Legalism Will Never Get You Closer To Christ

Galatians 4:15-17 -  Where is that happy spirit that we felt together then? For in those days I know you would gladly have taken out your own eyes and given them to replace mine if that would have helped me.  And now have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?   Those false teachers who are so anxious to win your favor are not doing it for your good. What they are trying to do is to shut you off from me so that you will pay more attention to them.

Paul continues to try and explain the dangers of listening to false teachers…especially when they twist the truth to be the opposite of what God says in His word.  He reminisced about the time when their pure love for Christ created a sacrificial heart that let love fuel what it did every day.  He reminded them that the goal of these speakers was to separate them from God…so that they would be weakened in the faith that God had once built in their hearts.

Once again my Life Application Bible made four great points about the dangers of adhering to legalism… instead of allowing God’s grace and mercy to drive our every action.  Paul felt that they had lost some of their joy because they had listened to these false teachers…and were trying to make the law a part of how they were redeemed.

Someone bound to legalism uses guilt to power their decision to do right or wrong.  God’s word says that love should power these decisions.   Jesus chose to hang on that cross out of love for each of us.  He felt no guilt….it was pure obedience and a passion to follow God’s will and plan for His life. If guilt is powering our decision to help someone….we might be a little too connected to the law.

Someone bound to legalism is powered by a hatred of the inner self.  They take guilt to the next level….and forget completely the power of humility in a believer’s life. Following rules…and constantly knowing that you have broken them…repeatedly….lowers one’s self esteem.  Living in a truly humble state builds confidence in who God is leading us to be.

Someone bound to legalism is driven by performance…and forgets the importance of building a relationship with Christ. The strongest people of faith have deep relationships with God. They know and study His word…they pray without ceasing….they are driven by a knowledge of His will.  They have a passion to do what they are called to do. They know they don’t deserve or could ever do enough to buy God’s love. They do out of complete obedience.

Someone bound to legalism is always listing their short comings…instead of letting God build their confidence by feeling the strength in their progress. None of us will ever be able to accomplish a sin free life…we will mess up. God wants us to concentrate on how far He has brought us…so that we learn to depend more and more on His power. If we constantly berate ourselves for our mistakes…God never has a chance to build our strength to do what He called us to do.

I think of Moses…in that moment when he took his shoes off and began to get to know God on a personal level.  The law had not been given yet…it was just Moses…God…and a ton of excuses that prove to be examples of why God wants us to reject the notion that legalism will ever draw us closer to him. It was the choice to throw the rod down…and see what God could do with it…that gave Moses the confidence to move forward in God’s will and become one of the Bible’s greatest leaders…and prayer warriors…a most humble servant of God.

I am convicted…as I am most mornings of a lack of growth in my faith. I have failed each and every point God allowed me to see…and have a ton of studying…praying…and throwing the proverbial rod down to even come close to knowing what He plans to do with me. And the wonderful thing is…I get a do over….every day until I stop making excuses and learn to throw that rod down when God tells me too.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you have provided a way for me to have a personal relationship with you. Forgive me for the times that I have made it more about following rules…than listening to you tell me how to let go of the guilt….poor self-esteem…the need to work for work’s sake…and the feelings of failure that hold me back from knowing your will for my life.  Help me to internalize the need to draw closer to you as my savior…so you can build me up to be all that you created me to be.   Amen.

Claim God's Promise...Be His Child

Galatians 3:26-29 -  For now we are all children of God through faith in Jesus Christ,  and we who have been baptized into union with Christ are enveloped by him. We are no longer Jews or Greeks or slaves or free men or even merely men or women, but we are all the same—we are Christians; we are one in Christ Jesus.  And now that we are Christ’s we are the true descendants of Abraham, and all of God’s promises to him belong to us.

Paul continued his loving rebuke of the false teachers that tried to convince these new Christians that they needed to follow the Jewish laws to be saved. He said that they were convinced so easily he was afraid a magician had hypnotized them. His rebuke contained a reminder of the first promise given of God to Abraham...and how we that choose to believe in Christ Jesus share that first promise and become children of God ourselves.

