Galatians – Week 3 – Day 4

READ 

Galatians 2:14-16 

14 When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions? 15 You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. 16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” 

This passage clearly reveals that one is saved by faith alone in Jesus alone, apart from the law or good works of any kind. Paul says that “no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” This can also be applied to any good works. One could never do enough good works to merit a right position before a holy God.  

REFLECT 

Are you seeking to come closer to God by keeping a set of rules? If you want to keep some commandments, see Matthew 22:37-40 for what Jesus said to do when asked what the greatest commandment was. 

RESPOND 

Talk with another believer about the Gospel of John. Notice the main purpose of his Gospel as stated in John 20:30-31. Do a word search to see how many times the word “believe” is used in the Gospel. See John 6:28-29 for Jesus’ answer to those who wanted to do good works. The word “repent,” which means “a change of mind,” does not appear in John’s Gospel. A person would never believe without changing his or her mind about who Jesus is and the salvation He makes available to sinners.