NEWS, ARTICLES, DEVOTIONS AND MORE FROM BttB...

Read Galatians 3:19-22   Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin,

Read Galatians 3:15-18 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to his offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. Fo

Read Galatians 3:13-14 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. Reflect How does Jesus solve the problem that no one can earn their right standing with God? Yesterday, we talked about how those who rely on their works and try to earn their salvation

Read Galatians 3:10-12 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for the “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Reflect Why is the law unable to justify anyone before God? Six hundred and thirteen. According

Read Galatians 3:7-9 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed. ”So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. Reflect How were Old Testament believers in God saved even though Jesus hadn’t died on the cross for them yet? Do you remember the old Sunday

Read Galatians 3:3-6 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Reflect What does Paul cite as the source and power of our life transformation? Are we perfected by the works

Read Galatians 3:1-2 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Reflect How does a person receive the Holy Spirit? What is the correct relationship between works of the law and faith? The world is full of people who are tragically deceived. They are “bewitched.” Many of us probably know someone who w

Read Galatians 2:19-21   For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.     Reflect   How does legalism nullify the grace of God?     If someone as

Read Galatians 2:17-18   But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.     Reflect   When we become Christians, what is it that gets torn down and why should we never rebuild it?     It probably isn’t one of the most exciting books in the Bible to read but I highly encourage you to read the book of Leviticus some time. W

Read Galatians 2:15-16   We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.     Reflect   What does it mean to be “justified”? What is the only way we can be justified to God?     Have you ever gotten a blob

Read Galatians 2:13-14   And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by the hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”     Reflect   What grounds did Paul cite for confronting Peter and how does Paul serve as an example in this i

Read Galatians 2:11-12   But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.     Reflect   Have you ever acted in a way that is not consistent with the Gospel because you feared what others will think and say about you?     Simon Peter (Cephas) is quite the character in the Bible. Th

Read Galatians 2:9-10   …and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Only, they asked me to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.     Reflect   How are today’s verses an example of how different Christian ministries, organizations, and individual churches should interact with each o

Read Galatians 2:6-10 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentile

Read Galatians 2:3-5 But even Titus who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Yet because of false...

Read Galatians 2:1-2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up because...

Read Galatians 1:21-24 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that...

Read Galatians 1:16-20 …in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up...

Read Galatians 1:13-16 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy...

Read Galatians 1:11-12 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not...

Read Galatians 1:10 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the...

Read Galatians 1:8-9 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him...

Read Galatians 1:6-7 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a...

Read Galatians 1:3-5 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us...