Grace Vs. Works

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Eph. 2:8-10

A major problem many Christians face is the temptation to substitute good works and service for living the Spirit-filled life. This is not a new issue. The Judaizers of Christ’s day lived to perform deeds they thought would please God.

Sadly, we also live in a society that finds its rewards in performance. The results of performance-based living are horrendous - anxiety, stress, depression, and major health problems.

A person caught in this trap never really reaches a comfortable level of success - there is always someone ahead of him, always someone he must out perform.

When we incorporate human performance into our Christian walk, we quench the work of the Holy Spirit and cheapen God’s grace. The Spirit-filled life is not measured by how well we perform in front of others. It is a life of reflection - how much of God’s Son do we truly reflect to those around us

It is also a life of trust. In trust, we abandon all we hold dear and seek God above all things.

When we truly grasp the depth of His love, we are no longer worried about our performance. All that we are is wrapped up in who He is. And in that He is greatly glorified.