Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. Gal 5:2-6

It is impossible for believers to be separated from God- He is Emmanuel, God with us. He has promised to keep us, and through the Old and New Testament, despite man’s sin, God has never changed His covenant with us. (2 Cor 5:18) This is our spiritual reality, yet in our lives, we so often feel that God is distant, inactive, and dead. Why does this happen? In our ongoing study through Galatians, we see that as children of God, there is nothing that stands between God and us. Jesus is our only mediator, giving us direct access to God. (Gal 5:1) But the Galatians supplemented their faith in Christ for salvation with other means, distancing themselves from the one true and living God. As we focus on Paul’s reproof to the Galatians, let us examine whether our own hearts have aligned to the liberating truth of salvation by faith alone.

A divided heart makes God seem distant. We must have a singly-devoted heart towards God, with a love that is set apart from all other loves. (Matt 10:37, Phil 3:4-8) Jesus is worthy of our utmost devotion- He is the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth. (Col 1:15-17) The Galatians believed they needed circumcision in addition to Christ. They had a divided heart, and therefore felt distant from God as they failed to remember to live by Christ alone. A divided heart brings no benefits to the believer- even though God works faithfully to bring us to heaven, there is no sense of being in Christ. It makes us debtors to the law, obligating us to live under the law rather than the gospel, which leaves us feeling burdened and hopeless. (James 2:10) A divided heart disconnects us from Christ, which leads to a fruitless life, for apart from Jesus we can do nothing. (Jn 15:4-5) Grace supplies forgiveness for every sin, but a divided heart will make you fall away from grace, causing you to fall back into flesh. When we fail to love Christ, the joy of God’s presence can’t be found. Let us return, go back to the Lord and repent. (Zechariah 1:3-4)

Failing to practice faith makes God seem distant. Your foundation of faith is from the Holy Spirit- we can not see Jesus today, but the Holy Spirit is our silent Shepherd. Faith from God cannot fail- our faith comes from God’s electing grace before the foundation of the world. It was brought forth by God’s Word, planted by God Himself, by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit that raises the dead to life. (Rom 8:29-30, Prov 30:5, Titus 3:5) Jesus is always with us, and it is by faith we see God. Faith is prayer- without faith, there is no fellowship. (James 4:8) By faith, we are able to experience God and obey Him.

Failing to practice love makes God seem distant. Faith and love go hand in hand. Faith is thought/prayer is action; faith is internal/love is external; faith is theory/love is practical. Sanctification is love- love for God, and love for others. Faith takes away guilt, fear, and greed, enabling us to love. With love, there is joy- the joy of giving and loving sacrificially. The early church had faith and love, enabling rich fellowship where the presence of the Lord was evident. (Acts 2:42-47) When there is little faith, there is little love, and with no faith, there is no love, no justification, no salvation. If we do not practice love, we can not enjoy the presence of God.

God is never distant- Scripture says that God dwells in us. (1 Cor 3:16) It is sin that makes God feel distant. Let us therefore repent and be near to the Lord, with a surrendered heart and a faith working through love.

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matt 6:18

As we look forward to a new year, we reflect together as a church on essential resolutions found in our Lord’s words to Peter in the gospel of Matthew.

Surrender to Christ. We don’t need to search far and deep to find areas in our lives that have not yet been given up to Jesus. When Jesus refers to Himself as “I” in verse 18, there is an infinite supreme power behind His name. He is Lord, King, and Creator of all. (Is 9:6, Jn 1:13, 18:6) We must know Jesus, for as we know him more, our hearts will be satisfied with Christ alone. We must love Jesus, by being fully occupied with His Word and the gospel. True love for Christ that is ready to abandon all else is genuine salvation, and it is the only acceptable way to worship. (Matt 19:21) As we truly understand who Christ is, our love for Him will surely grow. Let us therefore use every means of grace to love Jesus more.

Prepare for Jesus’ Second Coming. A mark of a genuine believer is to have a mind set on the things above. (Col 3:1-2) Just like the early church, we must fix our hope on Jesus’ return. We can prepare by seeking to be obedient to God in every sense. As we increase in our faith in God, obedience will be manifested in every part of our lives. (1 Thess 1:5) We must wait patiently and prayerfully through this life of spiritual warfare, waiting for our Lord’s promised appearing. (Acts 1:14)

Our church to be sanctified. The church is built by Jesus to be holy. They are chosen by God, converted to Christ, and justified to become sanctified. (Matt 16:15-18, Jn 1:12-13) As we devote ourselves to the Word of God, fellowship, the Lord’s supper, and prayer, we will be built up by Christ and grow in sanctification. (Acts 2:42, Jn 17:17, Prov 27:17)

Identifying with Christ. This church belongs to Christ. We can identify with Christ by following Him and imitating His character. The church must be humble, putting God and others before ourselves. (Phil 2:3-6) We must love, giving sacrificially to others. We must be courageous, being straightforward with sin and loving others with truth. Finally, the church must be joyful. The Christian’s walk in this world is bound to get narrower, and through persecution, we must maintain joy because of the peace of God we have within.

