Live By Faith!!

Monday, July 11th, 2011

Today's Passage: Galatians 3: 1-14
Memory Verse: Gal. 3: 13-14


In these last days,  we are constantly flooded with sights and sounds that contradict our values. "Touch it, taste it, buy it. You know you want it. And if you stop pretending and get in touch with your true feelings, you'll experience happiness and fulfillment.". This is the message that's being sent to us on every wave of false instruction (as we learned in yesterday's message). And so, in order to combat the flood of iniquity that threatens to impose itself on the people of God, I can see where the need to remind God's people of His laws is necessary.

But today's passage will have us remember that on our best day, there is absolutely NO WAY we can live righteously by walking in the law. I needed the Holy Spirit to give me a true understanding of how walking in the law works contrary to walking by faith, and He showed me the previous chapter in Galatians. Peter, now one of the apostles of the faith, was engaging in a practice that caused Paul to have to rebuke him publicly. He had no problem hanging out with Gentiles when there were no other Jews around. However, as soon as Jews were present, he began treating his Gentile brothers as if they were not worthy to be called Christians.

As a result of Peter's hypocrisy, other Jewish believers began carrying themselves in the same way, thus making what Christ did on the cross (bring us all together by His blood) of no effect. Which brings us to the place in today's passage where Paul had to correct them all. Paul was basically asking them this question: after all Christ's death purchased for us, why are you going backward, choosing to believe that following the law will continue to bring freedom when it was never able to free us before? We are Abraham's descendants,because he chose to let go of all he knew and embraced the new life God was giving him. He realized he was nothing in and of himself, but his new identity was in Jehovah God.

So here's a question for us all today: are we truly believing God's solution to our sin problem is totally capable of finishing the work He started in us? Or are we reaching back to hold on to religious practices because we can take credit if we are successful? You see, faith means WE are no longer in control, but have to depend on God's direction. We have no agenda other than being obedient to God's voice. But reverting back to the law is not only spitting in God's face, but is also a surefire way to keep all the curses Christ redeemed us from. Today, may your heart choose to believe the truth: that real blessings come only through relationship with Jesus Christ, which will compel us to obey Him out of love, not out of obligation. Be free to live righteously because Jesus MAKES us free, not because we're forced to follow a set of rules. Make no room for living under the curse.

Prayer: Father, thank You for using the law to get us to the place of GRACE. I've learned that grace is what holds me in place while I'm moving towards the inheritance that You promised Abraham. Cleanse me now from any desire to go back to following laws that do not reveal Your heart towards me. I let go of the law and release myself to live in the Spirit-- by faith. In Jesus' Name, Amen.