GOD'S TRANSFORMATIONAL EFFECTS

 

God loves us as we are, but He loves us too much to leave us as we are. Transformation is God's business, not ours. We cannot make ourselves good by our works but must trust God to re-make us by  His grace. Transformation comes by faith in His good work, not by the efforts of our good works. Paul writes in Galatians 3:5,

"So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?"

The two participles, "provides" (ἐπιχορηγῶν) and "works" (ἐνεργῶν), are both governed by the same article (ὁ) at the beginning of the verse. The one who provides the Spirit and works miracles is God. Both participles are in the present tense, indicating that Paul was not looking back to something the believers had experienced only at the beginning of their Christian lives but was referring to God's ongoing activity in their current experience (Meyer, Galatians, 108).

God's transformational effects in the lives of Christians are progressive and continuous.

INTERNAL EFFECTS: Spiritual Fruit

God provides us with the Spirit. The word "provides" (ἐπιχορηγῶν) is a picturesque word meaning to supply abundantly. It was used of someone who went to the lavish expense of paying for the chorus at a public feast (Burton, Galatians, 152). Paul uses the word to remind us that God supplies seed to the sower and bread for food so He will generously supply our needs (2 Cor. 9:10). Christ supplies nourishment to His body, the church (Col. 2:19). The compound verb (ἐπι + χορηγέω) intensifies the simple meaning of the root verb to stress the liberality of God in supplying His Spirit (Lightfoot, Galatians, 136). 

God lavishly supplies His Spirit to us. Paul uses the indirect object "you" (ὑμῖν) in contrast to the prepositional phrase "among you" (ἐν ὑμῖν) in the second clause to stress the internal nature of God's giving of His Spirit. God provides His Spirit to us, making us "partakers of His divine nature" so that we are able to "supply (ἐπιχηγήσατε) moral excellence" in our lives (2 Peter 1:4-5). It is God's Spirit who produces moral and ethical fruit in our lives (Gal. 5:22-23). God's transformational effects are both internal and external (Burton, Galatians, 151).

EXTERNAL EFFECTS: Spiritual Power

God energizes (ἐνεργῶν) demonstrations of His power (δυνάμεις) among His people (ἐν ὑμῖν). The verb means to operate, be effective, or produce effects in this world (BAGD, 265). The power of God is demonstrated outwardly through believers who have been transformed inwardly by His Spirit. Paul used the same verb (ἐνεργέω) earlier in Galatians to refer to the power by which he and Peter exercised their apostleship (Gal. 2:8). God energizes the spiritual gifts we see used in the church for the good of all (1 Cor. 12:6, 11). God gives His church a variety of gifts. He energizes powers or miracles (δυνάμεων, 1 Cor. 12:10) and gifts of grace (χαρίσματα, 1 Cor. 12:28). God empowers Christians to do great things for Him, but these gifts are exercised not individually but in the communities of faith (Bruce, Galatians, 151).

The noun translated "miracles" (δυνάμεις) means acts of power or powerful works. The NT writers often use this word to describe the miracles Jesus performed during his earthly ministry (Mt. 11:20; 13:58; Mark 6:2, 5; Luke 19:37; Acts 2:22). Jesus' miracles are manifestations of God's power among the people. Paul, of course, knows that miracles by themselves can be, and often were, Satanically induced (2 Thess. 2:9). The first century world, in particular, was filled with magical happenings and miracle workers. This word for powers was often used in connection with the demonic powers operating in our world. Jesus, and by extension His followers, did not produce miracles by magic or demonic power. They were demonstrations of God's power. This gives us a clue for understanding the purpose of miracles. Christ's miracles and the apostolic miracles show that God is invading the sphere of demonic powers. God's rule is driving out Satan's rule in this world (TDNT, 2:301-302). The miracles (powers) were signs that the power of God is greater than the power of Satan (Heb. 2:4).

Thank you, Lord, for the generous supply of your Spirit in my life and the energy to accomplish what you want from my life. May you fill and empower me for your purpose and glory in this world. Change me as you will to be who you want.

DON'T WASTE YOUR PAST!

 

"Don't let your past control your present or determine your future." It is good advice when we are talking about past sins, regrets, or failures. It is bad advice when we are talking about our past experiences with God's grace and faithfulness. We need to remember the past, especially if we are in danger of turning away from the gospel and relying on ourselves in the present.

