Pause for thought

In the Galatian churches there were two opposing views that were troubling the believers. There were the legalists who taught that to be certain of being right with God there were certain laws to obey in addition to faith in Christ, some Judaizers even said that to be a true Christian gentiles should submit to circumcision. Then there were those who went to the other extreme who saw their Liberty in Christ as an opportunity to sin. Neither group fully understood “grace” The scriptures are never outdated these two heresies are alive and well today. Paul shows us Gods way, we are to walk in the Spirit ( walk along the path the Spirit lays down ) not under compulsion to the Law, or a license to sin 5:16.

Legalism and license will always drag their victims into fleshly works, this is why most Christians experience a battle within between the flesh and the Holy Spirit. The sins of the flesh are the results of legalism and licence 5:17.

The fruit of the Spirit is a spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit in us reproducing the character traits of Christ in us. “Life application Bible”

Every Spirit led believer experiences true freedom in loving service to others 5:13. I see the fruit of the Spirit as a wonderful gem stone called love with facets each describing that love! 5:22-23.

Every Christian has made a decisive act of repentance when coming to faith in Christ and has been crucified with Him 5:24 see Romans 6:6.

verse 26 is a warning against pride which is certainly not walking in step with the Holy Spirit.

A verse to remember

If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives Galatians 5:25 N.L.T.

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Pause for thought

The Liberty that Christ gives is freedom to love and serve not freedom to continue to sin 5:1 and Romans 6:1-2.

As Christians we can’t have it both ways, The power of Gods grace working in us becomes ineffective in the life of anyone who relies upon his own efforts to keep right with God 5:2-4.

If approached by a Christian who is struggling with their faith, always point them to Christ not to a list of do’s and don’ts.

The Holy Spirit will encourage and affirm every true believer of the righteousness that is theirs by faith 5:5.

We cannot say we truly believe in Jesus if loving deeds are not the result of our faith. “ Martin Luther”

What’s your faith like? A footnote in my Bible says “ Because faith expresses itself through love, we can check our love for others as a way to monitor our faith” ?

Memory verse

For you have been called to live in freedom, not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in Love. Galatians 5:13 N.L.T.

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Pause for thought

People are saved by placing their faith in Jesus Christ, not because of what they do 4:21.

Paul uses an allegorical account of the story of Abraham’s two sons Isaac and Ishmael, to reinforce the point that the real descendants of Abraham are spiritual ( according to the promise) not physical ( that born according to the flesh) John 1:13.

The Law of Moses was given upon my Mount Sinai. Anyone who tries to keep the Law are simply exercising their flesh and find themselves still in bondage to sin 4:25. Please read Galatians 3:10-14.

The Jerusalem that is revered today by many is destined to pass away. But there is a New Jerusalem which is above it is free and has many children,.That is all those who are born again through faith in Jesus Christ and have had all their sins forgiven 4:26, See John 1:13. Also Revelation 21:9-27.

Paul opens a window upon why Christians are persecuted by those who are in bondage to sin, that is those who are living by the flesh (see Galatians 19-21). It is natural for fleshly people to make fun of God and His people. Jealousy and envy can often turn to bitter hatred towards the children of promise. ( this was the reason Ishmael and his mother Hagar were sent away) see Genesis 21:10, 4:30

Verses to remember

And you dear brothers and sisters, are children of promise, just like Isaac, And we who are born of the Holy Spirit are persecuted by those who want to keep the Law. Galatians 4:28-29 N.L.T.

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Pause for thought

Through faith in Jesus Christ we have been adopted as sons into God’s family, because God has given us the Holy Spirit who enables us to cry out to God as ABBA Father 4:6.

Legalism is like going backwards into pagan worship. There is nothing the devil likes more than to see Christian’s taking part in Christian ritual and observing special days thinking that by doing so they are finding favour with God 4:8-11.

