As Christians, it’s easy to become a bit confused when setting our minds to do right. Why? Because in attempting to rid our life of sin, we often turn to good works in the hope that they will somehow offset the sin demerits we instinctively sense accumulating against us. So it’s not hard to slip somewhat effortlessly into the very thing true faith should avoid at all costs—works righteousness.

Understanding this link between good works and sin is extremely important because Satan focuses his efforts to destroy us at this very juncture. He uses it as his primary strategy to rob us of all God has to offer.

If the devil can convince us to earn our way rather than simply receiving and walking in God’s free gift of grace, he will have succeeded in handcuffing us to the extent of “defrauding us of our prize”of freedom in Christ.(Colossians 2:18) And if he can accomplish that, he just may be successful in getting us to walk away altogether from the truth of the redemption God freely offers. His ultimate goal for all believers is apostasy—the abandonment and renunciation of our faith.

Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself