christian life is not passive. We aren’t called to sit back and assume God will handle everything for us. From the beginning, our purpose has been to do the work He gives us to do. (Genesis 2:15; Ephesians 2:10) He never promises to do the work for us, but He does promise to give us the strength to accomplish all He asks. (Philippians 4:13; 2 Peter 1:3-8)
None of us are innocent bystanders. We are all guilty slaves and, as such, should live and work in obedience to our Master and King. (Romans 6:16-18; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) To sit back and expect victory is not just lazy; it’s naïve. Jesus never takes a moment off from serving you. (Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:34) Isn’t He worth your best effort at all times?
The Christian life is not passive because we are called to be ready for battle. (Ephesians 6:10-13; 2 Timothy 2:3-4) We must be training to prepare for the next battle whenever we’re not fighting an existing battle. Because there will always be a next battle. (1 Peter 5:8-9; 2 Timothy 3:12) Satan is relentless in his attacks, and we must be every bit as diligent in our defense and counter-attacks. (Ephesians 6:11-12; James 4:7)
Looking at the armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-18), there’s not much you can use without applying some effort. A shield hanging on your arm won’t help you much. You must position it to cover your most vulnerable parts. You must keep the belt of truth cinched tight so as not to allow any slack (compromise) in the rest of your armor. Unstrapped sandals on your feet will find them falling off or being unsupportive. You get the picture. You must make a regular inspection of all the parts, adjust as necessary, and tune them all to work together. Putting on and maintaining armor is not a passive exercise.
This life is vicious. Satan wants to kill you, not in a metaphorical sense, but in reality. (John 8:44; 1 Peter 5:8) There is not a Christian whom Satan doesn’t want dead. The more faithful you are, the more the Devil hates you. Satan wants you to fail, to hurt, and to despair. Sympathy is not an emotion he possesses. His only goal is to crush you. So go ahead; be passive. How do you think that’s going to work out for you?
To be certain, we are powerless save for the power of Christ. But the Lord expects us to work out our salvation. (Philippians 2:12-13) He expects us to be bold, stand firm, and fight like men. (1 Corinthians 16:13; Ephesians 6:10-11) That doesn’t mean women are off the hook. You, too, must fight as if your life depends on it because it does. Your eternal soul is at stake. You must do everything you can to hold fast to the calling of your faith. (1 Timothy 6:11-12; Hebrews 10:23; Hebrews 3:12-14)
The Christian life is not passive, and to behave as if it is reflects a lack of commitment to what Jesus calls you to. (James 1:22; Luke 6:46) We can do nothing without Him (John 15:4-5), but through Him, we can do everything. (Philippians 4:13) His promise is to save us and to bring us into eternal joy with Him in eternity. (John 10:27-29; 1 Peter 1:3-5) Our promise to Him must be to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Mark 12:29-30) We promise to love and obey Him at all times. (John 14:15; John 14:21) That’s not passive; it’s painful and difficult work. He’s worth it. He is the pearl of great price and worth more than we could ever give. (Matthew 13:45-46; Philippians 3:7-8) Do the work, and when you’re done, He will welcome you into His rest. (Matthew 25:21; Hebrews 4:9-11; Revelation 14:13) Don’t ever let Him find you passive.