Rhapsody of Realities TeeVo ;
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome DSc., DD ;
IT’S NOT BY WORKS ;
(Continue Walking By Faith)
TO THE BIBLE Galatians 3:1-3
“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?”
LET’S TALK➡
As you study the entire book of Galatians, you’d understand why Paul made the statement above, chiding the Galatian Christians: they had strayed from the message of the Gospel, the Word of faith, which they had received. Some false teachers came into their midst, teaching them that they had to obey the Law to be justified. Decrying their deviation from the message of faith, Paul asked them, “Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” He wanted them to remember how they received the Holy Spirit; it wasn’t through obedience to the Law, but by faith.
The salvation they had received didn’t happen by keeping the Law: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast”(Ephesians 2:8-9). Your righteousness and right-standing with God aren’t the results of your good works; they’re by the faith of Christ, the result of what He did. Galatians 2:16 says, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”
The righteousness, which is by faith, doesn’t rely on the works of the Law, but on faith in the God that justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:5). By faith, you received eternal life, and the Holy Spirit to live in you. By faith, the righteousness of God was imparted to your spirit. Therefore, continue in faith, grounded and settled, and refuse to be moved away from the hope of the Gospel, which you’ve heard (Colossians 1:23).
GO DEEPER
John 6:63
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are the spirit, and they are life.
Philippians 3:3
For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
Speak?
I thank you Lord for the righteousness I’ve received; the righteousness which is by the faith of Jesus Christ, to stand in your presence confidently without fear, inferiority, guilt or condemnation. I have no confidence in the flesh because you are my justifier.
Daily Bible Reading
ONE YEAR
Acts 4:32-5:1-11, 2 Chronicles 20-22
TWO YEAR
2 Corinthians 3:11-18, Songs Of Solomon 7-8
Act?
Memorize and meditate on Galatians 2:16.