Questions!
Scripture reading for August 19: Galatians 3
“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by 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? Does He Who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith–just as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness?” Galatians 3:1-6
In typical rabbinic style, Paul the former Pharisee seeks to bring correction to the world views of those in the Galatian church who had succumbed to the Jewish false teachers that sought to persuade them to return to keeping the law along with faith. Paul asked them a series of questions designed to get them to open their minds and hearts to the truth. Questions help those who are teachable to do a self-examination without putting up a wall of defense. Questions help with honest exploration of possible answers. Questions are a gentler way of confronting those who are deceived to enable them to decide for themselves to admit or confess their deception and thus find deliverance.
Paul’s “O foolish Galatians!” was a life-giving rebuke to help them realize how serious their doctrinal shift was. They had been ‘bewitched’ by an evil spirit that was trying to take them back to religion and good works as a means of salvation. Human effort to be good and keep the law of God will never bring us to righteousness and justification before God. These believers had already gone through suffering for their initial stand of faith for Jesus Christ as Lord and Messiah. Paul questioned if their suffering had been in vain or for nothing. Paul’s final question concerned living by faith through the Spirit or if doing the works of the law brought righteousness. The answers to all the questions should have been obvious.
Have you ever been faced with questions concerning your doctrines or core beliefs on salvation? Have you ever had to change your stand and take a new view of God’s plan of salvation? Do you personally find questions as a good way to help you examine your own beliefs?
Prayer: Father God, thank you for asking us questions to open our hearts to receive correction and instruction. Help me to respectfully use questions to help those who may be involved in deception or false teaching. Thank You for the Holy Spirit of Truth that gives me wisdom and discernment. Amen.
Faith and Identification with Christ
Scripture reading for August 18: Galatians 2
“For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness was through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” Galatians 2:19-21
Paul explained to the Galatian believers how no one could be made righteous or be justified before God through the keeping of the law. The law involved personal effort and our work to keep it. However, through human effort to keep the law, no flesh can or will be justified. (Galatians 2:16) The law of God brought to light our sin nature but could not fix it. Paul explained it as dying to the law through trying to keep it. Human effort or good works will always fall short.
But now, through faith in Jesus Christ, Who Alone perfectly kept God’s law, we can now live for God and be justified. Paul described his death to the law as ‘being crucified with Christ.’ The old “Saul” who sought to kill Christ’s followers was now dead. But “Saul” now lived as Paul, made alive in Christ as a gift of His grace. Paul stated that if he could have earned righteousness through keeping the law, Christ’s death would have been in vain–of no value. But the true world view Paul now held was of eternal life through Christ living in him. By grace through faith in the one true Gospel, he had been justified before God and made righteous. Any attempt to add human works nullifies God’s Gift of grace!
Have you ever tried to keep God’s law or a set of rules to earn your acceptance with God? Have you identified with Jesus Christ so that you can personally make Paul’s confession of faith in Galatians 2:20? What does it mean to ‘nullify the grace of God?’
Prayer: Father God, I believe that I was crucified with Jesus Christ, Your Son. I believe that I was resurrected with Jesus as He arose from the grave. The life I now live is by faith in Jesus Christ Alone and His Gift of righteousness. Keep me safe from ever nullifying Your amazing grace! Amen.
The One true Gospel!
Scripture reading for August 15: Galatians 1
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting Him Who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel–not there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the Gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:6-10
Paul was called to plant churches among the Gentiles and on his first missionary journey had planted the church in Galatia. Paul was now writing to the believers there to correct their world view and refocus them on the Gospel of Jesus Christ that he had originally preached to them and by which they had been saved. False teachers were adding to the true Gospel message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone. These false teachers were perverting the true Gospel message with the addition of the Jewish laws and traditions. These teachings had found some acceptance and some were leaving the church to follow the lies from these false teachers.
