Start With It, Stay With It

Start With It, Stay With It

Galatians 3: You foolish Galatians! Who put a spell on you? Before your very eyes you had a clear description of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross! ² Tell me this one thing: did you receive God's Spirit by doing what the Law requires or by hearing the gospel and believing it? ³ How can you be so foolish! You began by God's Spirit; do you now want to finish by your own power? ⁴ Did all your experience mean nothing at all? Surely it meant something! ⁵ Does God give you the Spirit and work miracles among you because you do what the Law requires or because you hear the gospel and believe it?

 

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With tears flowing down my face I accepted the invitation to believe in JESUS as my Savior and be baptized. While I was young, I could tell the difference between right and wrong. It was a relief that I was forgiven “forever.” But somewhere along the way, I doubted being eternally forgiven.

 

• I started thinking GOD was ready to punish me at the slightest mistake.
• I started believing that the “good” I did came from “me” and GOD would leave me for sinning.
• I started complaining about how GOD would allow “sinners” to get ahead in life, meanwhile those who were trying to follow HIM were getting pummeled.

 

Paul addresses an issue that remains today. He spoke about “belief” versus “works.” He noticed the people were favoring following the Law for redemption to GOD. He called them foolish for giving up on their “belief” in JESUS.

 

My Observations

• When GOD chose me, HE did it before HE created me.
• GOD is not the author of confusion and HE warns me that I have an adversary who spreads lies about HIM.
• Belief is the beginning of the relationship with JESUS and I need to also believe HE will never, ever leave me for making mistakes.

 

Getting to know JESUS can be confusing at times. I mean, one writer says “Faith without works is dead” another writer says “You began by GOD’s SPIRIT; do you now want to finish by your own power?” Both are correct, but how?

 

Faith leads me to want to serve others so they too can believe in JESUS. But is it the HOLY SPIRIT who sustains me, comforts me and begs for me before the FATHER in words I don’t understand. Belief needs to be total. JESUS saved me in the middle of my sins, not after I stopped sinning as Satan would have me believe. I am glad this is the Good News JESUS wants me to spread.

 

Challenge

• What is the trap the writer is trying to get the readers out of?
• Have you ever questioned GOD’s love or plan for you?
• Will you go all the way back to when you first believed in JESUS and celebrate the fact that HE took care of it all, especially the sins you are concerned about today?