Are you so foolish?
November 6th, 2008
Scripture:
“Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” Galatians 3:3
Observation:
Paul is rebuking new believers who, understood it was faith in Christ that saved them, but still practiced Old Testament rites or tried to force other new believers to abide by them. He is reminding them that the law didn’t save them and therefore they no longer have to subject themselves to its rules. The law was in place for them to live under, but now Christ was there for them to live in Him and the freedom that He gives.
Application:
Do we sometimes struggle with things that we think we need to do in order to be saved? We’ve already accepted the grace of Christ, but do we continue trying to work toward pleasing God with our human efforts? Things that we know don’t save us, but we feel a certain pressure to do them to be more spiritual. That’s what was happening in Galatia — Paul was telling the Gentiles that they didn’t need to be circumcised like the Jewish believers because that didn’t make them any more holy in God’s eyes. Doing “churchy” things doesn’t make us more holy in God’s eyes — we are holy only because of Christ’s blood. But we do things out of our love and devotion to Him and we see the example that Christ was when He came to serve, not to be served.
Prayer:
Father, I am guilty of doing things that I think will grant me more favor with you. Good things, but with wrong motivations. Help me to accept the freedom Christ gives and recognize that you love me unconditionally. Christ paid it all. There is nothing else that needs to be done. It’s his blood that covers me, not my own. Thank you for a love so great.
— Jared Yates, small groups and single adults pastor