Paul stated plainly that there was only one true Gospel of Jesus Christ. That Gospel message called sinners to repentance and faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Son of God, through His body and blood. As people repented and believed, God by grace declared them righteous and gifted them His Holy Spirit. Anyone preaching a different ‘gospel’ was actually under a curse. Paul could have tried to please men and overlooked the false teaching or said it didn’t matter. But Paul was not called to appease men but to please God through obedient faith. He was a true servant of Christ and not a false teacher! He had received His Gospel from Jesus Christ Himself. It wasn’t from man or man’s idea.
In our culture of many churches, voices, and philosophies of religion, how do you know which is the one true ‘Gospel’? Have you ever followed a church or church leader who actually led you astray away from the true Gospel? Are you confident today that you have believed the true Gospel and are truly saved?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for sending me true Christ-followers who faithfully represented the true Gospel of salvation by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, Your Son. Fill me with the Holy Spirit and a hunger for Truth so that I might walk in holy discernment and preach the true Gospel to all! Amen.
Healthy self-examination
Scripture reading for August 14: 2 Corinthians 13
“This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them–since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. For He was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but in dealing with you we will live with Him by the power of God. Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?–unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” 2 Corinthians 13:1-6
Paul was writing to the Corinthian believers about church discipline of members who were living in known sin. Paul had evidently visited them before about the need to repent and the consequences of continuing in sinful relationships. In this letter, he was again warning them that they would not be spared from church discipline when he came to them in person again. Pastoral love flows to the believers through this honest communication and confrontation. God wants none to perish but all to come to godly sorrow leading to repentance and eternal life. (2 Corinthians 7:8-10) The absence of consequences to this point does not signify God’s weakness but His patience and long-suffering. Paul’s warnings were not out of weakness either, but done in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul encouraged all the Corinthian believers to do a healthy self-examination concerning their own confession of faith. Did they recognize Jesus Christ as indwelling them? Was Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior and only hope of forgiveness and eternal life? Had they humbly repented of sin and invited Christ’s Holy Spirit to live in them? If they failed this test they could quickly repent and again live by faith. Paul’s prayer and confrontation was done for their restoration, not their condemnation. He did not want to have to confront them in person but would rather rejoice with them that they had willingly responded in humility and repentance.
Has God used patience with you in dealing with besetting sins in your life? Have you experienced gentle pastoral correction or the inner conviction of the Holy Spirit prompting you to make changes? As you do a healthy self-examination today, what assurances of Christ’s pleasure and indwelling are evident?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for godly correction through the Holy Spirit and Word and through those in church leadership. Thank You for Your gentleness and drawing me to make changes. Help me to be gentle and Christ-like in dealing with those who may be going astray. Amen.
Building up Christ’s followers
Scripture reading for August 13: 2 Corinthians 12
“Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish–that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.” 2 Corinthians 12:19-21
Pastoral ministry, like prophetic ministry, is for the edification and exhortation of the church. The goal is to see Christ’s body strengthened through a life of holiness, worship, and obedient witness. Pastoral ministry involves prayer and correction of those in willful sin. Paul understood his calling as an apostle and pastor to see the church built up and walking in love. He spoke to them plainly and lovingly, calling them ‘beloved.’ He was mourning over them in prayer even as he wrote this letter.
He was concerned that there were still members of the church family that had at an earlier time confessed their sins and found grace but were still living in known sin. When people continue to practice sexual immorality and sensuality, they fail to understand Christ’s work on their behalf and the reality of their new life in Christ as a new creation through the indwelling Holy Spirit. He wrote the letter so that these might repent in advance of his visit to them. He understood that confrontation personally would be painful, especially if done without warning. God always prepares his people by warning them in advance by prophetic voices and through His Holy Spirit. This was Paul’s approach in loving but firm confrontation of persistent sin.
Have you ever had a friend or someone in church leadership confront you about something you knew you were doing sinfully? When you read God’s Word and it details how God feels about a sin you know your are indulging in, how do you receive it? Is there a sin you will now repent of?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your loving correction through the Holy Spirit in me and through those in spiritual leadership. May Your Spirit and Word always guide me in loving correction of those in the church family. If I am blind to a besetting sin, bring to light my need of repentance by any means. Amen.
