“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there
male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s
seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:26-29 NIV
have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there
male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s
seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:26-29 NIV
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened
again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 NIV
In the book of Galatians Paul is writing to the church because some folks have come into the church
teaching that, even after salvation through the blood of Christ, people still had to live by the “law”. That
included all the Old Covenant laws up to, and including, circumcision. Paul called living by the law “a
yoke of slavery”. Some have tried to say he was talking about being a slave to sin. But if you read it in
context, you understand that he was speaking of being a slave to the law. He even said that if you tried
living by the law you would constantly be alienated from Christ: “You who are trying to be justified by
the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” Galatians 5:4 NIV
Yet, we still argue among ourselves about which festivals and Jewish celebrations we should observe.
We still have to defend what day we celebrate as the Sabbath. The Gospel is so simple that it is difficult
to accept in its simplicity. We, in our human nature, still want to set rules and regulations in order to
measure our righteousness (and to measure other’s righteousness).
The scripture doesn’t say “believe in the Lord Jesus, keep the festivals, wash your hands in a certain way,
give God Saturday, and you will be saved”. Jesus simply told us that we are to love the Lord with all our
heart and love our neighbor as our self. That’s the lifestyle we are called to live when we are endowed
with the Holy Spirit at salvation. Yes, it’s that simple.
Say good things about your Savior.
again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 NIV
In the book of Galatians Paul is writing to the church because some folks have come into the church
teaching that, even after salvation through the blood of Christ, people still had to live by the “law”. That
included all the Old Covenant laws up to, and including, circumcision. Paul called living by the law “a
yoke of slavery”. Some have tried to say he was talking about being a slave to sin. But if you read it in
context, you understand that he was speaking of being a slave to the law. He even said that if you tried
living by the law you would constantly be alienated from Christ: “You who are trying to be justified by
the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” Galatians 5:4 NIV
Yet, we still argue among ourselves about which festivals and Jewish celebrations we should observe.
We still have to defend what day we celebrate as the Sabbath. The Gospel is so simple that it is difficult
to accept in its simplicity. We, in our human nature, still want to set rules and regulations in order to
measure our righteousness (and to measure other’s righteousness).
The scripture doesn’t say “believe in the Lord Jesus, keep the festivals, wash your hands in a certain way,
give God Saturday, and you will be saved”. Jesus simply told us that we are to love the Lord with all our
heart and love our neighbor as our self. That’s the lifestyle we are called to live when we are endowed
with the Holy Spirit at salvation. Yes, it’s that simple.
Say good things about your Savior.