Bible, Choices, Grace, Law, Questions, Scripture

JUST TELL ME ONE THING

GALATIANS 3:2

“This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”

Have you ever said, “Okay, just tell me one thing”? We say that when we are trying to win an argument or to clarify something to someone. Keeping the important things, the important things is important (say that five times real fast, lol). I know when I preach, I try to tell the people what I am going to say, I say it and then I tell them what I said. I want to make sure they understood the message and the facts were clear.

In today’s verse we see Paul making sure the Galatian believers kept the main things the main things. Can’t you just hear Paul exhorting them? Let me ask you one question – was it through faith or the Law that you received the Spirit? I don’t know about you, but I can hear that in the tone of this verse. Paul was tired of others coming in and muddying the water with their added restrictions and guidelines.

APPLICATION

Don’t ever let anyone put you back under the Law. Carl, no one is going to do that! Oh yea? How about those people who say you can’t miss church, or you must dress a certain way? Romans 7:6 says, “But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.”

There are plenty of people out there ready to put you back under the Law. They have a long list of “Thou Shall Nots.” But for us, it’s more about “Thou Shall.” For instance, look at 1 John 4:7. “Beloved, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” Isn’t that better than getting your hand slapped for something you did or didn’t do? We are commanded to love each other.

So, let me ask you just one thing. Does your life exemplify Jesus to a lost world? That’s really what matters. That is a main thing. We are his witness. We represent Him. Take that to the world. Let them see Jesus in you. If you and I do that daily, we will grow in our faith. We will mature as believers. We will see fruit for our labor. Do the main thing.

Keep me focused, Lord, on what You say is important, not what others say.

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Bible, Foolishness, Scripture, Wisdom, World

ARE YOU FOOLISH?

GALATIANS 3:1

“You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?”

Those are fighting words! Don’t call me a fool! Unless of course you are calling me a fool for Jesus. That is okay. We’ll get to that later. Being called a fool by someone is demeaning. It’s a put down. We don’t like it, do we? So, why in the world would Paul use such language in this letter? Let’s take a look.

You have to remember that in the original letter to the Galatians, there were no chapters and verses. Verse 21 of chapter two ran right into verse 1 of chapter 3. The discourse Paul had just recounted between he and Peter is followed by this statement. He is warning the Galatian churches to not be “bewitched” by those who wanted to deceive them into believing they needed to add anything to God’s grace shown through Jesus. He is literally saying, “Wake up! Don’t you see what they are trying to do?”

APPLICATION

It wasn’t uncommon for the early believers to be called foolish by the world. They were thought to be idiots and unwise because of their faith. I love what Proverbs 12:15 says though, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a person who listens to advice is wise.” The wisest advice you will ever receive is to turn to Jesus. Paul was reminding the Galatians about this.

I need to do something here that I normally would not do. I need to include a long passage in which Paul fully explains this paradox between the wisdom of God and the foolishness of the world. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 says,

“18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: ‘I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE WHO HAVE UNDERSTANDING, I WILL CONFOUND.’ 20 Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than mankind, and the weakness of God is stronger than mankind.”

Did you see what Paul was saying? The world sees us as fools because of our belief, because of our trust in His Word. So, go ahead, be called a fool for Jesus. Wear that like a badge of honor. He will exalt you!

Lord, I will be a fool for You. I will stand true to Your Word when everyone around me berates me.

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Abiding, Atonement, Bible, Blessing, Law, Needless, Righteousness, Salvation, Scripture

NEEDLESS

GALATIANS 2:21

“I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”

Have you ever done something for someone that was a waste of time? Perhaps you prepared a wonderful dinner for them, only to have them never show up to enjoy it. Maybe you worked and saved for that special gift and then they never got it. It is a hollow feeling. All your effort, all your work was in vain. It meant nothing to them. That can be painful.

Paul concludes his rebuke of Peter, Barnabas and the other Jewish believers with this final sentence of chapter two. He proclaims once again that their salvation is through Christ alone, but this time he shows the absurdity of the return to the Law. He says he refuses to just throw away God’s grace (something Paul had experienced so fully) and rely on the Law to give him righteousness. The word “needlessly” is used nine times in the New Testament. It can be translated in a good or bad sense. Here it used in that negative sense (in vain, without cause, needlessly). Certainly, Christ’s death was not in vain.

APPLICATION

Well Carl, I would never treat Christ’s death that way. Are you sure about that? Take a look at what you put your faith in. Is it in family? They will fail you. How about that big bank account? That could be gone in a second. In your health? Don’t count on it. The only thing that is for sure is what we have received through Jesus. As Coke says, He is the Real Thing!

