Tuesday 7 February, 2017
Galatians 3:1-9
3 You foolish people of Galatia! Who has put you under an evil spell? When I preached, I clearly showed you that Jesus Christ had been nailed to the cross. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you. Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law? Or did you receive the Spirit by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? You began by the Holy Spirit. Are you now trying to finish God’s work in you by your own strength? 4 Have you experienced so much for nothing? And was it really for nothing? 5 So I ask you again, how does God give you his Spirit? How does he work miracles among you? Is it by doing what the law says? Or is it by believing what you have heard? 6 In the same way, Abraham “believed God. God was pleased with Abraham because he believed. So his faith made him right with God.” (Genesis 15:6) 7 So you see, those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 Long ago, Scripture knew that God would make the Gentiles right with himself. He would do this by their faith in him. He announced the good news ahead of time to Abraham. God said, “All nations will be blessed because of you.” (Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18) 9 So those who depend on faith are blessed along with Abraham. He was the man of faith.
Paul is frustrated, furious even, with the Galatian church. They are throwing away their salvation – which has only come by their faith – their belief in Jesus alone & by nothing else.
I think perhaps that Paul captures the Fathers heart. I’m sure He must get frustrated with us when we begin to lose sight of Jesus & complicate our lives by ‘working’ or adding to our salvation and yet, there are no other hoops to jump through. Considering the cost, I imagine the Father heartbroken watching us living our lives in any other way but just simply faith in His Son. So even though Paul is writing to a church 2,000 years ago, this passage is just as relevant to church today. What are we adding to our salvation?
Father I know I’m guilty of this – for losing site of the simplicity of the gospel. You have made salvation so easy – through my faith in Jesus alone. Even now as I pray I feel your peace come, the pressure lifted – that is all I have to do – rest in Jesus.
Written by Suzie Hodgson
Thanks so much Suzie, Gods grace frees us from the pressure of self effort. There’s nothing I can add to what Jesus has done. He asks me to rest in his completed work and allow the Spirit to work through me. It’s so easy to slip into a mindset of ‘law’ and works – thanks for reminding me to start today with childlike acceptance of his gift of salvation, and to walk in the freedom to just be me.