“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.” Galatians 2:17-18
If we who trust Christ for pardon, forgiveness, and righteousness before God now seek to be acceptable to God by fulfilling worship laws and traditions, do we make Christ a servant of sin because we fail to do all that such laws require? As Paul writes, “God forbid.” If we go back to depending on our works under the law, we again stand condemned by the law!
O Christ, You have fulfilled the law in my stead, and You have suffered my just punishment under the law in Your death on the cross. Grant that I do not now begin to rely upon my own righteousness under the law but hold fast to You and Your cross for my salvation. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Galatians 2:16
Since none of us measure up to the holy demands of God’s law, we do not seek to be just in God’s eyes by our keeping of the law but rather through faith in Christ Jesus, who kept the law perfectly for us and then atoned for our sins by His innocent sufferings and death on the cross.
I have sinned and broken Your law, O God. Forgive my sins and count me just and righteous in Your eyes for the sake of Christ Jesus, my Savior. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
“But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Galatians 1:11-12
Paul, who was called by Jesus Christ to be His apostle to the Gentiles, did not receive His gospel from men but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Therefore, his doctrine, taught in his epistles, is not from men but from God and is to be heeded by all Christians.
Grant that I hear and heed Your Word, O Lord, repent of my sins and trust in Christ Jesus alone and His cross for my righteousness and salvation. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10
To be a servant of Christ and seek the approval of God means being faithful to Christ and to the teaching of God’s Word in all things (Matt. 28:18-20). Seeking the approval of men leads to compromising and explaining away the clear teaching of the Bible.
Keep me faithful to You and Your Word, O Christ, and grant that I do not yield one iota of the Bible’s teaching to gain the approval of men. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8-9
Preaching a false gospel is a serious offense and incurs the wrath of God. Thus, when men add human traditions and works of the law to the gospel or teach that a sinner is justified apart from faith alone in Jesus Christ and His universal atonement for sin, they mislead souls to eternal ruin and place themselves under God’s curse and condemnation.
Grant that I hold fast to You, O LORD, and to the gospel of forgiveness and life through faith alone in Jesus Christ and His cross. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
