‘I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing.’ (Galatians 2:21)
"These are the words of a man (Paul), describing his own Christian life. He sees himself as somehow having been included in the crucifixion of Christ. His former way of life met its end, when it met Jesus. He considers his old way of life was put to death on the cross of Jesus. Now, he lives from a different perspective; an entirely new standpoint. He can describe this new way of living thus: "I no longer live; Christ lives in me."
"The new centerpiece of Paul's existence is Jesus, who expressed his great love by dying for him on the cross. That is the great theme of the apostle's new life. It is in that context, that Paul goes on to state: "I do not frustrate the grace of God." He means to make the point, that Christian faith, is faith in God's work; in God's action. Christian faith lays hold on what God has achieved. Conversely, righteousness which is of the law, is a religious perspective which places some hope or confidence in the things that a believer can do in response to God."
"To trust in one's own spirituality, is to exchange faith in Christ for something else. In the apostle's mind, grace and Christ are co-extensive. Where one is, so is the other. In the gospel, faith permits no 'other' than these, within its purview. Faith's horizon is totally taken up with Christ; with grace."
"To trust in one's own... religious effort---is to frustrate grace."
"God teach us to rest in his work, and not in own own."
We must take all that has been revealed and make certain that our reading of any one passage is in accord with all other passages on the same matter.
If a reading is not in accord with other scripture than one of the readings is not correct. The Bible does not contridict itsef.
I asked a few very simple, yes and no, type question that you have not yet answered. If you can address those questions then it is possible for this discussion to proceed.