One of the greatest passages of scripture that believers should embrace daily and be encouraged in is...
Galatians 2:20-3:5 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain — if indeed it was in vain? Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? —
Paul was not only pressing home the point of what he was in Christ, but also driving home the point of what all believers also have in Christ. Paul contends that dying to Christ, freed him from the Law, because it is by faith, spiritual things, not works, natural things that he has procured his position in Christ. He continues, I do not frustrate, despise, displace, abrogate God working within me, helping me want to OBEY HIM, and then helping me do WHAT HE WANTS. He then rebukes the Galatians (the church) for frustrating, despising, displacing, abrogating Gods grace for their so called rules of life, especially when their faith in Christ was evidenced by the Holy Spirit working miracles. In the same way believers today must use caution when they abide in rules of Christian life (man made laws in the church) rather than the grace that God has poured out in Christ. In doing so they may find themselves frustrating, despising, displacing, abrogating, Gods grace.
But the good news is how the Apostle Paul nails it when he said, "Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by FAITH in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." That's it! If you are born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, then Christ lives in you also. What great news this should be to all believers. Living by grace through faith is freedom, not living by laws that foolish men want believers to live under, this is bondage. As it was in the church at Galatia so it should be today. Our faith in Christ should not be evidenced by laws that we live by, but our faith in Christ should be evidenced by the Holy Spirit working miracles.
Galatians 2:20-3:5 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain — if indeed it was in vain? Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? —
Paul was not only pressing home the point of what he was in Christ, but also driving home the point of what all believers also have in Christ. Paul contends that dying to Christ, freed him from the Law, because it is by faith, spiritual things, not works, natural things that he has procured his position in Christ. He continues, I do not frustrate, despise, displace, abrogate God working within me, helping me want to OBEY HIM, and then helping me do WHAT HE WANTS. He then rebukes the Galatians (the church) for frustrating, despising, displacing, abrogating Gods grace for their so called rules of life, especially when their faith in Christ was evidenced by the Holy Spirit working miracles. In the same way believers today must use caution when they abide in rules of Christian life (man made laws in the church) rather than the grace that God has poured out in Christ. In doing so they may find themselves frustrating, despising, displacing, abrogating, Gods grace.
But the good news is how the Apostle Paul nails it when he said, "Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by FAITH in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." That's it! If you are born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, then Christ lives in you also. What great news this should be to all believers. Living by grace through faith is freedom, not living by laws that foolish men want believers to live under, this is bondage. As it was in the church at Galatia so it should be today. Our faith in Christ should not be evidenced by laws that we live by, but our faith in Christ should be evidenced by the Holy Spirit working miracles.
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