Our church to be assured. Jesus has called us to be a part of his church in spite of our individual weaknesses, our low social status, and our countless shortcomings. Christ has loved you more than you love yourself, and He is always behind you, having proved His steadfast love on the cross. (1 Pet 1:1-2, Eph 5:25) The church must be assured of who is behind them, and who is within them. We are the temple of the living God, and He dwells in us. (1 Tim 3:15)

These resolutions mark the church Jesus has promised to build. As we renew our devotion to the Lord by surrendering to Him, preparing for His coming, and by growing in holiness and assurance in Christ, let us go into this fallen world to share the blessed truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Christmas is the one holiday when seemingly the entire world gets into the spirit of good cheer, festive decorations, carol-singing and gifts under a tree. It’s a day that is commonly celebrated, but what is Christmas really about? Genesis is the book of beginnings, including the origin of Christmas. As we understand the true meaning of Christmas, we can then fully appreciate the blessed hope and joy of the season.

Christmas is all about God. God planned, initiated, and accomplished salvation in Jesus Christ. (Jn 3:16) He is the only true and living God, the only One who can save man, the eternal God who is full of glory. (Ex 3:13-14, Is 42:8, Is 43:11) Christmas displays God’s attributes for us to behold.

– God is powerful– all are lost, but God alone is Almighty. By His power, Christmas exists for man’s salvation.

– God is holy– If all were lost, who can judge righteously? Man is blind to the bottomless depths of his corruption- only Jesus was without sin. God is the only Judge, and He is the One who made Christmas to redeem us.

– God is full of grace– Christmas is at the pinnacle of God’s grace. The perfect birth of Jesus Christ is at the center of Christmas- a gift that no man has ever deserved. Our gift exchanges during Christmas dimly reflect the grace God had for us on Christmas Day.

Christmas is all about the plight of man. The original setting of Christmas is bloody, because it is all about sin. (Gen 3:14) In this fallen world that is continually ravaged by the curse of sin- incessant wars, hatred, and animosity- there has never been a day of peace since the Fall. God sent Jesus to this world to resolve man’s plight of sin, but Jesus was rejected by the world since the day of His birth, for the nature of sin is to always reject what is good and pure. Jesus endured the most excruciating pain during his crucifixion as He bore the full suffering and perfect wrath of God for the sins of man.

Christmas is about sin. This day provides the context to reflect and ponder on our own sinful nature and the seriousness of sin. Even as Christians, our lives are not marked by having no sin, but grief over sin. Our sin are blatant attacks against God, who is fully righteous and just to condemn us. If God’s grace did not intervene, we would continually increase to the darkest, most perverted depths of sin, for our depraved hearts are fully set in enmity against God. We need God; we need a Savior. Christmas is a time for repentance.

Christmas is all about Jesus. Jesus is the true and only reason for this season’s joy. Man can not save himself by Old Testament laws and rituals- the Old Testament sacrifices themselves point to Christ. Christmas is all about Jesus, who was God, who became man, who came to us through the virgin birth. The doctrine of the virgin birth is absolutely essential, because Jesus was born without man’s original sin. (1 Tim 3:16) Jesus came to save us. Do you love Christ? If you do not love Christ, you do not know the true meaning of Christmas. If you love any other more than Christ, you do not yet understand how sinful you are. (Lk 14:26, 33) Christmas reminds us of our former sinful lives that we’ve forsaken, and the life of Christ we now have because of Him who loved us.

Christmas is all about the gospel. “…He shall bruise your head…” Jesus’ resurrection was the final blow to Satan. The invisible God became visible, suffered and bled on the cross, rose again, and crushed the power of Satan. (1 Cor 15:3-4) Hallelujah, what a Savior. This is God’s most important gift to us- the gospel. The gospel is all we can boast of, and it is what every man needs. Christmas shows us the power, love, and salvation from God, and it is an opportune time to share this gift with those around us. In the midst of this bustling season, above all, let us remember God, our sin, and Jesus. Let us remember the gospel.

