Today's reading: Galatians 5:13-26

'If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.' - Galatians 5:25 ESV

Many of us have asked the question, "Who is it that is going to make it to heaven?" or "How can we know that we ourselves are headed there?"

In our passage today, Paul writes that there are some major indicators in our lives that will help us answer these two questions. In reality, we have two options as we live this life:

1) Walk by the flesh (sinful nature -- there's that "sarx" Greek word again)

2) Walk by the Spirit

I counted 17 different descriptions that Paul gives of those who are walking according to the flesh in verses 19-21. The list of 17 is interesting because all of them aren't illegal in the United States today. No one will go to prison for envying or drunkenness or idolatry. Yet the list is profound due to the evil that springs out of these evils -- darkness that WILL land you in prison.

Today's goal? Let the Holy Spirit produce the fruit with the 9 eternal life-giving facets:
Love.
Joy.
Peace.
Patience.
Kindness.
Goodness.
Faithfulness.
Gentleness.
Self-control.

Today's reading: Galatians 5:1-12

'For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.' - Galatians 5:1 ESV

Maybe you've heard a husband say this about his wife, "Man, I gotta go. The old-ball-and-chain needs me for something." As if being married was this sentence of doom, forever bound to someone who annoys or limits you. This was not God's design in marriage and it also isn't his design when it comes to his relationship with us, his church.

Freedom is paraded by many as something that comes only when you break free of all commitments and restraints. Freedom is fighting to keep your wings from getting clipped. Yet many of us have seen what kind of life this leads us into. It is a life of selfishness, and ultimately a life of slavery to any given sin.

To trust Jesus for salvation is the ultimate step into freedom. It may seem like we are locking ourselves into a lifelong commitment of limits, but we are actually stepping into greater freedom.

Will you embrace this today?

Today's reading: Galatians 3:23-29; 4:1-31

'for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.' - Galatians 3:26-28 ESV

There is probably not another verse in the Bible that speaks to the revolutionary nature of the New Testament as verse 28 in this passage. For the first time in human history, everyone was given an equal voice and standing in a movement of people (ultimately of God). This was the setup for every civil rights movement that would follow. Yet it was more than that.

The main message of Jesus was to say that everyone had value, no matter your gender, status, or race. It is heartbreaking to see many today who still refuse to submit to this truth.

When we are baptized as a response to our faith in Jesus, we are declaring that we are just one more sinner in need of grace. Putting on Jesus also means doing away with rank.

Today's reading: Galatians 3:10-22

'But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.' - Galatians 3:22 ESV

Have you ever been reading through the Old Testament (especially the first five books -- the Torah) and wondered why so much detail was recorded when it came to the Law of Moses? Why do we need to have our eyes on all of these 613ish commandments that the Jewish people were instructed to keep?

Paul shows us that the purpose of these Hebrew Scriptures was (and is) to reveal the sin we have in our lives. The Law of Moses is the great revealer of our inadequacy to save our own souls.

So when we fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-3), the Author and Finisher of faith. His sacrifice on the cross will always be the only true cure for the sin we have embedded deep within us. We can continue to try other avenues for help with our darkness, but nothing else will do.

Simple trust in Jesus is the only way.

The old hymn by Jessie Brown Pounds says it perfectly:

"I must needs go home by the way of the cross, 
There's no other way but this;
I shall ne'er get sight of the gates of light, 
If the way of the cross I miss."

Today's reading: Galatians 2:17-21; 3:1-9

'I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.' - Galatians 2:20 ESV

C.H. Spurgeon, commenting on this verse, wrote, "I do not know a better epitome of Christian experience than this. This is the daily walk of a true child of God; if he lives after any other sort, then he does not live a Christian's life at all."

When we decided to follow Jesus -- when we believed, confessed His name, changed our minds, and were baptized -- here we see that we ourselves became a resting place for God's presence. We gave him complete control of our will and our bodies.

