Note 23 at Col. 2:6: This is a simple principle that would stop a lot of error in the body of Christ if it were observed. We received Christ totally by putting faith in God's grace (see notes 17-18 at Eph. 2:8, p. 1103). We didn't offer the Lord any holiness on our part but came "Just as I am, without one plea." We hadn't been fasting or paying our tithes, reading the Word or praying an hour each day, and yet we received the greatest miracle of all which was the new birth (see note 2 at Jn. 3:3, p. 92).

But amazingly, after receiving Christ by faith, many fall back into the trap of thinking that after salvation they have to earn God's blessings by works. That is not walking in the same way that they received Christ. If we started by grace we should continue by grace. This is the point that Paul was making in Galatians 3:1-3 (see note 5 at Gal. 3:2, p. 1064).