Freedom

Good Morning!

Devotion # 4 – Galatians 2:11-21

Galatians 2:11-21 (English Standard Version)
Paul Opposes Peter
11But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, "If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?"
Justified by Faith
15We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16yet we know that a person is not justified[a] by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
17But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness[b] were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Footnotes:
a. Galatians 2:16 Or counted righteous (three times in verse 16); also verse 17
b. Galatians 2:21 Or justification


This passage was the subject of the Sunday School class I was in on Sunday. I am storing this up for when my regular Bible study group gets to the letter to the Galatians (probably around 2013 or so).

Setting: Paul is in Antioch. When Peter arrives, Paul gets in his face because Peter was a “respecter of persons”. What does that mean? Well, when Peter was around the Gentiles, he acted one way … but when certain people (Jewish Christians) came from Jerusalem (from James), he acted quite a bit differently. In short, he became a hypocrite. So Paul called him out!

Paul had a legitimate beef with Peter in that Peter was “going along to get along” and in the process was changing the message from grace to grace plus law – you know, you have to be circumcised, you have to observe the Sabbath, etc. Paul brought Peter back to the simplicity of the Gospel – Jesus Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient for our salvation.

Does this mean that we ignore the Law? No – it doesn’t. It just means that we are not relying on our keeping of the Law as the means of salvation. Our salvation from sin is an accomplished fact. Our salvation comes from our accepting of the free gift from Jesus Christ. When we rely solely on Jesus, we live! And we can then live by the Law in freedom.

There is an old hymn that begins “Free from the law, O happy condition” … and that’s where we are on this good day.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

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Shared Praises:
Junior Beavers has returned home from the hospital … thanks for your prayers!