Who Gets the Most Out of It?

by David Gibson

A student joked, “You know, school wouldn’t be half bad if it weren’t for the tests and term papers!” He knows, of course, that such requirements are not just busy work. They are necessary to maximize learning.

Easy Does It?

If a student chooses to audit a course, he can attend class when and if he chooses and doesn’t have to do any assignments or take any tests. There is no pressure, no hassle, but also no credit.

In my own experience, I discovered that auditing, though much easier, didn’t benefit me nearly so much as taking the course for credit.

I needed the pressure of deadlines. I needed the expectations of the professor if I were to develop my potential. It’s the old principle at work: You get out of something what you put into it.

Beyond Listening

The same principle applies in the church. Those who get the most out of their Christianity attend faithfully, study the Textbook diligently, complete the Master Teacher’s assignments, and make diligent preparations for the Great Examination Day.

It appears that many church members are attempting to audit their Christianity. They listen and listen and perhaps even learn many things. But that’s about as far as it goes.

Do They Really Expect to Pass the Course?

In Christianity, auditing is not an option. Yes, we are saved by grace, but Christ does require us to be obedient (Matthew 7:24-27). As James says:

“But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves . . . . But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22, 25 NASB)

I want to be blessed! Don’t you?