Do not try to earn Righteousness

This post is a continuation of an earlier post. (Read | Righteousness) So please read the earlier post before you read this one. I already spoke about how God does not relate to you based on what you do but He relates to you based on what Jesus did. It is very important that you never again try to earn right standing with God based on your works. 

You are saved and made right with God by His grace and you should continue in His grace after you are saved. (Colossians 2:6) (Ephesians 2:8-9) Grace simply means it is nothing you did or deserve. It on on an unearned, undeserved basis. 

Paul made it very clear that you cannot be saved by both grace and works. It can only be one of two, either by works or by grace (Romans 11:6). So if you ever do fall short and we all do at times, you should not base your relationship with God on what you did but on what Jesus did for you and rest in his grace. 

For example, lets say you get really angry in morning with a colleague. You got to remember that God loves you because of what Jesus did on the cross and not because of anything you do and instead of feeling guilty you should receive his grace and the gift of no condemnation. (Romans 8:1) 

The minute you start thinking that God is unhappy with you because you got angry, you fall from His grace and begin to relate to Him based on works. Never let that happen. You either relate to God based on what Jesus did or you relate to God based on what you do. The former will bring you life and peace but the latter death. (Romans 8:6). 

Paul made a very strong statement in Galatians 2:21. He said: I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. In simple words if you think that you can earn right standing with God based on what you do, then Christ died for you in vain. 

When you trust in your own works and what you do, you reject the great salvation that God offers you in Christ. (Hebrews 2:3)

Paul had a powerful ministry in Galatia and many turned to Christ when they heard him preach the Gospel of Grace. But when he left, the people began to be deceived by false teachers that the Grace of God was not enough and that they needed to have certain works also to have right standing with God. When Paul found out, look at what he writes to the Galatians: 

Galatians 1:6-9 (NKJV) 

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

He says that even if we or an angel from heaven preach to you another Gospel than what we have preached to you let him be condemned to hell. Now that's powerful. 

I have made know to you the Gospel of Grace (Read | Righteousness) and just like Paul told the Galatians, let no one deceive you into believing another Gospel. Do not try to earn righteousness but labour to rest in what Jesus has already done for you. (Hebrews 4:11)