Get it right!

John Povey September 23, 2024 3 1

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Galatians 5: 2-6 (NRSVA)

2 Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 Once again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the entire law. 4 You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love.

Circumcision was a drastic and unnecessary ritual, a route taking the Galatians in the wrong direction. It was not simply the act that was offensive to the Spirit; it was the motive behind the action that Paul was attacking. Circumcision was a symbol of the desire to do everything required by religious laws. Therefore it became an obstacle to faith in the saving work of Jesus.

No amount of strict legalistic behaviour leads to finding favour with God. Those who live by faith will experience the inner discipline of closeness to God — that is far better than the outer discipline of rules made up by human beings.

Instead of taking a step forward, the Galatians were taking two steps back. Instead of being free in Christ, they were slaves to the Law. Living by law is effectively a rejection of Christ. That's how serious it is! “It is falling away from grace’, said Paul.

“Faith expressing itself through love.” This is what matters, faith that is alive, faith that bears fruit, the fruit which is love.

Paul was excited about the freedom we have in Jesus Christ. He wanted the Galatians to experience this same excitement. We too need to get excited about it. When we continually live in thankfulness for all that Christ has done for us, we are set free to bathe in God’s grace. That is something worth being excited about each and every day.

Prayer:

Almighty God, forgive me for the times when I have lost sight of what is essential and focused on what is peripheral. Forgive me for the times when my personal interests were more important to me than loving service to others and helping them with their needs. Give me the vision to see the people you would have me serve today. Let my faith express itself through love, that others too may know the love of Jesus. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.