Paul didn’t bring some, superior Jewish teaching when he came to the Galatian churches. He didn’t teach them that to become Christians they had to keep the Law. He says he chose to identify as a Gentile like them. Now he urges them to continue living in the true freedom of the gospel of Christ that was preached to them and they first believed and received with joy 4:12-15 and 1 Corinthians 9:20-22.

The Gospel will bring joy to believers whatever they face, legalism has no power to lift the soul, because the one who seeks to get right with God this way (an impossibility) never knows when they’ve don’t enough. True Christians rest only in what Christ has done for them.

A verse to remember

Dear brothers and sisters I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles were — Free from the Law. Galatians 4:12

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Pause for thought

Gods promise to Abraham was not to all the descendants of Abraham (note seed singular not seeds plural) It’s fulfilment is in Jesus Christ who is the seed of Abraham and inheritor of the promise, and to all who have faith in Jesus Christ 3:16

Gods covenant promise to Abraham was not annulled by the Law of Moses 430 years later. If this were so then God would be breaking His own covenant promise (it is impossible for Gods covenant to be broken) 3:17.

The Law being inferior to the promise given to Abraham was. 1 To show people how guilty they are but was powerless to make them righteous 3:19. 2 Given to Moses by Angels, in contrast Abraham received the promise direct from God 3:19. 3 There is no conflict between the Law and the promise in that it is showing us we are all sinners and points us to Christ 3:21,22. 4 The Law guarded us until we could put our Faith in Jesus Christ 3:23

The New covenant in Christ makes the old is obsolete Hebrews 8:13 We are all children of the promise through our faith in Jesus Christ and every Christian is United together in Him 3:27.

Memory verse

There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, for you are all Christian’s- you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham.You are His heirs, and now all the promises Gave to him belong to you. Galatians 3: 29-30 N.L.T.

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Pause for thought

We must not be like the old timer who wore a belt to keep his trousers up, but to be on the safe side wore a pair of bracers as well! This is funny but not so funny when we consider that some believers have similar thoughts. Being weak in faith they are tempted to add a bit of Law (legalism) to the gospel just in case the grace of Jesus Christ is not sufficient. Be warned adding to the Gospel is no gospel at all 1:7,2:16, 3:3.

One of the weapons of the evil one is to divert Christian’s eyes from the Cross of Christ and towards the Law. But like these Galatians we have no excuse because Paul had taught them just as we have been taught what the death and resurrection of Jesus was about and that His gift of salvation is by grace through faith alone 3:1.

We Christians have been given greater weapons that will always overcome the lies of Satan, The chiefest of these is the indwelling presence of God the Holy Spirit, and the truth of scripture. Paul is confronting the lies that some Galatians were believing, by reminding them and us that his Gospel was directly given to him by God, and was attested by the Holy Spirit and is indeed itself the Word of God 1:15-17, 2:2.

Every Christian is the beneficiary of what Christ has done for them, that is, what they could not do for themselves
by keeping the Law, that it is only by faith in Jesus Christ that we are forgiven for our sins and made right in Gods site, and we receive the Holy Spirit 3:13-14.

memory verse

Through the work of Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing He promised to Abraham, and we Christians receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:14 N.L.T.

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Pause for thought

Paul was not so enamoured by Peter and the other Jewish leaders that he failed to see that Peter and those that followed him were not holding firmly to the truth of the gospel they said they believed. Peter and co found it easier to blend in and only eat with the Jews, which meant betraying his fellow gentile Christian’s. The matter was settled because Paul was not afraid to speak out 2:11-16.

Paul did not allow reputation obscure truth 2:6 We should respect Christian leadership but remember they are not infallible. Remember it was only Paul who saw that they were not following the truth 2:14 Peter was a true leader because he humbly received Paul’s correction.

We can see from Galatians that the temptation to blend in with the crowd is not a new temptation! Let us pray that we shall not be found wanting in our time of testing.

To seek to be certain of salvation through keeping the Law, is to reject the grace of Jesus Christ. “There was no sin that Paul and the other apostles so much detested as the contempt of grace, and the refusal of Christ, and yet there is no sin more common” Martin Luther.