The reality is in order to see Christ’s death as meaningful, we must see ourselves as sinners in need of a Savior. We must all come to believe what Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We can’t get there by ourselves. We can’t get there any other way than Jesus’ atoning death on the cross. Did He die needlessly? Certainly not!

There are so many people who think they can achieve holiness in the way they live. If they don’t do this and do that, God will smile on them. Listen, holiness only comes as we submit completely and fully to the Holy One. He takes our ungodly life and transforms it through His Spirit. Today, dwell on His atonement. Think about what He did for you. There is no other way but Jesus.

Lord, I praise You for giving me the only thing that could bring me to You – Jesus.

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Bible, Freedom, God's Will, Holy Spirit, Scripture

DEAD TO IT

GALATIANS 2:19

“For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live for God.”

What freedom we have when we finally get victory over something that has controlled us! Amen? It wasn’t until I understood the freedom that I have in Christ that I was able to escape the self-imposed shackles of religion. I believed I had to do certain things to gain God’s love. I thought I had to also not do other things.

Paul was very aware of this mindset. His training as a Pharisee had taught him to follow the Law. But now he understands that the Law could never lead him to righteousness. Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers says this about this verse, “The road to freedom from the Law lay through the Law.” Paul wanted to make sure Peter and the other Jewish believers in Antioch was reminded of that freedom.

APPLICATION

You can’t say it much simpler than Jesus did in John 8:36. “‘So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.’” Jesus is saying this in the midst of a conversation with the religious leaders. They equated freedom with release from enslavement. They did not even realize they were enslaved to their laws and guidelines. They did not understand the freedom Jesus was referring to.

In 2 Corinthians 3:17 we read, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” That is the key to our freedom. We have the Spirit of the Lord dwelling within us as believers. The Spirit reminds us of this freedom day after day. He tells us we do not have to be tied to the Law or man-made guidelines anymore.

I am so thankful for my freedom in Christ. I am thankful I am dead to all those old ideas I had about what it meant to be spiritual. Living dead to them and alive to Christ makes everyday a day worth living. It brings new excitement, not drudgery. Isn’t that how you want to live?

Father, I thank You for my freedom I have in Jesus and for the life I can live through Him.

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Abiding, Accountability, Appeasement, Bible, Choices, Commands, Deliverance, Freedom, Gospel, Law, Scripture

YOU CAN’T GO BACK

GALATIANS 2:18

“For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a wrongdoer.”

Millions of people make the fatal mistake of returning to past sins or past ways of living. For example, meth addicts are extremely precluded to do this. They can be in jail for a year, clean from the use of this substance, and the very day they get released they return to it. It’s like a magnet drawing them. Sadly, there are many who also come to Christ but get drawn back into old habits or sins.

In today’s verse, Paul is still addressing Peter and the Jewish believers who are there in Antioch. He is saying that once they had come to Christ, the Law no longer held any sway over them. The sacrifices were no longer required. Circumcision was no longer needed. Kosher eating had been abolished. They were free in Christ. But they were returning or still trying to observe these guidelines in the Law. Paul said that would make them a “wrongdoer.”

APPLICATION

In Romans 14, Paul addresses at length this issue of our freedom in Christ. Take a minute or two and read that whole chapter. But let me share a couple of verses as an example. Verse 2-3 say, “2 One person has faith that he may eat all things, but the one who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him.”

I have a responsibility to myself and to others to be true to Christ, not some man-made, imposed tradition or rule. I only answer to Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:17 comes to mind. Do you know that verse? You should. It says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Oh, the freedom we have in Christ. I live each day to please Him. I know if I am pleasing my Master, He will take care of the rest. Others may not like my freedom in Christ. That’s okay. He does. That’s all that matters. Are you free? Have you laid down all those old laws that bound you? Or have you returned to them, thinking that by doing them you are pleasing Him? Lay them down. Live in Him.

Thank You, Lord, for freeing me from the shackles of sin and the Law.

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Bible, Gospel, Impossible, Redemption, Salvation, Scripture, Sin

FAR FROM IT!

GALATIANS 2:17

“But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Far from it!”

Some things are just not going to happen. I will never be a ballerina. Just the thought of that makes me roll with laughter. I will never land on the moon, but if NASA called today, I would suit up. Think of an impossibility in your life as we read today’s verse.

