The other day, I had a 2 hour conversation with one of my good friends. She is the friend that I can openly talk with about any topic with out fear of judgement. Will she tell me if I am wrong? Of course. However, she allows me to fully express myself and I would like to think I do the same for her. In our conversation we discussed our spiritual journeys, what we thought about Covid-19, and even racial issues. In this conversation I gained so much wisdom. Being able to talk out my thoughts and ask questions freely as well as listen to her thoughts and answer her questions created a productive dialogue. At the end of our conversation I, and maybe she did too, had some questions on the brain.

Because she called me while I was still in bed, I hadn’t had time to pick up my bible. I was tempted to go and watch a movie but I was convicted to read, even though my schedule was off. Wednesdays on my daily bible reading schedule are dedicated to learning about my relationships with others. Side Note: my friend doesn’t know this but God does. Anyhow so I opened my bible to the dictionary, which is like an index, flipped to the word neighbor, and found the passage next on the list for me to read. It happened to be Galatians chapter 5. I said a prayer for wisdom and began reading. By the time I reached verse 6 I was so distracted with the thought to tell my friend to read it I couldn’t focus. I picked up my phone and sent her a pic. “Girl read this, this is our entire conversation in one passage.” But I didn’t stop reading there. The entire chapter is Sooo Good!

Galatians 5:1-6

“So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. 2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. 4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. 5 But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. 6 For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.”

So I’m excited!

1. Christian are free to walk by faith in Christ alone. We do not have to be heavily burden with the law. Many taught that keeping the law would earn favor with God but that path actually alienates us from God. Real righteousness comes to those who live in Christ by the power of the Spirit.
2. Those of us who seek righteousness through the law must obey EVERY regulation, which is putting faith in the law and ourselves, not in Christ. Such people are outside of the grace of God and the its’ benefits.
3. The alternate to living by faith in the law is to live by complete reliance on the Spirit to make us pleasing to God. God’s sole power provides righteousness and fulfills his promise.
4. Faith in Christ Jesus provides access to all of God’s favor and grace, so no further benefit is available through human effort.
5. Faith is expressed by exercising love towards others.

Questions:

Have you ever had a time in your walk with Christ that you felt like you had to fulfill every law? I have! How did you feel when you couldn’t live up to such high expectations?

Do you understand and receive God’s Grace daily or even moments by moment?

In a time of such racial tension, worry, and unrest, how have you expressed faith in love towards others?