Is Your Faith a Contract?

True faith is relational, not transactional—it’s about knowing and loving God for who He is, not just for what He does.

Transactional faith is a distorted belief that turns our relationship with God into a contract—believing that if we do our part, God is obligated to do His.

- Israelites:
We trusted You. Why are we struggling? (Exodus 16:3)
- Jonah:
I obeyed You. Why did You bless them? (Jonah 4:1-3)
- Martha:
Lord, if You’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. (John 11:21)
-Older brother:
I did everything right. Where’s my party? (Luke 14:29-30)
-Rich young ruler:
I kept the rules. Why isn’t that enough? (Matthew 19:16-22)

A contract is transactional, temporary, and enforceable by law.
A covenant is relational, eternal, and sustained by love.

2 Timothy 2:13 NIV ... if we are faithless, [God] remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

Psalm 63:1, 3, 6-8 NIV You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you 3Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. … 6On my bed I remember you ... 7… I sing in the shadow of your wings. 8I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.

- Do I follow God because of what He does for me
or because of who He is?
- Do I still trust God when He doesn’t answer my prayer the way I want, or do I feel betrayed?
- Do I serve God because I love Him or because I’m hoping for something in return?

If you’re doing God’s will just to get God’s stuff, you’re missing God’s heart.

Matthew 6:33 NIV “But seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”