Performance Traps....

Gal 3:3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?

Sincere Christian people have often felt that belonging to a specific cultural or religious group would enhance their spiritual status. They have sometimes conformed to extreme requirements just to gain acceptance. All such efforts to achieve spiritual progress are classified here by Paul as merely human effort (NIV), efforts of the flesh. Paul's question in verse 3 reminds us that our beginning in the Christian life was based on our response of faith to the message of Christ crucified and the consequent experience of the Spirit, and our progress in the Christian life must be on the same basis. (G. Walter Hansen)

Ryan: We usually like to think that God left us to our own destruction when it comes to issues of sanctification. This is incorrect. Grace that comes through justification will also see us through sanctification and glorification. (refer to Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges , Chpt 1 for more information) Legalism sets in when we try to use ANY forms of methods to try to make God accept us and even blesses us ( double sin: legalism and idolatry going hand in hand here!). No amount of good deeds will bring us closer to God or to make ourselves purer) If initial justification is by grace, the whole salvation process (including sanctification) is of grace as well). It is free and unmerited. Application: Joining a certain church, or embarking on a certain program( even the good ones), practicing spiritual disciplines DOES not make us more acceptable to God. ( i must gently add that these things ARE good means of grace to grow) Jesus Christ already did that (our acceptance) on the cross. Acceptance is based on grace.