We Live & Reign in God's Kingdom By Grace.
When we came to Christ, we recognized our need for His grace and love and had no problem accepting what He had to offer because of our helpless condition. But how many of us continue to live in this helpless condition, being totally dependent upon His grace and sufficiency to cover our lives?
Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal through human effort? (NIV)
If we came into God's kingdom by grace, we must also. live in it by grace. If we couldn't get into God's kingdom by good works, good works will not sustain us either.
We Must Be Continually Motivated By the Grace of God.
We are brought into God's kingdom by grace; we are sanctified by grace; we are motivated by grace; we are called to serve by grace; we receive strength to endure trials by grace; and we are glorified by grace. The entire Christian life is lived under the reign of God's grace.
Being motivated by grace means that we realize that it isn't our spiritual disciplines and works that earns us God's favor and blessings in our lives. This all continues to flow from His riches in grace, whether we deserve it or not.
Our Works are a Result of Walking In God's Grace.
Ephesians 2:9-10 ...not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
The true work that God has for each one of our lives can only be released through His grace. When we are looking into the perfect law of liberty we find the spiritual work that God gives us to do is somehow a part of our overall calling and gifting in Him.
God's Blessings Flow Through His Grace, Not Our Performance.
All of God's blessings and riches flow through His grace and if we are walking as a performance based Christian we have actually fallen from grace and are losing our inheritance in Him as well. That's why so many Christians live unproductive lives.
Trying To Live In God's Kingdom By Performance.
Performance oriented people work for God's approval. They think they must constantly earn God's approval, so they find themselves getting involved in lots of things that may not even be the will of God for their lives. God's true giftings can never be recognized, because they are looking to their own means and sufficiency for motivation in the kingdom.
Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal through human effort? (NIV)
Most of us are legalistic by nature, we innately think so much performance by us earns much favor and blessing from God.
