THE PERFORMANCE DRIVEN LIFE - There are many People all over the world who continue to be burdened with striving to perform to please God. They are convinced that they must strain to perform works of goodness on a daily basis in order to attain salvation. They are performance-driven and live in constant fear of losing salvation. Their focus is on earning it or maintaining it. These many millions of misled people have missed the central good news of the Bible: For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14) The Bible is clear that the attempt to add human works to God’s grace overlooks the very meaning of grace, which is “undeserved blessing.” As Paul says, “If by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace” (Romans 11:6). Praise the Lord, “Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). MAIN CAUSE FOR THE PERFORMANCE DRIVEN LIFE - Pride. Doing something to contribute to or prove our salvation appeals to the natural impulse of our pride. The gospel of free grace separates works entirely from the offer of salvation. We are saved by grace through faith not of works, lest anyone should boast (Eph. 2:8-9). Pride appeals to our sinful flesh. The flesh likes to exalt self and boast of what has been done, but the gospel of grace points only to the cross as the means of obtaining and keeping salvation. Paul said, But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 5:14). Grace humbles our pride. Conditioning. Doubtless there are some who are not comfortable with the freedom grace brings. The controversy in Acts 15 was caused by Jews who demanded observable performance-based criteria from the Gentiles who had been saved by grace. This reflects a desire to depend on a system of black and white laws or behavioral measurements that would make these legalists feel secure in their spirituality and reserves them the right to declare certain others unsaved. The insecurity of uncertainty about others can lead to a fear of ambiguity, which in turn can breed a desire to control. Control leads to the assertion of laws or measurements that make some feel comfortable. On the other hand, grace looks to faith in the Word of God, submission to the control of the Holy Spirit, and the compulsion to love God and others as that which determines ones spirituality. Grace is risky because freedom is always risky.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Nov 2014 04:21:48 +0000