Reasons why we struggle to accept grace from God part 5

Because we actually think we are doing ok as far as God's standards are concerned and therefore qualify for deserved favour with God. The pharisees of Jesus day were under the same deception, they had made the law 'keepable' which it wasn't. Their interpretation of the 614 individual commandments that made up the law brought it to a level that man could meet (They didn't add as it is sometimes said that Jesus came to releave us of their additions but the real law as God intended must be kept by a christian) and that's what prompted Jesus to clarify that the law was not just about obedience in deeds and actions but in thoughts also (Matt5:27-28). As we have already said, he was using the law for it's true purpose to convince man of his guilt before God and therefore his need for an alternative method of relating to God which he would ultimately provide through his work at the cross. God's people down through the ages that have made this same point have been labelled 'antinomian' by their opposers, meaning anti-law or against God's law but the reality is that these men including me have an awesome respect for the law to the point that we recognise it is so perfect that no man can keep it. The problem is that we have failed to see exactly what the law demands of us and that if we fail to keep just one of the commands we are guilty of them all!(Jam2:10). What I find myself doing is taking a gauge from other people's behaviour and then judging myself by that rule and then I appear to be doing well giving me the allusion that by my relatively good behaviour I can expect good from God. This is faulty reasoning (2Cor10:12) because if want to relate to God via this method then our gauge is perfection and not imperfection, Its his holy law in its entirety and must be kept consistently in thought and action and if we use this standard we will quickly realise that it is futile and we must humble ourselves and receive his free favour.