However, some within the churches were struggling to accept their acceptance. That is, the blood of Christ had made them acceptable to God but they still felt something was lacking.
This was less about humility and more about self-righteousness. It was less about obedience and submission and more about trusting in one's own good deeds. Some wanted to save themselves through the hard work of acts of service and sacrifice rather than believing the sacrifice of Jesus was sufficient.
Their desire for obedience was not rooted in a loving response to God's grace, but was self-serving. In other words, it matters not just what we do and don't do, but also why we do what we do. Motives matter.
In the midst of the corrections, Paul shares the loving words of God through many blessings, reminders, and promises. Sometimes it's so easy to focus on the negatives we miss the goodness of the word. Let's take time to take in the whole picture, to hear both how we can change and what needs to remain the same.
