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“Moral Mediocrity | Add To Your Faith”
Categories: Add To Your Faith | 2025
Peter implores us to add “arete” to our faith—as a runner strives with all his might to finish first, so too should we strive in our faith (I Corinthians 9:24). We run like we want to win! Still, we must admit that sometimes our lives are not characterized by moral excellence but moral mediocrity. We have our moments when we slack off or give half-hearted effort. We run not like those who want to win, but as if we’re content to simply finish the race somewhere in the middle of the pack.
Why does moral excellence become moral mediocrity?
Jesus tells us in Matthew 13 when He explains the Parable of the Sower and the seed that feel on the thorny ground (Matthew 13:18-23). If you read carefully, you’ll notice that the fate of the thorny ground is different than the fate of wayside or rocky soils. The seed that falls on the thorny ground doesn’t die like the others—it just never bears any fruit. That is a picture of moral mediocrity. It’s a picture of the Christian who fills their pew every Sunday and has their picture in the directory but has no positive effect on the kingdom.
Jesus informs us that disciples settle into moral mediocrity for this reason: “the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:22). Do you see what Jesus is saying? The word of God is calling you to strive for moral excellence. Through the word, the Spirit calls you to transform your life in extreme and radical ways so that you can bear fruit for God, but worry and wealth choke the word—they hold it back, restrain it, suffocate it, prevent it from having its intended effect on you. In a fertile heart, the gospel makes breathtaking changes, but the weeds of wealth and worry render the gospel impotent. Those consumed with worry or inflamed with the desire for abundance will always fall short of “arete.”
So, this week let’s ponder these questions… In what way is worry keeping me from fully obeying the Gospel? In what way is my desire for abundance holding me back from total devotion to Christ?
- Jonathan Banning
