It has been great over the past number of weeks looking at Paul's letter to the Galatians.
Looking at the arguments which he is making to the Galatian Christians as to their Identity which should be in Christ rather than in becoming Jews.
There is always a balance here and this balance is vitally important for us as Christians.
On one hand we are not bound by Jewish Law ...not at all but in Christ we are not called nor allowed to be law-less ... actually on the contrary we are to be people who are respect the law.
In trying to get this balance .. this evening after Bible Study, sitting in the office I encountered something which I knew but in preparation for upcoming services I was looking at Romans 3 which seems to have a lot to say on this very topic.
Then what advantage has the Jew?
Or what is the value of circumcision? Much, in every way. For in the first
place the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some
were unfaithful? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By
no means! Although everyone is a liar, let God be proved true, as it is written,
‘So that you may be justified in your words,
and prevail in your judging.’
But if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God, what should we say?
That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no
means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my falsehood
God’s truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a
sinner? And why not say (as some people slander us by saying that we say),
‘Let us do evil so that good may come’? Their condemnation is deserved!
What then? Are we any
better off? No, not at all; for we have already charged that all, both
Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin, as it is written:
‘There is no one who is righteous, not even one;
there is no one who has understanding,
there is no one who seeks God.
All have turned aside, together they have become worthless;
there is no one who shows kindness,
there is not even one.’
‘Their throats are opened graves;
they use their tongues to deceive.’
‘The venom of vipers is under their lips.’
‘Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.’
‘Their feet are swift to shed blood;
ruin and misery are in their paths,
and the way of peace they have not known.’
‘There is no fear of God before their eyes.’
Now we know that whatever
the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may
be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For ‘no
human being will be justified in his sight’ by deeds prescribed by the law, for
through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
And this indeed is the balance Justification comes only through Christ and the redemption which he has won for us ...
Hopefully this insight helps ... especially for those who were at Bible Study tonight.
Remember ... Celebrate your new identity in Christ ... and the freedom we have in Him.
