Well, here I am again, telling you how much I enjoy Bob Hoekstra’s Daily Devotional at Blue Letter Bible.
This morning’s portion brought to mind the apostle Paul’s words in Galatians 3:1-3:
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (Emphasis added.)
Most Christians would agree that God is the One who graciously has reconciled them to Himself, not they who have succeeded in earning their own salvations through their good works. HOWEVER, when it comes to sanctification and growth in grace, isn’t it easy to fall into the trap of LEGALISM? By this I mean, thinking that my “good” works of devotion and piety are the cause of my sanctification.
Here is a brief quote from the devotional:
Now, where are we to go for more faith (for the developing of our faith)? Jesus is the source for this need as well: “Jesus…the…finisher of our faith.” The one who brought faith into being in us now wants to perfect our faith (to bring it on into mature development) in the same manner that He began it. Initially, we had to have Jesus revealed to us to have faith authored in us. Now, we must have a continuing revelation of Him through His word, if our faith is to be increasingly built up.