The Reality of following Jesus
Scripture reading for August 12: 2 Corinthians 11
“Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” 2 Corinthians 11:24-28
Often in today’s world, we seek to win people to follow Christ by telling them how God wants them to be rich, happy, and blessed. But Paul described in detail the suffering he had endured in following Jesus’ command to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. He wasn’t seeking sympathy or trying to warn those he had shared the Gospel with by reciting his troubles. He was really ‘boasting’ in his weakness and proclaiming how Christ’s power and presence had brought him through all these difficulties. (2 Corinthians 11:30)
The false apostles had pointed to these things in Paul’s life as a sign that God was not with Paul. People had sometimes misunderstood him and his life of suffering. Paul was a Jew, but suffered beatings from the hands of his own people as he shared Christ’s love and desire for their salvation with them. In following God, Paul was shipwrecked three times and almost lost his life. He had a right to be supported by the believers, but he worked with his own hands to support himself and his ministry team. He was sometimes hungry and thirsty and without proper shelter. But behind all this, Paul walked in faith that Jesus was with him in his assignment to care for the churches he had helped found. In his weakness, Paul found the strength of Jesus sufficient for every hardship.
Have you ever had to suffer as a result of living for Jesus or preaching the Gospel? How does this account of Paul’s suffering change your world view of being a Christ follower? Is your weakness something you have ever ‘boasted’ about?
Prayer: Father God, I find it hard to think about my weakness. I have been taught to be strong and our culture rewards strength. Thank You for sustaining Your people in times of persecution, through life’s shipwrecks, beatings, hunger and thirst. I am weak and need Your daily supply. Amen.
Powerful spiritual weapons
Scripture reading for August 11: 2 Corinthians 10
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
Paul desired that those he had led to a relationship with Jesus Christ would live a life of holiness and victory over Satan and their sinful flesh. He plainly told them that each believer was in warfare, not against other people but evil forces of darkness. The wicked spiritual forces came to kill them, steal from them, and ultimately destroy them. Satan uses our fleshly appetites and desires and our worldly thinking to accomplish his destructive plans. All believers are in the world and live in a body of flesh that can be manipulated by our evil enemy to hold us in sin and disobedience.
But God has not left us without spiritual weapons to combat the forces of darkness and our flesh. These weapons have divine power to destroy strongholds of sin and fleshly thinking. God’s Word brings a knowledge of God and truth that sets us free. God’s Gift of the Holy Spirit living in us brings power to recognize sin and flee temptation and to live by faith in Christ’s righteousness. Through the Word and Spirit, we destroy arguments and prideful thinking that tries to exalt the flesh and block God’s knowledge. We are enabled to bring our thought life under God’s control. God’s power through the Holy Spirit destroys Satan’s strongholds of fear, addiction, and bondage to flesh. Understanding the warfare and our powerful weapons allows us to walk in victory through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Have you ever felt pushed around by thoughts, feelings, and emotions that demand actions that are selfish, hateful, or harmful? Have you discovered the spiritual weapons that God has provided to give you victory? What excuses have you made to accommodate your flesh and worldly thinking?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for giving me powerful weapons of truth and righteousness through faith. Thank You for giving me the ability to recognize spiritual attacks in my flesh and mind through the indwelling Holy Spirit. By faith, I bring every thought captive into the obedience of Christ. Amen.
Giving by faith!
Scripture reading for August 8: 2 Corinthians 9
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all time, you may abound in ever good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-9
“For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin!” (Romans 14:23) Paul was encouraging the Corinthians in giving and the importance of willingness and cheerfulness when we give. Preachers can put pressure on the congregation to give through various types of manipulation. This causes feelings of compulsion and that brings a lack of joy or cheerfulness. Paul advocated for strong faith in the act of giving. He likened it to a farmer sowing seed. If there was reluctance and stinginess to sow, then the benefit of the harvest will also be sparing. But if sowing was done with an abundance of seed in faith of a grand harvest, then a bountiful reaping would bring joy.