Paul raises his fourth of five questions in Galatians 3:1-5, which are designed to drive the people back to their roots in Christ. "Did you suffer so many things in vain - if indeed it was in vain?" (Gal. 3:4).

Don't waste your past!

The verb translated "suffer" (ἐπάθετε) is an aorist active indicative asking us to examine our past experiences to inform our present decisions. It generally means to experience something that comes upon us from outside ourselves, which we experience passively, like sickness or misfortune. The basic sense of the word is negative. We experience something evil or bad - we suffer - unless the context makes it clear that the experience is good (TDNT, 5:904-905). However, in certain contexts, the word is used in a good sense to experience something favorable (M&M, Vocabulary, 498). So what is Paul talking about in this verse?

PAST PERSECUTIONS OR PAST BLESSINGS?

A very common view is that Paul is talking about past persecutions (Lightfoot, Galatians, 135; Meyer, Galatians, 7:107). The normal usage of the word implies a negative experience which is why we translate it to suffer. Christians suffer ill-treatment and persecution at the hands of non-Christians. Paul's idea would be that suffering persecution for the sake of the gospel would be suffering in vain (εἰκῇ). It would be pointless pain (Bruce, Galatians, 150). Why, if we suffered in the past for Christ, would we turn away from Christ in the present? 

The problem is that there is no evidence that the Galatians had suffered persecution in the past, as everyone acknowledges. Luke gives us no record of significant persecution for the churches in southern Galatia if that is the audience for the letter. If it is northern Galatia, we have even less information. Of course, it is possible that they suffered persecution about which the New Testament is silent. If they did, to compromise their faith after suffering for their faith would be pointless.

There is some evidence in the context of Galatians 3:4 that we should see the experience as, perhaps not pleasant but positive. The next verse (Gal. 3:5) picks up the theme of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:3) to emphasize their past positive spiritual experiences. Paul talks about the exciting reality that the Spirit provided (έπιχορηγῶν) to them and the powerful works (δυνάμεις) He performed among them. The lexicon suggests this translation: "Have you had such remarkable experiences in vain?" (BAGD, 634) This fits with Paul's question about having begun with the Spirit; why would you try to live the Christian life by your own efforts? (Gal. 3:3) Paul's idea would be that attempting to live without the Spirit after first experiencing the power of the Spirit would be pointless (Longenecker, Galatians, 41:104).

PAST EXPERIENCES IN GENERAL

I think the best solution to this difficult passage is to understand the word in a general sense to experience all manner of circumstances that come upon us from outside ourselves (NIDNTT, 3:723; Burton, Galatians, 150). These circumstances are often not pleasant but, in the end, yield results that are positive as God works out His plans in our lives (Rom. 8:28). We suffer in this life, but not all suffering is persecution; most suffering is not. We often go through bad experiences, but God has provided His Spirit to empower us through those experiences. To forget those past experiences when we face our present circumstances is pointless. It is in vain. It makes for an empty life.

Don't waste your past! Remember those times, both dark and bright, as times when God's Spirit faithfully provided all we needed to get through our circumstances. Remembering the past is not pointless when we remember God's presence with us and God's power that helped us in the past. I love the little poem by F.W.H. Meyers: 

God, who whatever frenzy of our fretting

Vexes sad life to spoil and destroy,

Lendeth an hour for peace and for forgetting,

Setteth in pain the jewel of His joy.

(Elizabeth Elliot, A Path through Suffering, 42)

THE BIG DISCONNECT

We preach a justification only gospel, but the gospel is far from only justification. A big disconnect develops in our churches between the way we are justified and the way we are sanctified. Paul wrote in Galatians 3:3

"Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?"

Justification, the beginning, and sanctification, the perfecting, both depend on God's Spirit at work in us. If we are justified by God's grace, we must not seek to be sanctified by our efforts. There must be no disconnect between the beginning and the perfecting of our Christian lives.

Beginning the Christian life one way and completing it a different way is irrational, Paul states in the third of five sequential questions. "So foolish are you?" (οὕτως ἀνόητοί ἐστε) Really?! Does this make any sense? Paul immediately launches into his fourth question cutting to the core of the issue. He incisively establishes two antitheses to demonstrate the foolish disconnection. 