Paul gets forceful. I can just see him saying this to Peter and the crowd. I bet he raised his voice on those last few words. The Greek actually reads, “It cannot be.” These words have been translated as “God forbid,” “May it never be,” “It is not so” and several other ways. I really like how the NIV translates it, “Absolutely not.”

APPLICATION

But what is Paul so worked up about? Well, look back at the previous phrase, “is Christ then a servant of sin?” Whoa, no wonder he gets so forceful. Peter and the Jews, who had pulled away from the Gentiles, were implying by their actions that the Gentiles, who were justified in Christ alone, were sinning by not following Mosaic law. Paul says that is the same as saying Christ is enabling their “sin.”

Is there anything in your spiritual life that you have added to your salvation? Do you think doing certain things makes you more spiritual? We need to live right and do right, of course. But what do you base your salvation on? We’ll get to my favorite verse about this in a few days (Galatians 2:21). You can read ahead in you want. But spoiler alert – it might change your way of thinking.

Are you forcing certain expectations on others? Yes, we need to have a high bar of standards when it comes to living a holy life. But be careful you don’t put “your” standards on them. As Paul was telling Peter and the Jewish believers, all you need, all anyone needs is Jesus.

Instead of a closing prayer today, take a listen to the song by Keith and Kristyn Getty. 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=in+christ+alone

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Abiding, Appeasement, Bible, Justified, Obedience, Reconciled, Salvation, Scripture

JUSTIFIED

GALATIANS 2:16

“nevertheless, knowing that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law; since by works of the Law no flesh will be justified.”

I know some believers who work so hard to do things for God. I say “believers” because I truly believe they are Christians. However, they have been taught they must work, work and work because that is how we show we love God. It is as if they had to earn points to be justified in God’s eyes. Paul blows that out of the water with today’s verse.

Paul, a former Pharisee, knew the Law backwards and forwards. He could argue the merits of the Law with the best of them. So, when he says, “knowing that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus,” he knows what he is talking about. As the saying goes Been There, Done That! Remember, Paul is addressing Peter and the other Jewish believers who had withdrawn from eating with the Gentiles. They can’t go back to keeping the Law as a means to gain salvation. It was only in Jesus.

APPLICATION

Let me ask you a question today. What are you so busy “doing” to try to please God? Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly says, “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” I have to believe when Paul penned these words in Ephesians (somewhere between 60-64 A.D), he had to be thinking of the incident here in Antioch. That is purely my conjecture, though.

There is an old hymn that says, “We’ll work ‘til Jesus comes, we’ll work ‘til Jesus comes, we’ll work ‘til Jesus comes, and we’ll be gathered home.” Great sentiment, but not required. What about the dear saints who can’t do any works? Where do they stand with Jesus? Right in His arms, just like you.

I am NOT saying we should not do anything for God. James tells us that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). But I do not believe for a second that James, being a Jew, thought he had to “do” in order to “be.” Our works are the way we show our love for God. We want to be in His service daily. Rest assured, though, that your salvation is dependent on one thing – Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Glory!

I am so thankful, dear Lord, that I am secure in my salvation based on the blood of Jesus

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Belief, Bible, Blessing, Chosen, Family, Favoritism, Genealogy, God's Will, Gospel, Heritage, History, Salvation, Scripture

HERITAGE

GALATIANS 2:15

“‘We are Jews by nature and not sinners from the Gentiles;’”

I had a hint the other day on one of my genealogy sites. It was pretty awesome. That hint led me back to the 11th century to a relative on my mom’s side of the family. He was an Earl in Scotland. Isn’t that cool? I find these family trees to be intriguing. Knowing where you come from can give you some grounding in life.

As Paul continues his rebuke of Peter in verse 15, we see him talking about his and Peter’s heritage. They were Jews, not Gentiles. They had prior knowledge to the things of Jehovah, unlike the Gentiles, who were commonly referred to as sinners by the Jews. But Paul wasn’t setting himself up above the Gentiles. We can see that later in this letter in Galatians 3:28. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

APPLICATION

What can we make of this verse today in application to our life? Know where you come from! We are told in Ephesians 5:8, “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light.” We were all sinners doomed to an eternal damnation before coming to Jesus. Never forget what God did for you in salvation. We should stay forever grateful.

I believe the second thing we can see in today’s verse is that God did not make the Gentiles a lower class. He has always desired to see them come to Him. Look at Isaiah 60:3, “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” Aren’t you grateful for that? God had a plan from the beginning for all mankind to come to Him. He knows who will and who want. But the Word says in John 3:16, “whosover.” That included the Gentiles.

