The Mommy Wars and Our Standing Before God

 By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy Of: CRISTIANO DE ASSUNCAO

"But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness." ~Romans 4:5

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. For He knows what we are made of, remembering we are but dust." ~Psalm 103:12-14

Continuing our chat about the mommy wars, the third problem I saw of how my getting caught up in the mommy wars affected my understanding of the gospel was that the "wars" caused me to forget the truth of my standing before God. I failed to remember that my standing before God and His approval of me are never based on what I do, but on what He did. This was another area in which I was operating from a place of mistaken identity. 

I had completely forgotten the truth that my mothering choices were unable to tarnish my identity as an image bearer of God. I had forgotten that my salvation was in no ways based on my managing to parent in all the "right" ways. Even more than that, I had also forgotten that the Lord’s approval of me and my very standing before Him were in no wise based on what I do, but instead, were entirely based on what He had already done on my behalf.

But that, my friend, is the beauty of the gospel! Once we come to Christ in salvation, you and I are found, from that moment forward, to be fully acceptable, holy, righteous, and perfect in the eyes of God—at all times, no matter what! Not because we dot all our i’s and cross all our t’s along the journey of mothering, but because we have trusted in Christ for salvation. When we are saved and God looks upon us, all He ever sees anymore is the imputed righteousness of Christ. And that is true on the good days as well as on the bad ones!

Friend, your salvation is not a result of your trusting in Christ AND also making sure you breastfeed, co-sleep, vaccinate, and homeschool. Rather, salvation is by faith alone. Acceptance is by faith alone. Approval is by faith alone. When God the Father sees you, He sees the imputed righteousness of Christ the Son, regardless of whether your baby was born at home or in the hospital, vaginally or via cesarean, without pain meds or with an epidural. 

None of those secondary things matter when it comes to you and your relationship with the Lord. Praise God for the beauty of the glorious truths and implications of the gospel on our daily lives as moms! May we walk in light of this beautiful freedom afforded us by Christ's sacrifice!