The word Paul uses for "flesh" (sarx) here is elsewhere in his letters translated as "sinful nature." Though we are in these bodies that are prone to sin, it is possible also to live a life of faith.

How?

Jesus' presence (in us).

Jesus' love (for us).

Jesus' sacrifice (for us).

Today’s reading: Galatians 2:1-16

'Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.' - Galatians 2:16

"Justified" is one of Paul's favorite words to use as he wrote to churches and friends. He used it to describe what God does when he saves us by the blood of Jesus. It definitely is not a word he used in reference to what we've earned.

The Greek word is "dikaioo" and is a legal term that was used in reference to the guilty being acquitted.

This is a beautiful picture of what happens when we come to Jesus in faith. He declares us not guilty and sets us free. There are no conditions or debts we have to repay. God only asks us to trust him, to really believe that his way is the best way to live.

Being good enough on our own? We've actually tried that many times. It doesn't end in freedom, it ends in frustration.

Today's reading: Galatians 1

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” - Galatians‬ ‭1:10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In the short term, it is easiest to try and please everyone. Yet as time passes, we see the impossibility of it.

Paul comes straight at the church in Galatia. He was shocked that they were already turning away from the pure Gospel, taking the easy way, which parades as the best way.

Yet here’s the thing. We will always compromise the truth when we seek to please everyone. And to top it off — we will fail miserably.

James Dunn says it well when commenting on this verse:

“Paul implies, clearly, that his commitment to Christ as his Lord was so complete, his obligations to Christ so absolute, that his actions as an apostle of Christ were directed by him alone, and that any other course would be unthinkable to him.”

As Christians, our primary goal should be to please our Lord Jesus instead of people.

Today's reading: 2 Corinthians 13:1-13

'Since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.' - 2 Corinthians 13:3-4 ESV

Colin Kruse, commenting on these verses, says this about Paul: "He had learnt that the power of Christ rested upon the weak, not the impressive."

What do you notice as you walk into a church service? Do you see bland pieces of bread and room temperature cups of juice? Do you hear songs sung that could use some auto-tuning? Do you hear a sermon that could use more dynamics or fewer uhs and ums? Do you see cobwebs or updates that need to take place in the building? Do you see people with flaws that flood the seats? Everywhere we look, we see weakness.

Yet underneath all of this weakness is intense power with which no darkness can cope.

Resurrection power, we realize, can always be dismissed by obvious weakness. Yet we know what is really happening. Jesus is still transforming lives!

Today's reading: 2 Corinthians 12:11-21

"For I fear...I fear..." - 2 Corinthians 12:20-21

One of the scariest things about living life is the fear that you will spend mass amounts of time and energy on something that matters to you and that it will amount to nothing. We want our investments to show gains, not just financially, but in every area of life.

Paul's phobeo (fear) is a real one that many of us have. He actually only uses the word once in the original language. So it is him saying "I fear" and then the dumping of an insane list of dark living that the people in Corinth had dwelt in before his arrival with the message of Jesus.

His nightmare was their return to the sin they had so radically denied. The fighting, The bad-mouthing. The defaming. The chaos. The sexual confusion. The feelings-driven-life. Ultimately, the abandonment of truth in exchange for the lies of the world.

So, is it worth the risk to invest in others if this is the real danger?

Yes, because some sweet Christian initially did the same for you.

Today's reading: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

'But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.' - 2 Corinthians 12:9

For centuries, Christians have debated about what Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was. A sickness? A certain sin he struggled with? A disability? We really have no way of knowing, except that it was a 14-year struggle. 14 years to be reminded of his weakness and his need for God's power to be perfected.

It is mind-blowing for most of us to consider this possibility. It is the idea that God would allow us to experience extreme pain to keep us from thinking that we are somehow elevated and not in need of God's strength.

This may make us think of Job. He endured an endless amount of pain from the hand of Satan -- simply because God was confident in his character.

Job's words speak volumes to us today when we think of Paul as well:

"But he knows the way I take; when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold." - Job 23:10