The Spirit Versus Law-works

This class makes applications from Paul’s teaching in Galatians about the danger of assuming law-keeping to be the way to becoming completed in the Christian life.

We show that not only does this apply to OT law which was being promoted by Judaizers, but any other man-made system of works which are supposed to sanctify and perfect Christians. We argue that analyzing the details of one’s old life in Adam in order to create a process to rectify various bad outcomes is a fool’s mission.

We begin new life in Christ by the Spirit and grow in grace by the Holy Spirit working in the lives of those who believe the promises of God. We provide many examples of false approaches that harm those who adopt them.

We point to our relationship to God, through Christ by faith which makes everything new. The need to control the outcome using techniques amounts to looking for something akin to being ‘bewitched’ to use Paul’s term. Growth in sanctification is not by works any more than salvation is.