Beware of Human Effort

Beware of Human Effort



By Napoleon Black

TEXT (Gal. 3:3)



After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? NIV

Only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren't smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Message

After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? NLT



COMMENTARY

Sometimes, we look at the Galatian saints and are surprised that they could have fallen the way they did. The crux of the fall is found in this very verse. They fell into the old trap of self-actualization. They fell back into the trap of feeling that what was required was some real, good, old time, human effort to become what God required.


There is that constant danger which challenges us, that we want to slip back into bad habits of trying to please God by our efforts, rather than believing that we have been accepted by God and in that sense He does not need to be appeased. The cross is sufficient for our peace and for our right standing with God.


There is a foolishness of heart which keeps on pushing us back to try to score points to please God. The self-actualization drive cannot come to terms with the sense of completeness that is already in Christ. Col. 2:10 reminds us that we are complete in Him. Our self-actualising drives reject this truth and rob us of our freedom in Christ.

Something to Meditate on:

Only the Holy Spirit in us can produce what God wants of us.


A decision I need to make

Have I become frustrated with trying to live by the Spirit and have now taken matters into my own hand?

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