Perhaps it was…still is… too easy to believe in a gift that requires nothing back in return. The laws were never given as a way to be saved…it has always taken a proper sacrifice of blood to wash away sins.  Jesus just eliminated the need to kill and offer our own sacrifices like he required those of Abraham’s day. ….and in the process He offered all of us of any color….gender…or economic level the same rights to be His child.

The only requirement from God to claim that promise to be His child is to publicly announce our belief in the great sacrifice of blood that Jesus made.  His sacrifice fulfilled all the prophecy and laws and was just enough blood to wash all the sins of the world away….forever.  God opened the gates to Heaven for all who believe….that is called faith. He wants us to share that good news with everyone we meet….that is called faith in action.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you alone are the way to heaven.  Thank you for allowing your son to offer His blood in exchange for my sins.  Forgive me for the times that I take that precious gift for granted…and keep it to myself. Help me to claim the promises of God that he gives all His children and use them to introduce Him to all those that still don’t believe.  Amen.

Crucify Your Flesh...Every Day

Galatians 2:20-21 -   I have been crucified with Christ: and I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the real life I now have within this body is a result of my trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not one of those who treats Christ’s death as meaningless. For if we could be saved by keeping Jewish laws, then there was no need for Christ to die.

This 2^nd part of Paul’s letter to the Galatians continued to help them understand the great debate of their culture.  It was not the rituals …like circumcision…or the many laws that had been written into the Jewish faith that would save them from their sins.  It was the acceptance and belief on Jesus Christ alone that would save them and give them salvation.

Paul ended this part of his letter with one of the great scriptures that we use today for building maturity … faith … a serious understanding of the magnitude of what Jesus did for us.  We need never let our hearts lose the meaning of Christ’s death and resurrection….least we become so comfortable in our faith that we become hypocritical.

I messed up my usual routine yesterday with a long afternoon nap.  Then I found myself still awake way later than my usual bedtime. I even let my sleep overcome me without following the rule of my heart that I would never go to sleep without letting God’s word be the last thing I read before I close my eyes. So I found myself waking way later than sual….no notes to write my blog with this morning.

Long story condensed….I read and made my notes on the deck this morning…surrounded by the sounds of God’s creation….and visits by many of the beautiful birds He allows me to help Him care for with my feeders. When I came to the bold statement of Paul in verses 20-21…I was both convicted of my lack of strength…and comforted by the knowledge that God doesn’t keep track of the rules I keep or break… IF…. BIG IF…. I find a way to come back to Him and admit my sin…repent of it and use His love to try a little harder to get it right.

Paul knew the strength of crucifying himself every day to Christ…so that God could help him wash a little more of that human flesh away…that satan uses to trip us up when we stray too far away from the truth.  God doesn’t care when I read my Bible….he just wants me to read it often.  God doesn’t care when I write the insights he gives me to what I read…He just wants me to write.  God gave us rules to help us realize how close or how far away we are from His will.  They don’t save us…they let us know we are doing what is right…or what is wrong.

Father… thank you for loving me so much that you make a way for me to abide so close to you that I can die to my sins every day and let you take away another piece of the flesh that connects me to the world. Help me to learn to use your law to crucify the things that hold me back from pure and unconditional love…of you and those you send for me to share your love with.  Amen. 

Nothing Is Needed For Salvation But The Blood Of Christ

Galatians 1:6-7 -  I am amazed that you are turning away so soon from God who, in his love and mercy, invited you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ; you are already following a different “way to heaven,” which really doesn’t go to heaven at all.  For there is no other way than the one we showed you; you are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ.

Paul was concerned that the Jewish converts of Galatia were trying to teach that the Gentile converts needed to also follow the Jewish laws in order to complete their salvation. The ritual of circumcision was at the top of their list.  It created quite a stir between the two groups of Christians… threatened the unity of the church…..and more importantly altered the pure words of the gospel message.

