The Bible does not tell us how we can fix ourselves to gain God’s acceptance or perfect our world (Gal. 2:15–20). If the Bible were merely about improving our performance or refining our competence, then we would be our own saviors. Fundamentally and pervasively, the Scriptures teach the inadequacy of any purely human effort to claim divine approval or to achieve God’s purposes. We are entirely dependent on the mercy and power provided through our Savior to be what he desires and to do what he requires. Grace rules—as both the most powerful motivation and the only true means of Christian
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