Important Word About Faith
Greetings in the Lord!
Today's word comes from Galatians chapter 2:11-16~
"When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? 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 Christ Jesus 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."
~How interesting that even Peter, Barnabas, and other Jewish leaders gave into peer pressure and re-joined those in error who tried to live according to the Jewish law again (i.e. seeking righteousness by the following of the Law)...they were forsaking the freedom Christ died to give us! It must have been hard for Paul to work up the nerve to rebuke him in front of all the leaders---but it was imparative that he did so! Fellow saints, please hear the Lord today: it is only through faith in Christ that we are justified. Yes, you say, I know this. But read again the words of Paul: "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." 'Christ in us' is more than a simple, "Yes, I believe Jesus died for me!", and then going on to seek your own righteousness by living by man's laws or accepted theologies of Christianity. No fellow saints, it is Christ living in us. Therefore, not only are we free to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, that is necessary in order for us to become more Christlike everyday and to develop a deeper, more mature relationship with Jesus Christ, the risen Savior. He is alive!
Now I'm sure those false Jewish brothers were very persuasive to Peter and the others because they could quote the Old Testament scriptures to pressure them into behaving like "good Jews." But in actuality, these false brothers were completely ignorant of the freedom that comes with knowing who we are in Christ and being justified by our faith in Him instead of pursuing righteousness by works. Not only that, once we become deceived into pursuing our righteousness through works, we can easily be misled by people and taken captive into false teachings and godless myths.
For example, as Christians we know that Jesus Christ is the Healer and it is right that we put our faith in Him to heal us. However, what if the Holy Spirit directs us to go to the doctor and have human agents participate in our healing process? One who lives 'under the law' would forbid us to go to the doctor or try to dissuade us from following the leading of the Holy Spirit by quoting Bible scriptures about healing and pressuring you into following their ways instead of the guidance the Holy Spirit gave you. "Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?" (Galatians 3:5). Likewise, were not Job's friends wrong to accuse Job of unrighteousness, showing no compassion for him or offering to prayfully intercede on his behalf with petitions to God for his deliverance? Why did they act that way to their brother? Ultimately they associated his physical circumstances with unrighteousness and did not really know the heart of God, His ways, or His purposes...they lived under their own laws of how to attain righteousness. On the other hand, Job's faith was revealed when he kept his trust in God, even though he was honest to God and his friends about his feelings of betrayal, anguish, and confusion over his dire circumstances. "...'Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?' In all this, Job did not sin in what he said." (Job 2:10b) I pray today that the eyes of our hearts will be opened to the mystery of faith the Lord has revealed to us this day. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Today's word comes from Galatians chapter 2:11-16~
"When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? 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 Christ Jesus 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."
~How interesting that even Peter, Barnabas, and other Jewish leaders gave into peer pressure and re-joined those in error who tried to live according to the Jewish law again (i.e. seeking righteousness by the following of the Law)...they were forsaking the freedom Christ died to give us! It must have been hard for Paul to work up the nerve to rebuke him in front of all the leaders---but it was imparative that he did so! Fellow saints, please hear the Lord today: it is only through faith in Christ that we are justified. Yes, you say, I know this. But read again the words of Paul: "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." 'Christ in us' is more than a simple, "Yes, I believe Jesus died for me!", and then going on to seek your own righteousness by living by man's laws or accepted theologies of Christianity. No fellow saints, it is Christ living in us. Therefore, not only are we free to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, that is necessary in order for us to become more Christlike everyday and to develop a deeper, more mature relationship with Jesus Christ, the risen Savior. He is alive!
Now I'm sure those false Jewish brothers were very persuasive to Peter and the others because they could quote the Old Testament scriptures to pressure them into behaving like "good Jews." But in actuality, these false brothers were completely ignorant of the freedom that comes with knowing who we are in Christ and being justified by our faith in Him instead of pursuing righteousness by works. Not only that, once we become deceived into pursuing our righteousness through works, we can easily be misled by people and taken captive into false teachings and godless myths.
For example, as Christians we know that Jesus Christ is the Healer and it is right that we put our faith in Him to heal us. However, what if the Holy Spirit directs us to go to the doctor and have human agents participate in our healing process? One who lives 'under the law' would forbid us to go to the doctor or try to dissuade us from following the leading of the Holy Spirit by quoting Bible scriptures about healing and pressuring you into following their ways instead of the guidance the Holy Spirit gave you. "Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?" (Galatians 3:5). Likewise, were not Job's friends wrong to accuse Job of unrighteousness, showing no compassion for him or offering to prayfully intercede on his behalf with petitions to God for his deliverance? Why did they act that way to their brother? Ultimately they associated his physical circumstances with unrighteousness and did not really know the heart of God, His ways, or His purposes...they lived under their own laws of how to attain righteousness. On the other hand, Job's faith was revealed when he kept his trust in God, even though he was honest to God and his friends about his feelings of betrayal, anguish, and confusion over his dire circumstances. "...'Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?' In all this, Job did not sin in what he said." (Job 2:10b) I pray today that the eyes of our hearts will be opened to the mystery of faith the Lord has revealed to us this day. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
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