Ask people whether they believe they’re going to heaven and many will say yes. But ask them why, and one answer comes up again and again:
“Because I’m a pretty good person.”
After all, they reason, I haven’t murdered anyone. I try to treat people right. I work hard. I love my family. Surely my good outweighs my bad.
It sounds reasonable. It may even sound humble.
But according to the Bible, it reveals a dangerous misunderstanding of the gospel.
And Christians can fall into a related trap. We may understand that we couldn’t earn our salvation, yet somewhere along the way begin acting as though it’s up to us to keep ourselves right with God.
So which is it? Are we saved by grace but kept by our performance? Can enough good works make us acceptable to God—or keep us acceptable once we’re saved?
Paul answers those questions powerfully in Galatians 3. And his answer should bring both conviction to anyone trusting in his own goodness and tremendous assurance to those who belong to Christ.