Paul wanted to be clear…there is only one way to heaven.  Salvation comes completely and instantly to those who believe on Jesus Christ.  They recognize their sinful state….and repent of them by claiming the blood that was shed for them by Christ on the cross. They believe that he rose again to claim victory over death….and that alone is the only way to be saved.

Paul wanted them to see that the law was created solely to help us recognize the sin in our life.  All of the covenants that man made with God before He allowed His son to pay the total cost for our sins were replaced with this act of sacrifice. Nothing else was needed to prove your love to Jesus except an admission of sin…repentance and acceptance of the free gift He gives to all that believe.

I am very thankful that I was raised to believe from the beginning that Jesus is the only way to salvation. But I needed the reminder to keep in mind that many people are raised with others beliefs. Jesus spoke the concept plain and clear to Thomas in John 14:6….^” Jesus told him, “I am the Way—yes, and the Truth and the Life. No one can get to the Father except by means of me.”

I am called…like Paul…to teach the truth to all those that have been tricked to believe that anything else will put them on a path to Heaven. My actions should show all those around me the transformation of my heart when I accept that free gift from God. The rules God left with Moses should be used to keep my life pure and holy so God can take up permanent residence within me….so God can continually let His love take charge of everything I do.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you gave your son to die for my sins and once I believe in Him my name is written in permanent ink in your book of life everlasting. Forgive me for the times that I let life and the world water down and twist my faith into thinking that anything else will please you. Help me to accept the gift of grace you gave to me completely…so that you can use me to tell others about the life changing grace and mercy you give to all who believe on your son.  Amen. 

Apply Tough Love To Yourself

2 Corinthians 13:4-5 -  His weak, human body died on the cross, but now he lives by the mighty power of God. We, too, are weak in our bodies, as he was, but now we live and are strong, as he is, and have all of God’s power to use in dealing with you.  Check up on yourselves. Are you really Christians? Do you pass the test? Do you feel Christ’s presence and power more and more within you? Or are you just pretending to be Christians when actually you aren’t at all? 

Paul ended this great book of 2 Corinthians by reminding the church that this would be his 3^rd warning to stop sinning and live Godly lives. He believed in tough love….even modeled for them how to apply the concept to examining their own walk with God. Even Jesus walked this earth in a weak human body…but through a completely perfect walk with His father…He was able to use God’s mighty power to take what satan meant for harm and turn death into a victory over all evil.

He told them to check themselves…to examine their hearts for evidence of God’s love inside them. In order to say they were really Christians they should learn from each test God allowed so that they could feel God’s power inside their heart grow more and more inside their hearts.

He left them with a pretty comprehensive check list of outward signs they were really Christians…and not just pretending. He said to live good lives…not just for what we could get out of it. He also said to encourage others at all times…helping to keep evil no way to sneak in at all.  Paul was an advocate of using our weaknesses to teach us maturity….a permanent strength built in faith and trust. He said be happy…grow in Christ…live in harmony and peace…and to greet all people warmly in the Lord.

I will admit as usual that I needed the reminder to keep my relationship with God fresh by evaluating my own ‘realness’ more often. The lack of a routine checkup allows all kinds of cracks in our relationship that might be a way for satan to attack our very foundation. I put off the ‘exam’ sometimes for they are not always painless….exposing one more thing that I need to work on to be a better person.  Constant growth means that I need to feed that fire spiritual wood…so the flame stays bright. Sometimes I need to feed that spiritual fire even more….so the fire gets big enough to handle what lesson might be coming next. God has to teach me how to use the next gift of power he needs me to use in my next job for Him.

Father…thank you for the reminder that tough love is not just for me to use on those around me...it is for my own person evaluation of how well I am doing as your child.  Forgive me for the times that I have missed the opportunity to grow because I put off an exam.  Show me how to use Paul’s great advice to keep the fire of love inside my heart burning with passion and zeal…so others can see you through the flames. Amen.

