Tag: Galatians 1-6
Sunday Rest and Reflection
Scripture reading for November 30th: Galatians 1-6
Some people, calling themselves Christians, make rules to define holiness and judge others by how they keep their rules. Some are condemned for the length of their hair, their make up, or certain types of clothes. Some judge people having tattoos or body piercing. Other groups of Christians claim a person must be baptized in a certain way or worship on a certain day to be right with God. These rules become a perversion of the true Gospel.
The Apostle Paul dealt with some people who tried to add the Old Testament Law to faith in Christ. Paul taught that any addition to the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith was no Gospel at all! (Galatians 1:6-7) Paul warned these believers that anyone, even an angel from heaven, who tried to preach another Gospel should be eternally condemned! (Galatians 1:8-9) It is very serious business to pervert the Gospel!
This mixing of law and grace affected Peter and Barnabas some 14 years after Paul’s conversion. Paul found Peter withdrawing from the Gentiles and eating only with the Jewish believers who were teaching circumcision. (Galatians 2:11-16) Paul rebuked Peter in front of them for their hypocrisy! They had given in to peer pressure and moved away from the Gospel given them by the Lord Jesus. If it could happen to Peter, it could happen to us!
Paul wrote: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing.” (Galatians 2:20-21)
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not earthly things. for you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-3
Our new identity is found in Christ! We were crucified with Him and raised with Him to a new life! No set of rules or regulations can make us holy.
Crucified and Risen with Christ!
Scripture reading for November 30th: Galatians 1-6
I hate legalism! Some people, calling themselves Christians, make rules for how we must live and judge others by how they do or do not keep their rules. Some think that they are right to condemn others for the length of their hair, wearing make-up, or certain clothes. Some judge others for having tattoos or body piercing . Others are thrown out if they don’t believe in eternal security or baptism in the name of Jesus only. The religious police are always out enforcing their version of “true” Christianity!
The Apostle Paul dealt with some people who tried to add the Old Testament Law to faith in Christ. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul taught that any addition to the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith was no Gospel at all! (Galatians 1:6-7) Paul warned these believers that anyone, even an angel from heaven, who preached another Gospel should be eternally condemned! (Galatians 1:8-9) It was serious business because it affected eternal salvation!
This mixing of law and grace even affected Peter and Barnabas some 14 years after Paul’s conversion. Paul found Peter withdrawing from the Gentiles and eating only with the Jewish believers who were teaching that circumcision was needed as well as faith. (Galatians 2:11-16) Paul rebuked Peter in front of them all for their hypocrisy! They had given in to peer pressure and false teaching and moved away from the Gospel given them by Christ. If it could happen to Peter the Apostle and Barnabas, it could happen to us!
Paul made a declaration of faith as he tried to counter these false teachers. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing.” (Galatians 2:20-21)
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not earthly things. for you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-3
Live by the Spirit!
Scripture reading for December 1st: Galatians 1-6
Have you ever had a battle with your flesh? Was your will power enough to win the victory? Could the Law help you overcome your desire to escape the battle? Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians to help them overcome some religious false teachers who wanted to mix the law with grace. They felt that all bases must be covered to make God happy. Paul had a simple solution.
“You were called to be free. But don’t use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” (Galatians 5:13-16)
Paul encouraged the Galatians to live in freedom by living by the Spirit. The Spirit indwelling us brings the life of God into our inner man. We are not under the law, which can only reveal sin and stir up our flesh to break it. As we live by the Spirit, we live a life of love, serving God and others. We put off the acts of the sinful nature that used to plague us and ultimately would keep us from the kingdom of heaven. (Galatians 5:18-21)
We allow the Spirit to develop fruit in our lives. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-24) The Spirit is in harmony with God the Father and Jesus Christ and produces no conflict or division with man or God. When we live by the Spirit, the sinful nature doesn’t have a place in our life.
Living by the spirit brings a harvest of eternal life! God cannot be mocked, what we sow we certainly will reap. (Galatians 6:7-10) Doing good and seeking unity and restoration will produce a good reward. We don’t work for the reward, but are assured of a harvest if we don’t grow weary. This requires faith and patient endurance. Living by the Spirit is the positive antidote to trying to keep the law to earn our freedom. One leads to eternal life, the other to condemnation!
Crucified and Risen With Christ!
Scripture reading for November 30th: Galatians 1-6
I hate legalism! Some people, calling themselves Christians, make rules for how we must live and judge others by how they do or do not keep their rules. They mean well but end up giving true Christianity a bad name. Some think that they are right to condemn others for the length of their hair, wearing make-up, or certain clothes. Some judge others for having tattoos or body piercing . Others are thrown out if they don’t believe in eternal security or baptism in the name of Jesus only. The religious police are always out enforcing their version of “true” Christianity!
The Apostle Paul dealt with some people who tried to add the Old Testament Law to faith in Christ. His approach to that subject is laid out in this letter to the Galatians. He wasted no time setting this group of believers straight. Paul taught that any addition to the simple Gospel of salvation by grace through faith was a perversion that was no Gospel at all! (Galatians 1:6-7) Paul warned these believers that anyone, even if it was an angel from heaven or himself, who tried to preach another Gospel should be eternally condemned! (Galatians 1:8-9) That is very strong language! It is very serious business because it affects our eternal salvation!
This mixing of law and grace even affected Peter and Barnabas some 14 years after Paul’s conversion. Paul found Peter withdrawing from the Gentiles and eating only with the Jewish believers who were teaching that circumcision was needed as well as faith. (Galatians 2:11-16) Paul rebuked Peter in front of them all for their hypocrisy! They had given in to peer pressure and false teaching and moved away from the simple Gospel given them by the Lord Jesus. This show us how easy it is to be taken in by legalism and false teaching. If it could happen to Peter the Apostle and Barnabas, it could happen to us!
Paul made a statement that is one of my favorite as he tried to counter these false teachers. I used to sing it in a Scripture song that has stuck with me even today. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing.” (Galatians 2:20-21)
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not earthly things. for you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-3