Beginning vs. Completing

Spirit vs. Flesh

SPIRIT VS. FLESH

Let's unpack the second antithesis first. The two nouns both lack the definite article indicating that "Spirit" (πνεύματι) and "flesh" (σαρκὶ) are qualitative in force (Meyer, Galatians, 7:105). The contrast is between the nature or quality of the Spirit at work in a person and the nature or quality of the flesh. Spirit must refer to the Holy Spirit to form a contrast with flesh, which refers to human effort. The dative case indicates either manner or agency, although the distinction is a bit like splitting hairs. The issue Paul addresses is the question of means. By what means or agency do we complete the Christian life? We live our Christian lives either by means of the Spirit's power or by means of our fleshly effort. These are two diametrically opposite ways of life.

Some writers argue that "flesh" in this verse refers only to the physical or material sense of the word since Paul is dealing specifically with the matter of circumcision (Burton, Galatians, 148). However, Paul emphasizes a much deeper distinction than merely between the physical and spiritual dimensions. He develops the Spirit/Flesh disconnect more fully later in Galatians 5 as two antithetical ways of life. Flesh (σάρξ) refers to human nature dominated by the disposition to sin. Human effort, by itself, always defaults to the control of the flesh leading to fleshly living (σαρκικοί). The agency of the Holy Spirit as a way of life leads to spiritual living (πνευματικοί). It is the distinction between Romans 7:14-25 and Romans 8:1-17 (Meyer, Galatians, 7:105).

BEGINNING VS. COMPLETING

Human effort will always be inadequate to live holy lives (Bruce, Galatians, 149). We must complete the Christian life the same way that we begin the Christian life. The construction "having begun" (ἐναρξάμενοι), as an aorist, temporal participle, must refer to the inception of the Christian life, that moment when we are justified and regenerated by the Spirit of God (Longenecker, Galatians, 103). Another way to translate the participle is "after you have begun by means of the Spirit" (Meyer, Galatians, 7:105). Regeneration by the Spirit and reception of the Spirit are simultaneous events that occur at conversion. We begin the Christian life by the power of the Spirit. There is no other way to be right with God. He must change us, for we cannot change ourselves.

The emphatic "now" (νῦν) separates the two elements of the contrast. Combined with the present tense as opposed to the aorist tense, we see that Paul is now talking not about the beginning but the continuing of the Christian life. We accomplish, finish or complete the Christian life the same way we begin the Christian life. Perfecting or accomplishing sanctification cannot be done by human effort. It must be done by the Spirit. Only God can change us, for we cannot change ourselves.

The indicative verb "being perfected or completed" (ἐπιτελεῖσθε) can be interpreted as either middle or passive voice. Some argue that it should be translated as middle in form but active in force (Burton, Galatians, 149; Lightfoot, Galatians, 135). The question would then be, are you now bringing to completion the Christian life by the flesh? We, Christians, would be the subject of the action. However, the verb is never used in the middle voice in the New Testament or Septuagint (Lightfoot, Galatians, 135), making it unlikely in meaning. It is best taken as passive and asking are we now being brought to completion by a fleshly force (Meyer, Galatians, 7:106; Longenecker, Galatians, 103).

There must be no disconnect between how we begin the Christian life and how we complete it. We begin the Christian life by the power of the Spirit, and we must live the Christian life by that same power. Only God can accomplish our justification, and only God can complete our sanctification. Paul uses the same two words, to begin and to complete, in Philippians 1:6, "He who began (ἐναρξάμενος) a good work in you will perfect (ἐπετελέσει) it until the day of Christ Jesus."

Only God can finish what only God can start!

THE DECISIVE QUESTION THAT DEFINES THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

 

One question reveals the heart of the Christian life. This decisive question cuts to the core of how we live. It exposes what we base our spiritual experience on and where we place our hope of heaven. Paul writes:

"This only I wish to learn from you. From works of law did you receive the Spirit or from hearing of faith?" (Gal. 3:2)

Paul says that he only (μόνον) wants to find out the answer to one question from the Galatians. The answer to this one question explains how and why they are doing what they are doing in the name of Christ. 

How did you receive the Spirit of God?

They received (ἐλάβετε) the Spirit of God at the beginning of their Christian lives as Paul makes clear in the next verse (Gal. 3:3). The gift - not gifts - of the Spirit takes place at the inception of our Christian lives as a present pledge or downpayment from God about our future lives with Him (2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5). We don't receive the Spirit from works of law (ἔργων νόμου) but from hearing with faith (ἀκοῆς πίστεως). Paul is using the same language he used when he spoke of justification a few verses earlier. We are not justified before God by our works of law (ἔργων νόμου) but through faith (δία πίστεως) in Jesus Christ (Gal. 2:16). The reception of the Spirit and justification by faith are two sides of the same spiritual experience (Bruce, Galatians, 149). Both justification and sanctification come through the same spiritual process, and that is why this question is so decisive for the way we live the Christian life.

