8.80 The Galatian Church syndrome – perfection by the flesh
The Galatian church began in the Spirit by depending on Jesus, but they switched back to the law by trying to be perfected by the flesh. Paul said that they were foolish.
(Gal 3:2-3)
This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the WORKS OF THE LAW, or by the hearing of faith? — Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made PERFECT BY THE FLESH?
Likewise, in the Church, many received Christ at salvation but try to earn their right standing with God and their blessings through self-effort. They are committing the same mistake as the Galatians.
Today, performance by the flesh is prevalent in the Church. Leaders who want their churches to grow have two methods of achieving it – grace or law. Unfortunately, many people tend to major on the law approach. There is a tendency to think that grace equals to weakness, and grace is only for those who fail to perform. Since they can perform, they have no need for grace.
For example, many churches are using the cell group as a means to church growth. To achieve church growth, the leaders place a list of demands on the people using the law approach. They are told that unless they fulfill these demands, they would fail God; God would be angry with them and would not bless them. The natural response is to strive hard by the flesh to perform.
These demands could be anything – undivided commitment to the cell group, getting people saved, doing evangelism, multiplying their cell in a short time, participating in programs, etc. These are all good things but when we place these as demands, it becomes the work of the law to the people. When we put these pre-conditions as the means to righteousness and blessings – it makes nothing of the finished work of Jesus. It robs us of faith in Jesus – for the law is not of faith.
Performance in the flesh will ultimately result in failure. When they fail, they feel a sense of guilt and condemnation. They attribute their failure to “not trying hard enough”. The usual respond would be to re-commit ourselves, and make new resolutions to try even harder but to no avail. They finally get burnt-out. Have you experienced this before? Self-performance results in failure so that we can turn to God, and depend on Him.
Paul tells the Galatians that they had begun in the Spirit – by faith in Jesus. They were to continue walking in the Spirit by faith instead of reverting to self-effort. Christianity is about what Christ has done, and what He continues to do in us and through us.
(Gal 3:2-3)
This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the WORKS OF THE LAW, or by the hearing of faith? — Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made PERFECT BY THE FLESH?
Likewise, in the Church, many received Christ at salvation but try to earn their right standing with God and their blessings through self-effort. They are committing the same mistake as the Galatians.
Today, performance by the flesh is prevalent in the Church. Leaders who want their churches to grow have two methods of achieving it – grace or law. Unfortunately, many people tend to major on the law approach. There is a tendency to think that grace equals to weakness, and grace is only for those who fail to perform. Since they can perform, they have no need for grace.
For example, many churches are using the cell group as a means to church growth. To achieve church growth, the leaders place a list of demands on the people using the law approach. They are told that unless they fulfill these demands, they would fail God; God would be angry with them and would not bless them. The natural response is to strive hard by the flesh to perform.
These demands could be anything – undivided commitment to the cell group, getting people saved, doing evangelism, multiplying their cell in a short time, participating in programs, etc. These are all good things but when we place these as demands, it becomes the work of the law to the people. When we put these pre-conditions as the means to righteousness and blessings – it makes nothing of the finished work of Jesus. It robs us of faith in Jesus – for the law is not of faith.
Performance in the flesh will ultimately result in failure. When they fail, they feel a sense of guilt and condemnation. They attribute their failure to “not trying hard enough”. The usual respond would be to re-commit ourselves, and make new resolutions to try even harder but to no avail. They finally get burnt-out. Have you experienced this before? Self-performance results in failure so that we can turn to God, and depend on Him.
Paul tells the Galatians that they had begun in the Spirit – by faith in Jesus. They were to continue walking in the Spirit by faith instead of reverting to self-effort. Christianity is about what Christ has done, and what He continues to do in us and through us.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 11:51 PM
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