Obedience to Jesus Christ
As I like to mention to our local soldiers, we need to pay attention to what is going on in the world today. We need to remember that what makes Christians different than any other religion is the fact that Jesus is our Lord and Savior and not just a Prophet. So for the next 3 or 4 weeks, I’d like to look at the importance and the blessings of having Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit & God the Father as our Director, our Guide, and our Principal. I’d also like to look at us being his children & agents.
As we read Galatians 3:1-25 the question that comes to mind is “should we obey or ignore Old Testament law?” The answer to that question is not cut and dry.
The Law consists of the commandments God gave Moses, some 430 years after God established his covenant with Abraham. Therefore, Paul claims, obeying the Law could not be the basis for a relationship with God.
Faith is the only basis for that relationship, and that is thru Jesus Christ. The Law was never intended to take the place of faith. It was never designed to give the people of Israel a list of rules by which they could earn their salvation. Rather, the Law serves only to show them how far short of God’s standards they fell (read verse 19, right column). The Law exposed sin so people would be led to Christ as the only answer to sin. Paul called the Law holy, spiritual (See Romans 7:12,14), and good, if one uses it properly (1 Timothy 1:8). But if the Law is used improperly, as as a way to try to earn salvation, or to try to impress other people, it serves only to impose a curse (Galatians 3:10).
However, we should not ignore the Old Testament Law. It shows what God considers important. Much of it spells out timeless principles of right living. Parts of the Law are still helpful for those who want to live holy lives. But Christians are not bound to fulfill the requirements of the Old Testament Law to earn God’s favor.
Christians are to live a life of obedience to Jesus Christ and to the teachings of all Scripture, both Old and New Testaments, in view of the New Testament as an act of gratitude (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Let’s remember that Faith is thru Christ, and Galatians 3:25 says: “Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the Law”.
In conclusion & summary we are not disobeying the Law, but thru the power of the Love Walk of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirt that dwells in us, believers will follow the Law out of love and not fear. More to come on this.
********************************************************************
Galatian 3: 1-25
1 Paul, an apostle-sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead- 2 and all the brothers with me, 3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. 11 I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
19 What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.
21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
23 Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.