There are two possible options for receiving the Spirit of God. The preposition "from" (ἐξ) introduces both phrases. The preposition emphasizes source or origin (BAGD, 234). The two possible sources of our Spirit reception are 1) works of law or 2) hearing of faith. This succinct contrast between law and faith is the "antithesis of the whole epistle" (Burton, Galatians, 147). We receive the Spirit:

from works of law

ἐξ ἔργων νόμου

or

from hearing of faith

ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως

The noun "law" lacks the definite article stressing the qualitative nature of law-keeping in general. All our attempts to earn God's favor by following moral rules and performing good works fail to produce the Spirit of God in our lives. We parade our good works before the watching world, but Spirit reception does not come from our performance mentality. We can never do enough to "get" God in our lives (see Christensen, Blog, "Our Best Before God," 6/20/20).

We receive the Spirit from hearing with faith as Paul will go on to argue in Galatians. Hearing, in this context, means far more than hearing sounds with our ears. Some consider the expression to be a Semitic idiom that understands "hearing" to be the kind of hearing that is believing (Moule, Idiom Book, 175). Others suggest that the word "hearing" refers to that which was heard, the report, or the message of faith (Meyer, Galatians, 104). I think this interpretation makes the best sense of the passage. Paul uses the expression "the word of hearing of God (λόγον ἀκοῆς τοῦ θεοῦ) to refer to God's message, which he calls "the word of God" for all who believe (1 Thess. 2:13). The author of Hebrews links "the word of hearing" (ὁ λόγος τῆς ἀκοῆς) to hearing by faith (Heb. 4:2). Therefore, the expression "hearing of faith" is shorthand for the message that comes from God and focuses on faith as its essence (NIDNTT, 2:175).

We begin our Christian lives by believing the word of God that we hear. Paul, citing Isaiah 53:1, writes, "faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Rom. 10:16-17). How can anyone believe if they have not heard the message of what Christ has done for us (Rom. 10:14)? We receive the Spirit of God the same way. Our conversion to Christianity and our progress in our Christian lives come by faith in the message of what Christ has done, is doing, and will do for us.

Religion equals works of law, deeds of righteousness, and acts of piety.

Christianity equals hearing of faith, believing the message, and trusting Christ's work.

Do you receive the Spirit of God by doing what you do or trusting what He does?

THE GOSPEL BILLBOARD

 

A billboard grabs attention. It distills volumes of information into a simple message, a placard of truth. What is Christianity's billboard? Paul explains in Galatians 3:1. Jesus Christ is THE CRUCIFIED ONE! 

"You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?"

Bewitched by the lure of success, the pride of works, and the promises of false teachers, the Galatians had lost sight of the essence of Christianity. We worship a Savior who was crucified as a common criminal. The Romans claimed that Carthage invented crucifixion, which they perfected to torture the worst slaves and criminals. Crucifixion was the worst shame that authorities could inflict on another human. The cross is the crux of our faith. A symbol of disgrace became the billboard of Christianity. Preaching placards the crucified one for all to see.

The verb translated "publicly portrayed" (προεγράφη) can have two meanings. It can mean "to write beforehand or in advance," or it can mean "to write up in public, to placard" (Lightfoot, Galatians, 134). The first century papyri show examples of the word meaning to "write above" or to "placard up" for public viewing. For example, a father directed that a public proclamation be set up to announce that he was no longer responsible for his son's debts. Government officials often used the word to refer to public notices and official declarations that were displayed where all could see them (M&M, Vocabulary, 538). Paul preached "Christ crucified" as if he placarded the message on a giant billboard for all to see.

Paul announced the crucified Christ before their eyes (οἷς κατ´ ὀφθαλμοὺς). Literally, it reads, "for whom, in the presence of eyes" (BAGD, 406). This is where we get the translation "publicly portrayed." Some argue that Paul painted a word picture of Christ on the cross. His preaching was so graphic that they could see Christ on the cross. However, there is no lexical support for taking the verb to mean "paint or depict," and the following phrase in the perfect tense would negate this view (Burton, Galatians, 144). The verb was not used for painting a picture but for public announcements of official business. It wasn't that Paul graphically painted a picture for them, but that he placarded the truth because he wanted to keep their eyes from wandering to the charms of this world (Lightfoot, Galatians, 134). He wanted them to keep their eyes upon Jesus - the crucified one - and not get distracted by the issues and concerns of this world.