And the final thing I see in this verse today is a warning not to flaunt our position in Christ. I don’t think for a second that Paul was putting down the Gentiles in this verse. I can just see him standing and addressing the crowd. You have to remember that Paul loved these Gentiles and had a mission from God to preach the Gospel to them. He was not putting the Jews above them. We are all the same at the foot of the cross. Praise the Lord!

Father, thank You for saving me. Thank You for giving me a family tree that leads to You.

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Accountability, Advice, Allies, Battles, Bible, Conflict, Confrontation, Direction, God's Will, Harmony, Relationships, Scripture

STRAIGHT FOOTED

GALATIANS 2:14

“But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, ‘If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?’”

I used to love to mow grass. Just the task of getting it done and seeing the finished job was calming. That probably sounds strange, doesn’t it? In my last children’s home job, I would occasionally hop on our zero turn mower and mow some of the large fields on campus. The key to keeping a straight line is to look down the field and find a spot to go towards. You have to watch your tire tracks to keep them straight also. My dad taught me that. Going straight just made the field look nicer once I was done.

Paul and Peter aren’t mowing grass in today’s verse. But the principle I just shared is applicable. Paul saw that Peter was not walking straight in regards to the teachings of Christ. The Greek word for “they were…straightforward” is orthopodeo, which is from two Greek words – orthos (straight) and pous (foot). This word is only used here in Galatians 2:14. Peter had strayed from the straight path. He was off course, and Paul had a moral and spiritual obligation to confront him publicly for this public display.

APPLICATION

Sometimes we do things that are not “straight-footed.” We get off course. We stray. We are headed down the wrong path. Isn’t it great when someone confronts you? Not really! No one wants that. But it is so necessary. I have had to confront friends who were not walking straight. Friends have confronted me, as well. John tells us in 1 John 5:16 “If anyone sees his brother or sister committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will, for him, give life to those who commit sin not leading to death.”

Even Jesus gave us instructions in this matter. In Matthew 18:15-17 we read, “15 ‘Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that ON THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY MATTER MAY BE CONFIRMED. 17 And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, he is to be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.’”

Now, all that may sound too confrontational for you. I understand. It’s not easy to confront a brother or sister. It’s not easy to be confronted. But if we live that way, holding each other accountable in love, we would have so much less need to do it. As for you, be willing to receive correction when given. None of us are perfect. Amen?

Oh Father, thank You for friends who will confront me in my sin to help lead me to walk “straight-footed.”

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Accountability, Advice, Apologies, Bible, Choices, Confrontation, Encouragement, Gospel, Influence, Mentoring, Scripture

BAD INFLUENCE

GALATIANS 2:13

“The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.”

It is not a good thing to be a bad influence. God does not look approvingly on that. I have to admit that before I came to Christ, I was not the best influence. I had some bad habits that I shared. I repented of that and have apologized to those I may have harmed back then. Even as a believer we can do that also. Let’s look at what happened in Antioch.

Paul begins to get in more detail why he had to oppose Peter to his face (as he said back in verse11). Because Peter stopped eating with the Gentiles, the rest of the converted Jews and even Barnabas, were influenced by him. The word Paul uses for “carried away” is only used three times in the New Testament. Once it is positive (Romans 12:16) and twice negatively (here and in 2 Peter 3:17). These Jews and Barnabas were led away by Peter’s negative behavior towards the Gentiles.

APPLICATION

Why did Paul jump in and confront Peter? Well, we will see more of the story in the rest of chapter 2. But to make a concise point – Paul had to stop the corruption of the Gospel. Peter and the rest of the men who pulled away were essentially adding to the Gospel. They were implying that you had to eat kosher to be right with the Lord. Thank the Lord that didn’t hold up. I love bacon, lol.

Another story of bad influence was told in the book of Acts when Ananias made the plan with his wife Sapphira to lie to Peter about their land sale. Read Acts 5:1-11 for the full story. This decision to follow her husband in this lie cost Sapphira her life. When we influence people in a negative manner, it may not cost them their physical life, but it could spiritually. If unbelievers don’t see a difference in us because of Jesus, they may be influenced to not listen to the drawing of the Holy Spirit in their own lives, thus costing them eternity with Christ.

Who will you influence today? You have the opportunity to be Jesus to someone. You may influence a neighbor by the way you speak to them on the street. You may influence a fellow believer by sharing a prayer request with them or praying with them. We have a high calling. Be an influencer – only in a positive way.

Lord, give me the opportunity today to influence someone to follow Jesus – not me.

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