Not Through The Law...
2 Chronicles is now finished! No doubt that there will be observations to come from the books of the Kings and the Chronicles, but I feel I will need to dig a little deeper and read over them again before I start to really comment.
So for this post I'd like to focus on verses from the book of Galatians.
The verses I'd like to highlight, are connected to the previous post which had its basis in aspects of the old testament Law, in Leviticus.
But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When He was hung on the cross, He took upon Himself the curse for our wrongdoing. for it is written in the Scriptures, ''Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.''
Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
Galatians Chapter 3, Verses 13 - 14 (New Living Translation)
This passage builds on the evidence found in Mark Chapter 5, that Jesus came to rescue us from the law. He came to set everyone free from it, not just the Jews, but also the Gentiles or non Jewish people. It's now not a question of how much you have sacrificed or how much you have followed the law (basically how much work you have done). It's now a question of faith.
It's explained succinctly by Paul actually, in the verse before the two above:
This way of faith is very different from the way of the law, which says, ''It is through obeying the law that a person has life.''
I love that because of what Jesus accomplished, we needn't strive to do loads of stuff, just to get ourselves right with God. We need only to accept the amazing truth of what Jesus did for you and me, and we get the promise, first given to Abraham, as a free gift! The works that may now ensue will be, not a sin offering, but a thanksgiving offering, as we now strive to be more like Jesus.
But Paul also issues a warning to the message, starting in Chapter 5:
So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law.
Galatians Chapter 5, Verse 1
For me, that just means don't make your worship, or the things you do for God, overtake the grace that God has given you through Jesus Christ. Don't deceive yourself and get wrapped up in the rituals and different roles that church life, or indeed everyday life entails, and forget why you do them. Not through works, but by faith we are saved!
Father God,
Thank You so much for the gift of grace, and the fact that we only need to come to You as we are, and we are saved. We are saved not by how hard we work, or by the things we strive to do, but purely and simply by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
Help us to be always mindful of that fact whenever we serve and do work for the church and in everyday life.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
So for this post I'd like to focus on verses from the book of Galatians.
The verses I'd like to highlight, are connected to the previous post which had its basis in aspects of the old testament Law, in Leviticus.
But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When He was hung on the cross, He took upon Himself the curse for our wrongdoing. for it is written in the Scriptures, ''Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.''
Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
Galatians Chapter 3, Verses 13 - 14 (New Living Translation)
This passage builds on the evidence found in Mark Chapter 5, that Jesus came to rescue us from the law. He came to set everyone free from it, not just the Jews, but also the Gentiles or non Jewish people. It's now not a question of how much you have sacrificed or how much you have followed the law (basically how much work you have done). It's now a question of faith.
It's explained succinctly by Paul actually, in the verse before the two above:
This way of faith is very different from the way of the law, which says, ''It is through obeying the law that a person has life.''
I love that because of what Jesus accomplished, we needn't strive to do loads of stuff, just to get ourselves right with God. We need only to accept the amazing truth of what Jesus did for you and me, and we get the promise, first given to Abraham, as a free gift! The works that may now ensue will be, not a sin offering, but a thanksgiving offering, as we now strive to be more like Jesus.
But Paul also issues a warning to the message, starting in Chapter 5:
So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law.
Galatians Chapter 5, Verse 1
For me, that just means don't make your worship, or the things you do for God, overtake the grace that God has given you through Jesus Christ. Don't deceive yourself and get wrapped up in the rituals and different roles that church life, or indeed everyday life entails, and forget why you do them. Not through works, but by faith we are saved!
Father God,
Thank You so much for the gift of grace, and the fact that we only need to come to You as we are, and we are saved. We are saved not by how hard we work, or by the things we strive to do, but purely and simply by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
Help us to be always mindful of that fact whenever we serve and do work for the church and in everyday life.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
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