Paul went on to say that he billboarded Christ "as crucified" (ἐσταυρωμένος). The participle is in a perfect tense, indicating past action with ongoing results. Paul proclaimed Christ as having been crucified for them. He stressed the foundational fact of Christ's crucifixion. It was a past act. It was a finished task. Christianity is based on what Christ did for us in the past, not what we do for him in the present. If Paul wanted to picture Christ hanging on the cross, he would have used the present participle, but he used a perfect participle. Our faith depends on an accomplished fact - the crucified Christ - and that makes it a matter of official pronouncement (Burton, Galatians, 145). We proclaim to the world a finished fact, not a possible present or a wishful future.

The gospel billboard announces that the work is done!

Lord, keep my eyes on the billboard of Christ crucified and not the alluring advertisements of this world.

BEWITCHING BELIEVERS!

 

Why are we, Christians, so gullible? 

How do we avoid being manipulated by the hucksters of this world? 

Lured by the deceptive success of the false teachers, the Galatian believers were bewitched by heresy. Paul warned them harshly, "O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?" (Gal. 3:1)

The word translated "bewitched" (ἐβάσκανεν) conjures up the popular superstition about the power of the evil eye in first century folklore. Many writers closed their letters by wishing the reader protection from the evil eye (M&M, Vocabulary, 106). One superstition suggested that a person could ward off the influence of the evil eye by spitting three times (BAGD, 137). Spells and incantations could fascinate a person so powerfully that they were brought under the control of the bewitcher in Paul's metaphor (Lightfoot, Galatians, 133). 

While it is possible that Paul could be inferring a literal demonic influence in this delusion, he is using the term as a figure of speech, a trope, to warn the believers that false teaching is a serious threat to their spiritual health. Paul is shocked that the believers were so easily deluded and deceived by this mixture of law and grace. The false teachers exerted their influence without any use of magical arts. No extraordinary means were needed because of the gullibility of the believers. Paul uses the term as a rhetorical device to show them how easily the influencers could pervert the gospel and confuse their thinking through the clever use of words and symbols (Burton, Galatians, 143-144).

Bewitching (βασκαίνω) was used metaphorically for the ability to harm others through words. The power of praise and insult, flattery and shame, could harm people as much as black magic. Even hostile looks or the sound of the voice can control others in a bewitching manner. Certainly, there was an understanding that the world was filled with non-human powers seeking to control us, which gave rise to formulaic incantations like "heaven preserve us." The magical power of a look or a word can influence others because there are demonic forces at work in this world. However, the word for "bewitching" (βασκαίνω) is never used for the magical powers of the supernatural world. It is used rhetorically for the power of words to influence others (TDNT, 1:594-595).

What are the bewitching methods that influencers use to confuse and control us as Christians?

FALSE REASONING

Lying and deception stand behind all magic. Bewitching people depends on deceiving them. Foolish people succumb to the power of falsehood, and so are led astray. Paul bitingly calls them "foolish" twice in these verses (Gal. 3:1,3). The word "foolish" (ἀνόητοι) can mean unintelligent (BAGD, 70) but more often refers to someone unreasonable (M&M, Vocabulary, 45) or unperceptive. Foolish people lack discernment (Longenecker, Galatians, 99). They are not so much stupid as they are confused. Foolish people lack the ability or the will to think clearly and deeply about matters, so they are easily manipulated by influence peddlers.

Foolishness is a characteristic we all share before we become believers (Titus 3:3). Once we become Christians, we are supposed to leave foolishness behind. Sadly, this is not always the reality. Many believers surrender to false reasoning far too easily and often. It is the bewitching of believers! Believers seem highly susceptible to the power of conspiracy theories with their emphasis on secret knowledge and inside information. Political manipulation and marketing schemes lure too many Christians under the power of the "evil eye!"  We seem especially susceptible to the power of abusive spiritual authority, proven by the long list of authoritarian pastors in recent years. All of these are aspects of the bewitching of believers through false reasoning.