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

The desire and pursuit of freedom is innate to man, but the idea of freedom does not come from man. Freedom is a divine attribute- fallen man is not born free. In the beginning, God created man to indeed be free; he was to rule over all creation. (Gen 1:25-26) But freedom was forfeited after the Fall. Man is now enslaved by sin, for everyone who sins is a slave to sin. (Jn 8:34) He became enslaved by creation, worshipping idols rather than the Creator. (Rom 1:25) He is enslaved by the flesh; his old nature that can do nothing but sin (Col 3:5-9), and he is enslaved by the ideas of culture, society, and politics. There are so many things that enslaves man, but in all circumstances, Christians are free. In Christ, there is true hope for all. Jesus Christ can set you free. (Acts 26:29)

Freedom is possible in Christ alone. Jesus paid the price for our freedom, by coming into this world as a man and by dying on the cross in our place.(Phil 2:6-8) Only Christ can set us free. Sin destroys freedom, but Christ alone is sinless– He was fully God, and fully man. He paid the price, offering a sacrifice of Himself that was accepted by God. Jesus was the only one who kept the law perfectly. He is the end of the law for righteousness, because He was punished in our place for our sin. (Rom 10:4) He is God Almighty, all powerful to redeem us, and He overcame the power of death by His resurrection– He rose from the dead to give us victory over sin and death. (1 Cor 15:56-57)

Essentially, freedom equates to salvation. If you are saved, you are free. Believers are free from the bondage of sin, no longer under the power of sin. They are free from the guilt of sin, because they have been forgiven by God. Christians are released from the tyranny of the law- they are free by faith, no longer trying to justify themselves by the law like the rest of the world. Finally, Christians are free from the fear of death. Only the redeemed can truly enjoy this freedom. (Phil 1:21-22) Those who are free are set apart from the world. Believers know where their priorities lie- God and His Word are prioritized over themselves and their physical needs. (Matt 4:3-4) They use their freedom to edify and build up others, loving selflessly by putting others before themselves. (1 Cor 10:23-25)

Jesus did everything to set you free- He died on the cross in your place. Therefore, we must stand firm, and not return to our old nature. How can we stand firm? We must consider ourselves as free. No matter what our circumstances are, we must maintain a strong conviction that we have been set free in Christ. (Rom 6:8-11) We must live by faith, by denying ourselves and living for Christ, who loved us and gave Himself up for us. (Gal 2:20) Repentance must be constant in our lives– sin is constantly striving to steal our freedom, but as you repent, you remember God’s faithfulness and righteousness. As we reflect on our salvation and our lives before and after Christ, we can be thankful to the Lord in all circumstances, because He has truly set us free. The reality of this world is getting bleaker still- are you free today? The gospel can set you free. It is for this freedom Christ has set us free.

Although there are many choices in life, the Christian can always look behind at the paths that he’s taken in life and be absolutely sure that all the decisions that was made in the past were the correct ones. It’s no surprise – after all, God has promised so in His word. (Rom 8:28) In fact, we, as Christians, can be confident that God will always lead us to the path that he wants us to travel; this is because God’s grace oversees, directs, and protects the believer. Although we may choose the wrong things in life, including sin, God upholds our salvation by His power and grace.

In Galatians 4:21-31, Paul shows us the two conditions of mankind, illustrating the benefit that is given to the Christians using the historical account of Sarah and Hagar.

There are two mothers. All of mankind are either sons of Hagar, the slave woman, or the sons of Sarah, the free woman. All men are naturally born as slaves to sin, so that their identity is aligned with Hagar. Just as a slave cannot free himself, so no sinner can overcome sin by himself. There is nothing men can do to escape their identity as a slave – Christian heritage and the highest work cannot free them from who they are. Only God can change men from the inside out – and Scripture tells us that the believers of Christ are children of the free woman, Sarah, born to her through promise. It is the supernatural work of God to take slaves and make them anew with a different identity altogether.

There are two covenants. All of mankind are subject to one of the two covenants. The Old Covenant is exacting; it demands absolute obedience to the perfect law of God. The New Covenant is gracious (Jer 24:7b); it is a covenant of grace which tells of God’s willingness to forgive on the basis of faith. Does the new covenant then forsake the law? No, because God has always saved men on the basis of their faith according to His grace. (Rom 4:3) When God establishes a new covenant relationship with the believer, He creates in them a new heart of righteousness and begins a relationship with them. The salvation that comes from the new covenant establishes the believer so that his every spiritual need is met. (Psalm 23:1)

