Day 173 "Grace that Justifies" (Galatians: Chapter Two)

There is a powerful truth that Paul is making known to the Gentiles: Faith in Jesus justifies a person completely, not the observance of the religious laws with its rules and regulations. This new revelation brings freedom to the individual from the shackles of one's own performance and behavior before God and puts it on a course that really matters- having an intimate relationship with God.

Galatians Chapter Two:

:4-5 "This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you."

Paul was trying to bring to the attention of the Galatians that there were people who were trying to teach that Jesus was not enough, that one needed to still observe the religious rules and laws. Paul is imploring the Galatians not to listen

to them which would make them slaves again to the law. The truth in the gospel is

that we were set free from the law to experience freedom in Christ, no longer a slave to performance and behavior. A great shift has taken place. No longer dependent upon our own behavior to provide our righteousness before God, Jesus has completely performed this task on our behalf.

:6 "As for those who seemed important-whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearances-those men added nothing to my message."

Paul makes several points here. First, he seems to make the point that what is accomplished here on Earth for Earth's purpose has little impact in the eternal scheme of things. God judges by a different methodology than man. God looks at the heart of a man and what his motives are. Man looks at things from an eternal perspective, mostly by one's actions and accomplishments. Secondly, Paul emphasizes that men add nothing to his message. As we observed earlier, Paul got his revelation of the gospel directly from Christ, himself!

:9 "James, Peter and John, those reported to be the pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given me."

It's important to take note of Paul's recognition that it was grace that brought

the Jews and the Gentiles together. The only way that this was possible is to

attribute their common bond through Jesus. Once a person comes to the

realization that it is Jesus, who through the sacrifice of his own life upon the cross, brought spiritual equality to all of us: rich or poor, popular or unpopular,

religious zealot or not, successful or failure, etc. All the comparisons that are

popular in this physical world fall to the wayside when one begins to see one

another from a spiritual perspective and come to the realization that there is nothing on our part that has established our righteousness before God. Jesus

did it all. What a great equalizer he becomes for us all!

:15-16 "We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners know that a man is not

justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So, we, too, have put

our faith in Jesus Christ that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by

observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified."

Clearly, as driven of a man religiously as Paul was as Saul ( See the book of

Acts beginning chapter 7), to realize that his spiritual righteousness was no

longer dependent on his own actions had to be huge for him. And liberating!

As we shall see later on, and in his other writings, Paul has come to the un-

stand that seeking to become righteous before God through one's own efforts

is foolishness.

:19 "For through the law I died to the law that I might live for God."

So much of our efforts are wasted on worrying about whether or not

we are personally pleasing to God. With most religions, you will find at the root

of one's motivation to act a certain way is out of fear-fear of not making the grade or mark and being rejected. Christianity removes that obstacle. One no longer needs to act a certain way to achieve something, it has already been achieved by someone else for us. That is grace! Only when one truly recognizes this point can someone truly find rest and peace for one's soul. Most of us look at the world around us merely from a physical point of view. But when one lifts one's spiritual eyes to see the world as God sees it, our perspective and reality completely changes. Thus, was the case for Paul.

:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and

gave himself for me."

Remember who is talking here. This is Paul, who used to be Saul and perse-

cuted the church before he encountered Jesus Christ. If anyone deserved the

wrath of God and justice against him, it was Saul. But God's love runs deep.

Unlike the world's way, God's love is unconditional and full of mercy and grace.

Do you hear Paul's surrender to God's spirit to live in him and through him? Can you ascertain the motive by which Paul now lives his life-no longer for self-interests but to live out the acknowledgement of God's love for him? Over two thousand years later, and most of us are still living our lives for ourselves and our own interests. Look closely at what Paul is saying and you may see it.

He is saying that there is a better way to live one's life than what the world

perceives.

:21 "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through

the law, Christ died for nothing."

Drawing on his own life's experiences, Paul clearly distinguishes between living one's life by seeking to become righteous through righteous living or recognizing by faith through grace that such righteousness has been procured on our behalf by someone else- Jesus Christ. Profoundly, grace has made a huge difference in Paul's life.

Key verses for me:

:15-16 "We who are Jews by birth and not Gentiles sinners know that a man is not

justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So, we, too, have put

our faith in Jesus Christ that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not be

observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified."

In a world where we constantly find ourselves racing ahead to the next thing and seeking to justify our place in the world and who we are as individuals, Jesus calms our anxiousness

and striving by providing us with what we all so long to find: love and acceptance as we are. No matter what your position in life has been, in Christ you are a completely different person. May you come to see yourself as God sees you. Let God open your spiritual eyes.

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Take a couple of minutes to listen to this video by Casting Crowns. May it lift your spirit to look heavenward and see your life from God's point of view.

In his love, see you tomorrow...

"Carpe Momentum in Love" (Seize the moment in love)