"Are You Caught in the Trap of
PERFORMANCE-BASED CHRISTIANITY?"

"FOR BY GRACE (the gift of divine favor) ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; and that not of yourselves: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD: Not of works, lest any man should boast". Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV (Capitals are mine for emphasis)

THE PRICE FOR OUR SALVATION HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR IN FULL

The love of God is unconditional. There is nothing we can do to earn God's favor. The price for our salvation has already been paid for in full. What Jesus did for us on the cross is complete. There is nothing we can do to add to it. That is why He cried out before committing His soul to the Father, "It is finished".

THEY ARGUED THAT IT WAS ALSO NECESSARY FOR ALL MALE GENTILE CONVERTS TO CHRIST TO BE CIRCUMCISED IN THE FLESH

In the first century church there were religious people who claimed that in order to be saved, confessing one's sins to Jesus, asking Him for forgiveness, and receiving Him as personal Savior was not enough. They argued that it was also necessary for all male Gentile converts to Christ to be circumcised in the flesh. Others insisted that everyone come under the bondage of legalism, obeying Levitical laws, and worshiping God on certain days.

NO MATTER HOW HARD WE TRY IN THE FLESH, OUR SELF-EFFORTS FALL FAR SHORT OF REACHING THE STANDARD OF GOD'S PERFECTION AND HOLINESS

Trying to be "good enough" by constantly striving and straining to please God only produces frustration, and a miserable existence. No matter how hard we try in the flesh, our self-efforts fall far short of reaching the standard of God's perfection and holiness. Without putting it into specific words, we have been subconsciously taught that in order for God to be pleased with us, and love us, we have to work, doing certain things to gain His favor. It is "performance-based Christianity".

IT IS A GIFT. TO TRY TO EARN IT IS AN INSULT TO GOD

We must come to the place in our personal relationship with the Lord where we accept His unconditional love. It is a gift. To try to earn it is an insult to God. Why would we want to pay for it, when He offers to give it to us. Jesus gave His life to purchase our redemption. To act as though there is something we could do to improve on the purchase of our eternal life is to imply that we think the value of the blood of Jesus shed on our behalf is inadequate.

IT IS "THROUGH HIS SINLESS BLOOD ALONE" THAT WE ARE MADE WORTHY TO APPROACH THE THRONE OF GOD, AND TO BE GRANTED AN AUDIENCE WITH THE LORD

The acceptance of the gift of salvation is completely through faith. If we could work for it, we could boast about how we deserve to inherit eternal life. Feeding the poor, or sleeping on a bed of nails will not make us worthy of this gift. We come to Jesus "just as we are", with no goodness of our own, as the Scripture says, "our righteousness is as filthy rags". We cannot pay for anything which has already been paid for. It is "through His sinless blood alone" that we are made worthy to approach the throne of God, and to be granted an audience by the Lord.