Transactional versus Transformational

“Our culture is deeply transactional…We buy and sell and give rewards to the deserving. We proudly declare, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” For many, there is a deep-seated satisfaction with what they “earn.”…when the “undeserving” are rewarded, segments of the culture fall into deep dudgeon. Perhaps this is a proper way to structure an economy (perhaps not). It is clearly not a blueprint of the Kingdom of God nor the path towards likeness to God. The words of Christ are not exaggerations – to be like God is to enter into a path of gratuitous generosity – to give without expecting in return. It transcends the debt-burdens that are the hallmark of transactional cultures. God is “kind to the unthankful and evil.” The transactional world of reward and punishment is also a world in which those who have seek to exercise power over those who have not….we expect God to do the same. “Why do the evil prosper?” is the complaint of our transactional mind. It is not fair. It is not just.” (Father Stephen Freeman)

“Utilitarian thinking is often disguised, but it still can result in lifelong entrapment if it is allowed in. Take the example of college. Most of us have been pragmatists, seeing college as a transactional entity in which the student spends four years of time and tuition to receive back a lucrative career. Parents advise their children to major in something “useful” rather than in the humanities, often under threat of withholding financial support. Desiring a sustainable career is noble, but such recommendations debase education—and our humanity. The pragmatic goal of having a useful degree can calcify into a dogma—or worse, reaffirm an unquestioned assumption—that you are only worthwhile if you are useful.” (Makoto Fujimura)

"St. Paul is clear that salvation, eternal life which comes as the reward given by our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ on the great day of his coming again as well as all of the fruits of the Spirit in this life, come to us through faithfulness (Eph 2:8-9). We do not receive these things by doing generally more good things than bad things. We do not receive these things by checking off a list of do’s and don’ts with regard to outward observance. We do not receive these things through intellectually acknowledging certain tenets and rejecting others. Christ is not for St. Paul an intellectual construct composed of theological propositions which he considered to be true. Christ is for St. Paul a person whom he encountered on multiple occasions throughout his life. These encounters and the faithful loyalty with which St. Paul responded to them transformed his entire life. ‘Faith’ is not a transaction that bestows certain benefits upon an individual human person. It is a way of living one’s entire life as a good and faithful servant of the Lord who loved us and purchased us with his own blood (Acts 20:28).” (Father Stephen De Young)

“The Cross should not be relegated to an event that accomplishes our salvation as an isolated or unique transaction. The Crucified Christ reveals the very nature and character of God and the nature and character of the life of salvation. The Christian life is the process of increasing transformation into the image and likeness of Christ. That image and likeness is specifically that of the Crucified (Phil. 2:5-11).” (Father Stephen Freeman)

“The theme of union with Christ is much more intimate and relational than the idea of imputation of Christ’s merits which is more impersonal and transactional in nature…the…understanding of the relationship between faith in Christ and good works is more organic and synergistic.” (Robert Arakaki)

“If we are truly in communion with Christ, then His selfless love must become characteristic of us. The healing of our souls is neither a legal transaction nor a storm of emotion, but our transformation in holiness as we participate ever more fully in the eternal life of our Lord by grace.” (Fr. Philip LeMasters)

“In Matthew 9:13, Christ tells us God desires mercy not sacrifice and to learn what this means. He is quoting Hosea 6:6 from the Old Testament. Unfortunately, throughout our entire history as human beings, we often forget or do not understand what this means. We can deceive ourselves easily and subtly, thinking we are doing the right things but really be participating in a transactional faith not a transformational one. We can pray daily, read the Bible, go to Church regularly, fast scrupulously, and still fall into the mindset that God is pleased with us for doing these things in and of themselves. He gave us these things to do to enter into a deeper relationship with Him and transform our hearts, enabling us to love Him and others more deeply for the salvation of all. He did not give us these things to do to enter into a transactional exchange with Him where we earn His love and favor.” (Sacramental Living Ministries)

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