I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? -Galatians 3:2-4
In Galatians 3:2-4, Paul asked Galatians why they were trying to reach perfection by depending upon the flesh.
He encouraged them to remember the new lives they had been given because of faith and not for their effort of works.
I can totally relate with this mindset... the “just in case” mindset. We want to believe the gospel is truly unearned grace, but unbelief creeps in and we do just a little something in attempt to earn our salvation… just in case.
The truth is that the law does not free us. Faith in Christ does.
We cannot succeed in our walks with Christ without stepping out in faith, not in our works. When we believe our acceptance is based on what we do, we will always feel rejected because at the end we we'll always fail to do the right thing..
It is only when we see that our acceptance is based on what Jesus did that we will truly be free.
Only God can change us; when we try to do so ( the works of the flesh- our energy trying to do God's job), we will only become very frustrated and weary.
God has called us to perfection and has given us perfect hearts, but the working out of it is a process that requires faith, patience and time...His Time.
We only have one thing to do and that is to believe in His finished work...it is done!
We will see powerful changes in our lives by faith that God is working in us, but it does require us to turn "the project" of our perfection over to him completely.
We need to let God be the God in our lives and instead of condemning ourselves, thinking "we'll never be able to change"; we must believe in faith that God is working in us, believe we're only getting better and better every day. He's strengthening us in our weaknesses.
If we only believe...
Dear sisters, if Christ’s righteousness covers all our sin, then it also covers our sin of unbelief. But if righteousness can be earned through the law, then Christ died in vain (Galatians 2:21).
Thanks be to God, our Savior did not die in vain! May we never set aside His grace.