The Apostle Paul writes to the Galatian church regarding their legalism and he says this to them in Galatians 2 verse 21: “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”

Very often we can find ourselves trusting in our performance to experience the amazing blessings of God, trying to gain acceptance to God through our adherence to the law.

Jerry Bridges, in his book “The Bookends of the Christian Life” defines the ‘A’mazing blessings of God as:

• Approval by God — His favour
• Access to His holy presence — His fellowship
• Acceptance into His family — His community
• Admittance into heaven — His eternal life
• Appropriation of our daily provisions — His earthly sustenance
• Ability to live the Christian life — His strength

When we strive to receive these ‘A’mazing blessings from God in our own strength, our own performance and our own merit we nullify Christ’s work on the cross and our ability to receive God’s grace.

Truly, as the hymn writer John Newton wrote, it is ‘Amazing grace that saved a wretch like me.’

It is amazing grace that opens the door to these ‘A’mazing blessings of God, and our response to this amazing grace is simply to trust in Christ’s imputed righteousness and to glory in His wonderful grace towards us.