There are two cities. All of mankind are living to fulfill their joy in their current home or their future home to come. In Paul’s days, Jerusalem was the hub of Judaism and the center of Pharisaical legalism. The children of Hagar are still living in the current Jerusalem; that is, they are living in the present condition of their false religious views. However, the believers are promised by Jesus a new Jerusalem that will be established on earth. (Rev 21:2) This new kingdom will be ruled by King Jesus, and all the believers will be in His royal court. (Phil 3:20)

There are two ways of life. If all of mankind are either sons of Hagar or Sarah, it’s important to observe the characteristics of the two people. Hagar’s child was Ishmael, who was constantly at war with others and was the one that attacked, offended, and avenged. (Jn 8:44) Sarah’s child, Isaac, was gentle and humble, and he did not repay evil for evil. Jesus was like Isaac; He was reviled but did not revile in return. Christians must be like Jesus and Isaac.(Rom 12:19-21) This is not a moral lifestyle, it’s a spiritual lifestyle. We must always reflect God’s grace, seeking to be just, righteous, and meek. (Matt 5:11-12)

There are two inheritances. All of mankind are promised one of two fates – heaven or hell. Just as Abraham gave the largest portion of his inheritance of Isaac, God will give heaven to the children of Sarah. (1 Pet 1:4) The inheritance for the children of the slave woman will be hell. (Gal 5:19-21)

In Conclusion, the children of Sarah, as allegorically depicted by Paul, are the very children of God. Of the two ways that Paul presented, the believers are clearly seen as the benefactors. The reward is coming, because Jesus is coming soon. We must respond with faithfulness to God in every way, because we have been saved by God’s amazing grace.

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? Gal 4:21

 

In an age where the reach of man’s feats are boundless, there remains one thing that is impossible with man – salvation. Salvation can never be earned by man’s effort, and Jesus did not save those who by man’s moral measure was worthy. (Jer 13:23, Matt 11:28) The doctrine of grace sets Christianity apart from every false religion. Grace is God’s unmerited favor- as sinners, we are debtors to God, unable to pay. Though there is nothing good of us that God would love us, He paid this debt for us through Christ Jesus. (Rom 4:4-8) Grace is not an idea- grace is a person, a power fully presented in Jesus. Apostle Paul understood the grace of God in his own life, and as we continue in his letter to the Galatians, we examine the reasons why God’s grace is so necessary for man’s salvation. (1 Cor 15:10)

Everyone is dead. God’s perfect law judges us rightly. By practicing unbelief, we are under God’s condemnation. (Acts 2:36, Rev 20:12-13) Under the power of the world, sin nature, and Satan, we are deceived and dead in our sin. We are under the wrath of a holy and just God. (Ps 51:5, Gal 5:19-21) The agonizing reality of God’s wrath was on complete display in Jesus’ crucifixion. As Jesus suffered and died in our place, God’s wrath was poured out on His perfect and holy Son. Jesus came to us, full of grace and truth, ready to lavish His grace on anyone who repents and trusts in Him. (Jn 3:17-18, 1:14)

Without God’s grace, everyone would think they are good. God’s grace is based on our total depravity. We are dead, with no desire to seek Him. Even after we are saved, in our sin nature we constantly desire to go back to our old ways. (Ecc 7:20) This is every man’s condition. Arminianism is wrong- man can not choose God. We have no desire to be saved, and we have no merit in our nature to be saved. Salvation is by God’s grace alone. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, and it only by grace that we can even understand and accept this blessed truth. Without grace, we are hopeless. (Rom 3:11, Lk 19:10)

Without God’s grace, we would not have the assurance of salvation. Even though we are saved, we sin, but it is God who continually sustains us by His grace. God has promised us eternal life in Christ Jesus. His steadfast love for us never changes. (Jn 6:39)

Although we know it is by grace alone that we are saved, we often forget and limit God’s grace in our lives. This is the same issue that Paul addresses to the Galatians. The Galatians were confused with Scripture, and they lost their conviction of God’s truth. They placed their emotions, self convictions, and circumstances above God’s Word, and were no longer able to understand and experience God’s grace. Grace comes through the Word of God. We must know Scripture faithfully, putting it into practice by following Christ and His teaching. (Matt 8:1-2) We must know Christ accurately, studying Scripture diligently to gain understanding, and handling the text literally within its context. We can not compromise on the teachings of the Bible, and we must not use it for our own personal agenda and gain. Finally, we must see the Bible prayerfully. Scripture is the living word, inspired by the Holy Spirit. We need to pray for understanding and conviction, so that we do not become confused with Scripture and lose sight of grace.

God’s grace is truly amazing. Salvation is a gift of God, given to those whom He chose before the foundation of the world. God has called us by His grace, in His grace we are sustained, and by His grace, He will bring us home. Amazing grace!