Sue J Love
Loyal
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2015
- Messages
- 3,049
“See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
"From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.” (Galatians 6:11-18 ESV)
The apostle Paul was suffering from some amount of blindness. Maybe it was like the cataracts that some people today get in their eyes, for he was not completely blind. I think he generally used another person, like a scribe, to pen his letters as he dictated them to him, but at least at the end of this letter he penned some of this himself, perhaps to show that it was indeed from him, in case anyone questioned the legitimacy of it.
The predominant situation that Paul addressed throughout this letter to the Galatians was concerning the Judaizers who were trying to convince the Christians that they needed to be more like Jews and that they had to hold to some of the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, and dietary laws and restrictions, which included the requirement of circumcision of all males and setting aside one day a week as a holy day and as a day of rest.
Paul was not so concerned with the idea of holding on to and the keeping of one day as more sacred than others, or still holding to some of the dietary restrictions of the Old Covenant, as long as this was not being forced on Christ’s followers or told that is what they have to do to be saved. He regarded those who held on to these things as weak in the faith because they could not accept that Jesus’ death on that cross freed them from all. But he discouraged judging others on this issue (See Romans 14:1-23).
But with regard to the Judaizers trying to force Christians to be circumcised and to add on to their faith some of the OC liturgical, ceremonial, and dietary laws, as though required for salvation, that is where he drew the line. But he also showed the hypocrisy of it all, too, when he stated that those who were pressing this issue were doing so because they did not want to be persecuted by the Jews for the sake of the cross of Jesus Christ, which translates into us dying with Christ to sin and obeying his NC commands.
So, what’s the point of all of this? It is that outward forms of religious practice are not what save us from our sins and guarantee us entry into God’s eternal kingdom. For example, if you attend an institutional “church” service every Sunday morning, religiously, but Christ is not the king of your life, and so you have not died with him to sin, and you are not walking in obedience to his commands, which are the signs of someone who is of genuine faith in Jesus Christ, then your religion is worthless.
Religiously attending weekly “worship services” does not make you a Christian. Getting baptized with water does not either. Even spending time each day in prayer and in the reading of the Scriptures does not make you a Christian. Nor does joining an institutional “church” make you part of the family of God. And just repeating a prayer after someone else, or making a verbal profession of faith in Jesus, does no assure you salvation from sin and eternal life with God in heaven, either.
What Jesus requires of us is that we deny self, that we take up our cross daily (die daily to sin by the Spirit) and that we follow him in walks of obedience to his commands, empowered by the Spirit of God. All this is of God and not of human flesh. We cannot even come to faith in Jesus Christ of our own accord but only as God persuades us of his righteousness and holiness and of our need to turn from our sins and to walk in obedience to his NC commands – and only as empowered by God and not in the flesh.
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works”, the works he prepared in advance that we should walk in them. (see Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10)
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-21; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]
Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer
Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897
Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.
Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
Caution: This link may contain ads
Abbreviations: [NC=New Covenant; OC=Old Covenant]
An Original Work / January 21, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
"From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.” (Galatians 6:11-18 ESV)
The apostle Paul was suffering from some amount of blindness. Maybe it was like the cataracts that some people today get in their eyes, for he was not completely blind. I think he generally used another person, like a scribe, to pen his letters as he dictated them to him, but at least at the end of this letter he penned some of this himself, perhaps to show that it was indeed from him, in case anyone questioned the legitimacy of it.
The predominant situation that Paul addressed throughout this letter to the Galatians was concerning the Judaizers who were trying to convince the Christians that they needed to be more like Jews and that they had to hold to some of the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, and dietary laws and restrictions, which included the requirement of circumcision of all males and setting aside one day a week as a holy day and as a day of rest.
Paul was not so concerned with the idea of holding on to and the keeping of one day as more sacred than others, or still holding to some of the dietary restrictions of the Old Covenant, as long as this was not being forced on Christ’s followers or told that is what they have to do to be saved. He regarded those who held on to these things as weak in the faith because they could not accept that Jesus’ death on that cross freed them from all. But he discouraged judging others on this issue (See Romans 14:1-23).
But with regard to the Judaizers trying to force Christians to be circumcised and to add on to their faith some of the OC liturgical, ceremonial, and dietary laws, as though required for salvation, that is where he drew the line. But he also showed the hypocrisy of it all, too, when he stated that those who were pressing this issue were doing so because they did not want to be persecuted by the Jews for the sake of the cross of Jesus Christ, which translates into us dying with Christ to sin and obeying his NC commands.
So, what’s the point of all of this? It is that outward forms of religious practice are not what save us from our sins and guarantee us entry into God’s eternal kingdom. For example, if you attend an institutional “church” service every Sunday morning, religiously, but Christ is not the king of your life, and so you have not died with him to sin, and you are not walking in obedience to his commands, which are the signs of someone who is of genuine faith in Jesus Christ, then your religion is worthless.
Religiously attending weekly “worship services” does not make you a Christian. Getting baptized with water does not either. Even spending time each day in prayer and in the reading of the Scriptures does not make you a Christian. Nor does joining an institutional “church” make you part of the family of God. And just repeating a prayer after someone else, or making a verbal profession of faith in Jesus, does no assure you salvation from sin and eternal life with God in heaven, either.
What Jesus requires of us is that we deny self, that we take up our cross daily (die daily to sin by the Spirit) and that we follow him in walks of obedience to his commands, empowered by the Spirit of God. All this is of God and not of human flesh. We cannot even come to faith in Jesus Christ of our own accord but only as God persuades us of his righteousness and holiness and of our need to turn from our sins and to walk in obedience to his NC commands – and only as empowered by God and not in the flesh.
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works”, the works he prepared in advance that we should walk in them. (see Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10)
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-21; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]
Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer
Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897
Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.
Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
Caution: This link may contain ads
Abbreviations: [NC=New Covenant; OC=Old Covenant]
An Original Work / January 21, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
