Don't Frustrate His Grace

"0I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 20-21)

Thank God once again for allowing the Holy Spirit to minister through Paul, and permit his mistakes to remain in the New Testament, in that they are not mistakes, but rather minister how the grace of God transforms us from glory to glory to be more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3: 18).

Paul writes to the Galatians, who had been seduced by Judaizers trying to bring back the law, that he does not frustrate or set aside the grace of God.

How does this happen?

When we try to be obedient or gain standing before God through the law:

"Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace" (Galatians 5: 2-4)

When we sin, we do not fall from grace. Where sin increased, grace superabounded and then some (Romans 5: 20)

So what causes us to fall from God's grace? When we go back under law, when we try to justify ourselves through our own efforts, when we try to generate obedience or works through our own efforts.

We have to accept a startling truth, one which many church people still have not resolved to accept:

"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." (Romans 7: 18)

and

"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen,yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in his presence" (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)

and

"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3: 3)

We are no longer under law, no longer under sin, but under grace, Let us stop trying to live His life in our efforts, but rather let His life live in and through us. Let go and let Jesus' supply flow, for we do all things through His grace (1 Corinthians 15: 10)