God’s way of salvation depends on Jesus Christ, not on our own efforts. Even knowing this we must be on guard lest we be tempted to see christian service, Offerings, or any efforts of my own a substitute for faith 2:17-18

Memory verse

I am not one of those who treats the grace of God as meaningless. For if we could be saved by keeping the Law, then there was no need for Christ to die. Galatians 2:21 N.L.T.

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Pause for thought

Barnabas joined Paul in preaching to the Gentiles that their faith in Christ alone was enough to save them. They were not bound by any Jewish laws. He was a witness to everything Paul did and preached. He had seen the Holy Spirit given to the Gentiles the evidence of their acceptance by God. Titus was a Gentile as well an overseer of the the churches in Crete. What better evidence of his gospel could Paul present to the Jerusalem Apostles 2:1.

Paul went “by revelation” God sent Paul to Jerusalem at just the right time it was not Paul’s own plan, but because Paul was listening and then obedient to go, a major split was avoided and the false Christian’s were silenced. Paul was aware that some were changing the gospel by adding Jewish laws like circumcision, something needed to be done! But Paul waited for God to tell him to go 2:2.

Titus being a Gentile so uncircumcised was not compelled to be circumcised, this was a watershed moment for the church because up to this time Christianity was seen as a jewish sect 2:3.

We should make up our minds not to listen to anyone who says the Gospel is not enough! 2:5 N.L.T.

Memory verse

But we refused to listen to them for a single moment. we wanted to preserve the truth of the Good News for you. Galatians 2:1-5

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Written by the Apostle Paul from Antioch in about 49 A.D. to the churches in the Roman province of Galatia, including Iconium, Lystra, and Derby.

Pause for thought

We have nothing to gain and everything to lose if we don’t believe the original one and only gospel. Beware of any teaching that resembles the Gospel, it most certainly is not! The Bible makes it clear there is only one Gospel, anything else is already damned 1:6-7.

Salvation is God’s gift not a reward for deeds done, Jesus has made the gift of salvation available to everyone who believes in Him. We don’t need more than simple faith in Jesus Christ who died to takeaway our sins and was raised for our justification. Any addition to this denies the power of Christ’s death on the cross 1:6.

.Paul made it very clear writing that his gospel was not in any way based on human logic but was given him by direct revelation from God. Paul’s life was dramatically changed and brought praises to God from many who knew hi past record as a persecutor of the church. His changed life was evidence of the one true gospel that he preached 1:11-12.

Be on guard for anyone claiming new revelations that are at odds with the gospel of Jesus Christ 1:8-9.

A verse to remember

Obviously I’m not trying to be a people pleaser! No.I am trying to please God. If I were still trying to please people. I would not be Christ’s servant. Galatians 1:10 N.L.T.

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Pause for thought

Paul was not only defending himself against the many false accusations that were being made against him by some in the Corinthian church. He was defending his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ and the cause of the gospel of Christ Himself. He was not particularly concerned about his own reputation but about how the gossip and false accusations were effecting individual Christian’s whose faith in the grace of God was being rocked, he reminded them of the power of God and the truth of the Gospel that was preached to them, and the effect it had in changed lives. And of the many signs and wonders and miracles done among them 12:11-1

Paul suggests the Corinthians should test themselves to see if their faith is genuine or not, just as they had been questioning if he was a genuine apostle! does this mean that we should do the same? Well we should certainly make sure we are not standing still, for the Christian who is not advancing is not standing still but falling back. Another sure sign of a growing Christian is this, Am I living in agreement and peace with my brothers and sisters? Our love for each other proves the reality of Christ within. The last two verses of Paul’s letter reveal Paul’s heart to the Corinthians and to everyone who will read his letter. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Memory Verse

Rejoice. Change your ways. Encourage each other.Live in harmony and peace. Then the God oF love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 (b) N.L.T.

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