Galatians – Week 9 – Day 3

READ 

Galatians 5:1-4 

1 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. 

Paul emphasized that those who had trusted in Christ as a way to become right with God were free from the law. Those trying to use the works of the law to become right with God were not saved. They were also responsible to keep all 613 commandments if they insisted on keeping one of them. Grace was a far higher concept than the works of the law. Those trying to be justified by keeping the law had fallen from this high standard and could not be saved that way. 

REFLECT 

Think about the treasure you have in Christ by experiencing His grace and not trying to become right with God by the good works of the law. 

RESPOND 

Consider asking questions of those to whom you are witnessing about the need to trust in Christ for salvation. Ask what list they are following. Ask if they lived in another culture what the list might be. Ask the person who is trying to be saved by doing good works if he or she will ever think they have done enough of them to merit salvation before a holy God.