Interactive Bible studies and fellowship on Sunday. Religious Performance Traps

### THIS SUNDAY, July 6, 2025, 10:30 A.M. We will host a Fellowship & Time of Sharing in Person Service combined with an INTERACTIVE. WILL HOST INPERSON CHURCH SERVICES AT THE MANALAPAN SENIOR CENTER, 211 County Rd 522, Manalapan Township, New Jersey (next to the Manalapan Recycle Center)THE FORMAT OF THIS SERVICE WILL BE A COMBINATION OF A SERMON WITH INTERACTIVE DISCUSSION AND FELLOWSHIP. YOU ARE ALSO WELCOMED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SERVICE REMOTELY OVER ZOOM.

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## TOPIC:

# Religious Performance Traps

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#### Meeting ID: 856 8178 1850Passcode: 041731

The message from njgrace.org warns Christians about "religious performance traps" set by the evil one (Satan) to deceive believers into thinking they must work to earn God’s love, favor, or acceptance. These traps shift focus from abiding in Christ—relying on and drawing from Him to bear spiritual fruit (John 15:4-5)—to self-reliant efforts that lead to spiritual fruitlessness. The evil one’s goal is to keep believers from understanding their salvation, the New Covenant of Grace, their resurrection power in Christ, and their authority over the demonic. Instead of resting in God’s grace, believers are tricked into a performance-based mindset, as if they’re still separated from God and must earn His approval through works, like under the Old Covenant Law.
The sermon identifies four key traps and offers solutions grounded in Scripture, emphasizing that believers are already accepted by God through grace, not works. Abiding in Christ, not performing, produces spiritual fruit like compassion, prayer, healing, and proclaiming the Gospel.
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### Precise Key Points
1. **Works to Obtain and Maintain Salvation**
- **Trap**: The evil one deceives believers into thinking they must work to gain or keep salvation, as if they’re under the Old Covenant Law (613 laws, including the Ten Commandments) instead of the New Covenant of Grace.
- **Truth**: Salvation is a gift through faith, not works (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 6:27-29). Believers are fully accepted by God (Ephesians 1:6) and forgiven of all sins—past, present, and future (Hebrews 8:7-13).
- **Solution**: Stop working for what you already have. Abide in Christ, believing in Him to receive eternal life (John 6:29).
- **Scripture**: “For by grace you have been saved through faith… not as a result of works” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
2. **Self-Effort to Achieve Sanctification**
- **Trap**: Believers think they must rely on their own efforts (flesh) to grow spiritually (sanctification), rather than trusting Christ’s work within them.
- **Truth**: Sanctification, like salvation, comes through faith in Christ, not self-effort (Galatians 3:1-3). Believers are set apart at salvation (Hebrews 10:4) and grow by abiding in Christ, who transforms them from the inside out (Romans 8:29-30).
- **Solution**: Depend on Christ moment by moment for spiritual growth, not on doing “good biblical things” to change yourself.
- **Scripture**: “Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3).
3. **Keeping Non-Biblical Church Traditions**
- **Trap**: The evil one distracts believers with man-made church traditions that lack spiritual value, like extravagant events or passive sermon-listening, which replace abiding in Christ.
- **Truth**: Jesus criticized the Pharisees for prioritizing man-made traditions over God’s commands (Mark 7:7-9). True edification comes from active participation in the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:26).
- **Solution**: Focus on abiding in Christ, not upholding fruitless traditions that burden the church.
- **Scripture**: “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8).
4. **Trying to Become Welcomed in the Church**
- **Trap**: New believers feel they must perform to be accepted by church members, leading to frustration and isolation when they’re judged or rejected.
- **Truth**: Christ warmly welcomes all believers into His Body (Romans 14:1, 15:7). Acceptance comes from Him, not human approval.
- **Solution**: Rest in Christ’s acceptance and don’t strive to earn a place in the church. Abide in Him to bear fruit, regardless of others’ actions.
- **Scripture**: “Warmly welcome each other into the church, just as Christ has warmly welcomed you” (Romans 15:7, TLB).
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### Reflection (Socratic, Scripture-Based)
- **Question**: Have you ever felt you needed to “do more” to be loved by God or accepted by your church? How does John 15:4-5 challenge that mindset?
- **Prayer Connection**: Lord, help me abide in You, trusting Your grace instead of falling into performance traps. Show me where I’m striving instead of resting in Your love. Amen.
- **Scripture Principle**: “Abide in Me, and I in you… apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5). True spiritual fruit comes from relying on Christ, not self-effort.