Some believers love the thought that they can purchase this grace through self-effort by means of works and rule-keeping. There are a lot of Christians who have suffered through life as a result of not being afforded this grace. It is not that God denies them that grace – they bring themselves into the same situation as the Galatian church who, once accepting grace, reverted back to keeping rules. (See Galatians 3:1-3).
The concept that they no longer need to struggle in life, seems incomprehensible to legalistic Christians. Yet this concept of grace as a free gift, which is asserted by many believers, is a concept which is backed-up by scripture.
Some people love to believe that they have earned their right to something; they love to believe that the reason they have received something good is because of what they have done. When it comes to grace, it is all about what Christ has done for us. To believe that righteousness comes as a result of self-effort is a boast on man and is a denial of the sacrifice of Christ. There is no room for boasting in the Gospel (Romans 3:27).
26 And now in these days also he can receive sinners in this same way because Jesus took away their sins. But isn't this unfair for God to let criminals go free, and say that they are innocent? No, for he does it on the basis of their trust in Jesus who took away their sins. 27 Then what can we boast about doing to earn our salvation? Nothing at all. Why? Because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds; it is based on what Christ has done and our faith in him. 28 So it is that we are saved by faith in Christ and not by the good things we do.
Romans 3:26-28 TLB
If what we do for God is according to our own efforts, then any reward that comes to us as a result of that will be a wage – not a free gift (Romans 4:4). Let’s read this verse in the context of surrounding verses, in The Living Bible.
1 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What were his experiences concerning this question of being saved by faith? Was it because of his good deeds that God accepted him? 2 If so, then he would have something to boast about. But from God's point of view Abraham had no basis at all for pride. 3 For the Scriptures tell us Abraham believed God, and that is why God canceled his sins and declared him "not guilty." 4 But didn't he earn his right to heaven by all the good things he did? No, for being saved is a gift; if a person could earn it by being good, then it wouldn't be free--but it is! 5 It is given to those who do not work for it. For God declares sinners to be good in his sight if they have faith in Christ to save them from God's wrath.
Romans 4:1-5 TLB
Apostle Paul was honest and he humbled himself enough to admit that he was not a good person. Paul knew that in terms of being righteous, it was only by the grace of God.
18 I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn I can't make myself do right. I want to but I can't.
Romans 7:18 TLB
The Bible is pretty clear about those people who choose to earn righteousness through their own efforts:
20 Now do you see it? No one can ever be made right in God's sight by doing what the law commands. For the more we know of God's laws, the clearer it becomes that we aren't obeying them; his laws serve only to make us see that we are sinners.
Romans 3:20 TLB
If the grace of God is something given to man freely, then why does man not experience the effects of this? Surely there should be some difference made to the nature of man? The nature of man being propensity or motivation to action. If this new nature that the Bible promises in the New Birth has been imputed to all who believe in Christ, why do so many believers struggle to do good and to resist the lure of the wretched flesh-nature?
It amazes me how so many people, myself included, have found it so difficult to do those things that the Bible says believers should do. Surely, if the nature of Jesus Christ was abiding in every believer of the Christian faith, then it should be the easiest thing in the world to do those things that the Bible says we ought to do?
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