"You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain? So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?" Here, Paul rebukes the church because they took control of their own spiritual growth (Galatians 3). They recognized that they were saved by faith, but got it into their heads that they needed to perfect themselves through works in the flesh. Just like the Galatians, we too can fall into a pit of self-determined religious regulation; however, God wants us to give up control on our own spiritual growth and maturity. ...