Let God help You Screen Out The Serpents Tricks

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 -    But I am frightened, fearing that in some way you will be led away from your pure and simple devotion to our Lord, just as Eve was deceived by Satan in the Garden of Eden.  You seem so gullible: you believe whatever anyone tells you even if he is preaching about another Jesus than the one we preach, or a different spirit than the Holy Spirit you received, or shows you a different way to be saved. You swallow it all.

Paul felt completely foolish…having to remind these Christians to beware false teachers. They had let down their guard…allowing their heart to open up to many teachings that were not supported by the scriptures God gave Paul to teach from. He reminded them that satan can present himself to man in any form he wishes...making himself look good …even sound good at first impression.

Paul wanted them to learn to recognize the false teachers that tried to earn a living preaching anything they wanted….twisting scripture to allow more of the culture they had known before…just like the serpent twisted the words of God to sound like He was hiding something great from Eve.

My Life Application Bible reminded me that all teachings should be checked carefully against scripture. We live in a world where most believers can hold their own personal copy of the Bible in their hands….and use it to check all teachings against its words. The Bible teaches that only what affirms and proclaims Jesus as the Messiah who came as a baby to sacrifice His life for our sins…then rise again to conquer death and sin for all to provide salvation in all that believe in Him is truth.

Paul was hesitant at the end of his reminder to list the many things God had helped Him accomplish and the trials God had allowed in his life to train his heart to be completely obedient. It was his way of reminding them that a teacher or preacher of God will have a lifestyle that mirrors the sacrificial life of Christ….completely consistent with all the scriptures teach is right and wrong.

Father…thank you for the reminder that all men do not teach your pure and literal word. Forgive me for the times that I have allowed a false teacher sway my thoughts and obedience in the wrong direction. Help me to discern the truth by always checking for myself the things that anyone presents as a Godly concept….so that I may allow you to always screen out the serpents tricks before they lessen my faith.  Amen.

Thank God For Your 'Thorn.'

2 Corinthians 12:5-6 -   That experience is something worth bragging about, but I am not going to do it. I am going to boast only about how weak I am and how great God is to use such weakness for his glory.  I have plenty to boast about and would be no fool in doing it, but I don’t want anyone to think more highly of me than he should from what he can actually see in my life and my message.

Paul took more than one chapter to address the problem the many false prophets that were rising up in Corinth…and trying to win the church community to doctrine not completely based on the Bible. God allowed him many supernatural experiences to help him prove that only his words were true…but Paul did not accept any praise or elevation for this favor of God.  He chose instead to give all the glory to God…and brag about how God took his human weaknesses and used them to help others.

Paul did not go into detail about the ‘thorn’ that God had refused to take away from his physical body….but we know that it was obvious….causing him great anguish at times…even to the point that he asked God to remove it from his life…three separate times.  God said no each time….choosing to let this physical aliment remind Paul of who was in charge of his life….keeping him humble… allowing God a tool to keep his heart soft enough to mold into what God could use the most at each moment of his life.

God uses the thorns he allows in our life to teach us.  He builds Christian love and character…  He deepens our faith…He molds us into usable vessels…humble enough to always know that it is God’s power that allows anything we do to be revered as great. He uses our thorns to teach us how to come to him in worship…recharging each time we are in His presence so that we can be obedient in the nest task He calls us to do.

I am learning as Paul to be happy with the thorns God allows in life. I will admit that it is not easy…but when I accept the thorn with humility …it brings about a great feeling of inner strength that can’t be described in any human terms. The peace that God promised in Philippians 4:7…passes all my human understanding and washes over any doubt… pain… or worry that I may have harbored….and God takes over from there.

Father...thank you for the thorns of life you say no to removing from my life.  Forgive me for the times that I have allowed the forces of the world to make my heart bitter and hard and refuse to accept the thorn as a good thing in my life.  Help me to trust in you so completely that I look forward to thorns as a teaching tool and an opportunity for the world to see your great power manifest in these dark times. Amen.