Frustrating the Grace of God

The Proper Object of Faith

“I do not frustrate the Grace of God: for if Righteousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain”  (Galatians 2:21).

Righteousness is afforded to us by faith. It is given to us freely as we come by faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary. We have no righteousness within ourselves. It is an imputed Righteousness we receive by God’s Mercy and Grace through faith in Christ crucified. Christ’s death on Calvary paid the sin debt owed to God and opened the way for relationship with God.

Our faith in His finished work at Calvary enables the Holy Spirit to come and live within us. He is present to help us and mold us into Christ’s image. Regarding our daily living, He will bring us the victory we seek over the world, the flesh, and the Devil as we place, and keep, our faith in Christ and Him crucified.

Paul wrote the Epistle to the Galatians, and our introductory verse regarding frustrating the Grace of God was his warning to Believers in the Galatian church. His reference to the Law spoke of the Law of Moses. The Galatians were being tempted to include obedience to the Law as necessary to their walk with the Lord. If they were to do this they would be apostatizing. We are called to faith in a finished work. Self effort in any form is a denial of our faith. This was a serious problem facing the church at the time, and it is a problem the church faces today.

Jesus fulfilled the Law completely in His life and ministry here. We fulfill the Law by our faith in His finished work. This is done through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we keep our faith in Christ and His sacrificial death on the Cross. This is the only way. We cannot, by our Christian disciplines, find the victory we seek in our Christian walk.

The Apostle is telling the Galatians, and us, that should we add the Law, or any law we might make up, to our faith then “Christ is dead in vain.” In other words, as Paul explained in chapter 4, “Christ will profit you nothing!” If our faith does not remain anchored in Christ and the victory He afforded us at Calvary, then we cannot take advantage of the victoriuos living that Christ provided for us.

The Apostle Paul showed us that we are not to build again those things that faith in Christ destroyed, meaning adherence to the Law. Should we do this then we are a transgressor. As Romans Chapter 6 tells us: We are dead to the Law having died with Christ and having been raised with Him to “Newness of Life.” Our faith in Christ affords us all the blessings and promises of God. The following are Paul’s words on the subject.

“For if I build again the things which I destroyed (return to attempting to keep the Law), I make myself a transgressor. For I through the Law am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God (can only be done by faith in Christ)” (Galatians 2:18,19 commentary mine).

The Apostle then shows us how Romans 6:3-5 had found place in his life and how we should live it out in our own lives. We’ll close with the Apostle’s powerful testimony.

“I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live (Newness of Life); yet not I (not by my power), but Christ lives in me: and the Life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God (faith in Christ and Him crucified), Who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 commentary mine).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026