The Grace Message and Behavior Modification

Within the current grace movement, the teaching of behavior modification is often looked upon critically and spoken about negatively.

However, when we read through Paul’s letters to the churches and to the pastors of those churches, Paul puts great emphasis on believers modifying their behavior.

Of course, this modification is motivated by an accurate understanding of the fullness of the good news of grace and our identity in Christ.

Once Paul educates believers about the gospel of grace and their identity in Christ, he appeals to believers to modify their behavior – or change their behavior.

We see this in Paul’s letters to the churches (Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians) and to the pastors of those churches (1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon).

For many believers, they have never been educated about the new testament of grace or the gospel of grace.

They have never been taught their identity in Christ.

They have never been shown the differences between law and grace, forgiveness before and after the cross, and the earthly ministry of Jesus to Israel and his heavenly ministry to the church.

They have never been taught the difference between being a follower of Jesus, which was during Jesus’ earthly ministry to Israel, and being filled with Jesus, which happens the moment a person comes to faith in Jesus.

They have never been taught about being led by the Spirit under grace, which is knowing God as Abba, Father (see Galatians 4:4-6), instead they have been taught to live under a religious law-based system.

If they have heard any of these teachings, it was more than likely mixed with legalism and traditionalism.

Before learning about grace, most believers in the current grace movement heard many teachings on behavior modification but few teachings, if any at all, on the new testament of grace, law and grace, full forgiveness of sins, one’s identity in Christ, etc…

So it is understandable why a grace believer would react negatively to any teaching suggesting behavior modification.

I haven’t met any grace believers who think how one behaves doesn’t matter or that they can use grace as a license to sin…as we are often accused.

The grace believers that I know believe in a moral lifestyle…a loving lifestyle.

Their motivation for morality and love is rooted in the good news of God’s grace.

At the same time, as grace believers, we can’t ignore the teachings of Paul, the champion of grace, as it relates to behavior modification.

We can’t accept the false belief that behavior modification is excluded from the grace message.

Behavior modification motivated by grace was a major part of Paul’s teachings.

Therefore, it must be a major part of our teachings.

Yet, in following Paul’s example, education about the gospel of grace comes first.

The foundation of grace must first be laid in the life of a believer before behavior modification is taught.

We see in Paul’s letters that the grace message doesn’t exclude behavior modification; instead, it is the foundation for teaching behavior modification and the motivation for modifying our behavior.