Galatians 2 Christ Lives In Me

Galatians 2 NIV
Remembering the poor is a good thing. But, sometimes we can get so wrapped up in doing good, those things that our traditions dictate, that we forget that we are not justified by our good works and go about acting like they amount to something that could be credited to us. Paul had to confront Peter about this. Although Peter accepted and even approved Paul's ministry to the gentiles, Peter kept himself  apart from the gentiles. He was saying grace... but, living by the laws of the his tradition.

Paul reminds us that righteousness cannot be gained through the law. It is by the grace of God that we are found righteous. It is by the grace of God that we are saved. We earn none of it. We deserve none of it. And.. if good works are done through us let us remember these words of Paul. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal 2:20)

So when we start thinking that we are accomplishing much, let us remember that it is not we who accomplish these things. Thanks be to God for the abiding presence of Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Acts 16:1-5 All Things For The Sake Of The Gospel

Acts 16:1-5 NIV
Paul has just convinced the other disciples that it is not necessary for believers to be circumcised; yet, here he is have Timothy circumcised in order that Timothy might accompany him on a mission trip. The reasoning? They are going to be reaching out to a community with a Jewish population. He feels it necessary in order for the people to hear. He sets aside freedom from the law for the sake of the gospel. In his first letter to the Corinthians (9:19-23), Paul wrote: "For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings."

In order for others to be open to hear the word, there may be times when we, too, may need to set aside our own traditions and live according to the traditions of others. That is not to say that we should sin in order to be like others. Paul considered that circumcision was not necessary. It should not be required nor was it against the law to be circumcised. In this case it would be helpful for Timothy, whose mother was a Jew, to be circumcised in order for him be accepted in this community; in order for the people to be willing to listen to the message of Jesus that he carried. For the sake of the gospel when we enter the mission field, we do not impose our own traditions on those we are ministering to. It is most helpful to be, as Paul was, "all things to all people."

God's Peace - Pr. J