Performance based thinking applied to the work of the Spirit is debilitating, limiting, and draining. It relies on Old Covenant methods for power and life.
In the New Testament there was a group of believers who discovered this. They were beginning to think the wrong way about the ministry of the Spirit. They were being taught that if they behaved a certain way and observed the Law that they would experience an increase in the Spirit.
This ideology was labeled as witchcraft by Paul the Apostle.
Galatians 3:5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—6 ¶ just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? 7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
In getting the gospel right we must approach it in the context it is given and that is one of a New Covenant. The greatest hindrance to the church today is not laziness or the need to do more. It is the decline of faith in the simple truth of the gospel.
The New Covenant gospel declares that through Christ we have been made the righteousness of God and are now able to receive the Spirit of Promise through faith.
We can actually live by the Spirit because of what Christ has done. This is accomplished not by our good intentions or efforts, but by faith. I find it interesting how quickly Paul moves from talking of miracles to the righteousness of Abraham.
The gospel of the New Covenant removes us from the position of being under the curse of the Law to being those who are standing in the blessing of Abraham. Abraham took God at His word and God took Abraham places and unfolded events in his life that were birthed by the Holy Spirit and were legacy promises and blessings. More importantly God counted Abraham righteous on the basis of faith alone.
Being under the Law brings you under a curse. It is impossible to embrace the Law and be mindful of the Spirit at the same time. The Law brings our attention to ourselves. The Spirit brings our attention to Christ.
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
