Month: March 2026

Galatians 2:3-5 (ESV)
But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

Today my reading was Galatians 2:1-10 where Paul talks to the Galatian church about his journey to Jerusalem for the goal of affirming his ministry with the Pillars of the church (Peter, James, and John). One of the things that jumped out at me and is consistent with the whole of the letter to the Galatian church, is that the Gospel is foremost and central aspect of the Gospel is Justification by Faith Alone.

The Judaizers felt that the Mosaic instruction of circumcision was still required for salvation but that is a departure from the justification by faith alone concept central to the Gospel. Paul, Peter, James, and John refused this teaching and even Titus who was with Paul and a student of his was uncircumcised and an example of God’s redemption power for the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Anything that substitutes faith alone, through Christ alone, by grace alone, is not the Gospel, but a false-gospel that should be refused.

There is a church ‘Leadership’ learning here that I will talk more about tomorrow as I cover Paul’s rebuking of the Apostle Peter. I want to do more study on this one first so that, as Paul would say, that I am not running or have run too fast before a takeaway here.

APPLICATION

The Gospel is the Power of God. The saving truth of Jesus’ sacrifice covering all sin for the repentant sinner is huge. This does not excuse or endorse sinning…no one can sit at the foot of the cross understanding their depravity, and that the Lord has saved them anyway, and walk away from that realization without a humble and godly fear of living the rest of the life dedicated to honoring and pleasing the Lord Jesus who saved them.

Galatians 1:13-17 (ESV)
For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Today it struck me how Paul’s life and his recounting of what the Lord had done in him, is so much like what the Lord has done in my own life. Don’t get me wrong, I am not comparing my life to the amazing life of the apostle Paul, who saw Jesus, in the flesh, on the road to Damascus. What I am saying, is that the pattern of being set apart, being called on by the Lord to salvation, and then God‘s work on our life is very similar to what the Lord did in the pattern of Paul’s life (Romans 8:29-30).

As I sit here, looking at all of my life in a single picture and thinking about where the Lord has brought me to at this point in time, I can’t help but see how the Lord has worked in my life just as he did in Paul’s. The place that I am in my heart, how I see the Lord, my love for him, and my desire to only serve and please him, has only come through his teaching to me by directly reading his word and applying it to my life… Just like I am doing here today. The Lord has had to get a hold of my life in such a way that I can then be used by him. If you look at the passage above and see how the Lord worked in Paul’s life, it is similar.

So,, to reiterate, I am not comparing myself to Paul… I am only acknowledging that God has set me apart before time (as He says in his word – Psalms 139:16, Jeremiah 1:5, Ephesians 1:4-5, and Romans 9:10-13), He has saved me from death I deserved because of my sin, He has grown me in the knowledge of His word, His son, and Himself, so that I can have my heart, mind, soul, and strength centered on the wisdom and direction of the Holy Spirit to be able to serve him.

APPLICATION

I have come such a small way relative to where I think I should be. I am constantly looking at what else the Lord may teach me while I am in “Arabia“ (Where Paul was for 3 years before starting his ministry in Jerusalem). All this way someone might say I have come…has only shown me how much I need Him. This earthly body and mind is no match for the yuck of the world and the evil one who has run of it; thank the Lord that He not only secured victory on the cross and resurrection, but He has given me the gift of His Holy Spirit and His word (through scripture) to help me navigate this small time that I sojourn as an alien in this land.

Galatians 1:6-9 (ESV)
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 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 be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

I’ve started Galatians with the amazing young man I am discipling. We finished Roman’s a couple of weeks back and so I’m going to start diving in and giving my thoughts on Galatians as I read through. He and I intend to trade notes and share with one another how the Lord is speaking to us through our quiet times in this book.

Today my focus was Galatians 1:1 – 10. This book starts out a little bit different than most of Paul’s letters. Paul is a lot more impersonal and direct in this opening than his other letters, which include commendations and courtesies. In this case, he is speaking directly at not only the false teachers that had risen up within the Galatian church, but also those in the church body who had started to listen to them. There was a contingent of teachers who just couldn’t wrap their brains around the gift of salvation through Grace alone, by faith alone, through Christ alone. So they interwove into their teaching legalism and salvation by works of merit, rather than by the truth… the gift of Grace.

Paul calls this approach an entirely different gospel. He even goes as far as to say that anyone who comes along, even if it is him or an angel from heaven, and speaks of a gospel other than the gospel he had told them previously, those teachers are destined for destruction.

Just this little part of this passage today, really reinforces in me how important it is to stay true to what God has to say. Even in my sphere of influence right now and things I am having to deal with, I am having to confront people who have twisted God‘s word to say something different… Something that fits this world rather than the truth that is clear through the arc of scripture.

APPLICATION

I need to remember that I can be my own false teacher… I live in this fleshly carcass that even though I am redeemed, I still must crucify my sin every day. The places that the Lord has brought me from, are so easily able to be slipped back into if I am not consistently vigilant and quick to strike down my own internal dialog of false gospel. Lord God, give me the strength, the clarity, and the wisdom of your Holy Spirit as I continue to live a life devoted to You.