Paul quoted Psalm 112:9 to encourage cheerful and abundant giving. God is pictured here freely and abundantly scattering His gifts to the poor. This produces an abundant harvest and great joy and thanksgiving. This faithful giving to those who cannot repay, reaps a reward of eternal righteousness. In the same way, God loves to see His children sowing abundantly. God will multiply our seed so we can continue to sow. God will multiply the harvest of souls through the sowing and many will be made righteous! Praise the Lord for the blessing of giving! (Acts 20:35)
Would you characterize your giving to God’s work as bountiful? Sparing? Willing? How does the concept given by Paul of sowing seed help you to have faith and cheerfulness? Is it difficult for you to give your money to God’s work?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for being a cheerful and willing giver of the most precious possession, Your only Son. Thank You for giving the abundant bounty of supply to all humans and animals. We can only say “Thank You Father!” Help me to be an abundant sower and a cheerful and willing giver. Amen.
Giving fairness!
Scripture reading for August 7: 2 Corinthians 8
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich. And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.” 2 Corinthians 8:9-14
The subject of giving money is often a difficult issue in the church as well as our world. But money is a part of our world and is a test given by God of our faithfulness and stewardship. Scripture teaches us that all we have comes from God. He gives to us through our family and national identity. He gives gifts and talents to use for His glory. He gives jobs and responsibility that earn wages and serve Him and others.
Paul used Jesus as the supreme example of giving. Although Jesus was owner of all, He chose to humble Himself and take the form of a human being, becoming poor to identify with us. He did this that all mankind might be made rich with eternal life through adoption back into God’s eternal family. Jesus’ example was for the benefit of us all for all time.
The Corinthian church had been asked to prepare an offering and planned for it for over a year. They had come upon some hard times, but were still well-supplied compared to the Jerusalem church that was enduring persecution. Paul encouraged them to complete what they had started. He pointed to the principle of fairness to help them cheerfully give. Their comparative abundance should be freely given to those in need at the present time. There would be a time when they would need help and the others they had blessed would return the offerings! God understands that we can only give out of what He supplies.
What is your world view concerning money and wealth? How does it affect your attitude towards giving and discussing what to give to God’s work? Do you plan your giving in advance?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your blessing in providing everything in my life. Thank You for gifts and talents to serve others and You. I freely give of myself, my time and talents and my money to further Your work. It is truly more blessed to give than receive. (Acts 20:35) Amen.
Life without regrets!
Scripture reading for August 6: 2 Corinthians 7
“For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it–though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regrets. whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.” 2 Corinthians 7:8-11
As believers, we have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. One of the benefits of the Spirit is the conviction of sin. As the Word of God is preached or read, the Holy Spirit takes that Word and brings conviction of sin which produces godly sorrow in the human soul. For unbelievers, this godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation and new birth. It has been said that truth is often negative in our first hearing. It produces sorrow and sometimes anger towards the one speaking. Believers also experience conviction through the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is grieved by sin and we feel that grief in the sorrow of feeling separated from God.
Paul admitted that he knew that his letter admonishing the believers to repent and forgive would cause some to grieve. He briefly grieved and regretted having to call them out. But now Paul was rejoicing because their godly grief had brought repentance and salvation and restored relationship with the Holy Spirit and God the Father. But some were just sorrowful that they were called out and did not repent. This group was headed towards death–eternal separation from God! True godly repentance brings earnestness to be cleared, holy fear of God and zeal for God’s will and leads to no regrets.
Have you ever experienced a godly sorrow over sin in your life that brought you to a change of heart and direction? Have you ever experienced worldly sorrow that brought no change? What are some of the possible regrets with simple worldly sorrow?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your Gift of the Holy Spirit indwelling me. I welcome the conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit producing godly grief enabling me to know I need to repent. Lord Jesus, keep me from worldly sorrow that leads to death and the weeping and gnashing of teeth in eternal regret. Amen.