Sadly, much of what passes for serious Christianity has more to do with merit-based systems of non-Christian cults than the faith Paul lived and died for. If Christianity actually is a way to earn blessings from God, then it’s no different from Judaism of old. It wouldn’t have gotten the apostles martyred. The meritocracy is alluring because all of us want to believe that we can do it. I’m tempted to believe that I can save myself by my own determination to trust and obey. 

The Bible says God loves us but sometimes we have trouble believing we’re loved because we haven’t understood God’s grace. Instead, we’ve heard that God’s kingdom is a meritocracy. A “meritocracy” is a place where you earn a wonderful life by your own ability, work, or goodness. In the meritocracy, you earn love and the life you want by what you do and who you are. God is like a cosmic vending machine. We drop in our obedience, good deeds, hard work, and religious busyness, and a life filled with love, richness, and blessing magically appears. These strategies are everywhere in the church. But that’s nothing new. 

It’s Really Not Good News

Being able to earn a great life might sound like good news, but it isn’t. Why? Because it puts us in an impossible position. We’re deceived into thinking that if we just try hard enough, believe that we’re good enough, and never, ever, give up, we’ll earn all the goodies we long for. But that responsibility is doomed to failure; it will ultimately crush us. Jesus’ shoulders are the only ones broad enough to carry the burdens of the meritocracy and it killed him. But he rose again. For us.

In wealthy contexts, like the one I live in, in 21st century Southern California, blessing in the meritocracy looks like having a nice family, a nice house (with a view), and a nice car. It looks like good health and plenty of money at the end of the month to go out to whatever restaurant I happen to be missing. It would look like success in all my endeavors (especially the ones for the Lord) and loads of friends and followers on social media. It looks like a good reputation and knowing that I’m leaving a praiseworthy legacy.

How do I get this life I’m longing for? Simple. I need to believe that I can do it and then give myself a pep talk whenever I feel like giving up. I need to not buy into any negativity about my limitations or failure. Faith is believing I can do it—be successful, powerful, happy—and refuse to listen to any lies about how life is beyond my control. It’s faith in myself and my tenacity that will bless me. 

This perspective sounds good because I hate to admit that I’m not powerful or in control. In the meritocracy, the only thing that’s considered a sin is the thought that I can’t accomplish whatever I set my mind to do. If I just have enough faith in myself, then my life will surely be blessed. I need to believe that I have the power to justify myself, to prove that I’m okay after all.

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