SPIRITUAL DISTRACTION

When Paul calls the Galatians "foolish" (ἀνόητοι), he might be thinking of them as childlike in their simplemindedness (TDNT, 1:595). They struggle to resist the bewitching of the false teachers because they are easily distracted, like little children attracted to the latest flashing lights and sparkling toys. Foolish Christians are so busy chasing the idols of our world that they lose sight of the truth of the gospel. Too often, we become caught up in political battles, social quarrels, and methodological arguments that have no eternal value. We focus on buildings, programs, and culture wars while losing the gospel's centrality to our mission. The result is that we lose sight of Christ in the pursuit of the bangles and baubles that dangle before our eyes.

We are too easily bewitched through false reasoning and spiritual distraction. Christ must be the focal point of our lives, and the cross of Christ must be central to our message. Having begun our spiritual lives by the power of the Spirit, we must not turn to the methods of the flesh to live our Christian lives (Gal. 3:3). 

Beware the bewitching of believers!

DEBTORS TO GRACE?

 

"Oh to grace how great a debtor

Daily I'm constrained to be."

Can grace incur a debt?

Paul says, "NO!"

"I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly" (Gal. 2:21)

The verb translated "nullify" (ἀθετῶ) is in the present tense, indicating an ongoing activity. In classical Greek, it meant to set aside a treaty or to break faith with someone. The LXX uses it to translate a variety of Hebrew words in the Old Testament. It refers to profaning something that God considers holy, such as the sacrifice (1 Sam. 2:17) or the law of God (Ezek. 22:26). According to Ezekiel, the priests profaned God's law by making no distinction between the clean and the unclean. They despised God by profaning the holy things of God (NIDNTT, 1:74). In the Greek papyri, the verb was used for the cancellation of loans through repayment (M&M, Vocabulary, 12).

Paul uses the same verb later in Galatians, referring to a covenant once ratified, which "no one sets aside (ἀθετεῖ) or adds conditions to it" (Gal. 3:15). Jesus says, "He who rejects (ἀθετῶν) me ... has one who judges him" (Jn.12:48). Seeking to achieve righteousness by obeying rules and regulations, Paul says, annuls or renders inoperative the grace of God. Holiness by law-keeping is a rejection of Christ's death for us. If we seek to be righteous by the law after accepting God's grace, then "Christ died needlessly" (δωρεὰν). The adverb means without reason or to no purpose (BAGD, 210). The death of Christ becomes superfluous - unnecessary - if we can achieve righteousness by obeying the law.

The conduct of Peter is the context of Paul's statement. God saved Peter by grace alone, but Peter slipped into law-keeping for his sanctification. He implied that the Gentiles had to do the same by following the Jewish dietary regulations to maintain right standing with God. Paul argues that Peter nullified or rendered inoperative God's grace through his actions (Meyer, Galatians, 94). Peter rejected the sufficiency of Christ's death by adding conditions to the Christian life. Legalism is a practical rejection of grace and an annulling of the cross as foundational for Christian living. 

Suppose that I give my daughter $10,000 in her time of great need. I insist that it is a gift given out of my deep love for her, and she has no obligation to repay me. She says that she is indebted to me and will work to pay me back. Eventually, she cancels the debt by paying me back what I gave to her as a gift. What has she done? She has set aside, rejected, and nullified my gift. When we treat a gift - grace - as a debt, we render the gift invalid. It is no longer grace.

This is what we do when we try to pay God back for His grace freely given to us on the cross. Too many Christians treat the Christian life as a debt to be paid to God for the grace He gave to us. We come to God by faith in His grace but soon turn the Christian life into matters of performance, duty, and obligation. We nullify His grace when the motive for our service is to pay back our debt to Him for His gift. The Christian life is by grace just as much as conversion. Sanctification is just as much a product of grace as justification.

There are two ways to nullify God's grace in our Christian lives (Bruce, Galatians, 146). 1) Grace frees us to sin more (Rom. 6:1). Since we are saved by grace alone, we think we can sin without consequence. The more we sin, the greater His grace. Wrong! May it never be (μὴ γένοιτο, Rom. 6:2). We nullify His grace through our presumptuous sins. 2) Grace motivates us to pay God back. Debt creates guilt. Our Christian lives develop a performance mentality. We think that if we do not measure up to the rules of sanctification, we will not earn God's favor. This too is μὴ γένοιτο! We nullify His grace through the debtor's motive.

We are not debtors to grace because grace cannot incur a debt! 

Praise be to God for His indescribable gift!