“For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:19-20
God’s perfect law condemns us all to eternal death and damnation because of our sins. But Christ Jesus, in our stead, suffered our lawful punishment that we who trust in Christ might be counted dead to the law (since our punishment was meted out upon Christ) and alive to God (being raised up with Christ from the dead). The life we now live in this world we live by faith in Christ as our Substitute, who loved us and gave Himself for us.
O gracious and merciful God, grant me pardon and forgiveness in Your Son’s atoning sacrifice in my stead. And grant that I live my life by faith in Christ, alive from death and free of condemnation, to serve You in the confidence that You accept me as Your dear child for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.” Isaiah 1:2-4
As it was in the days of the prophet Isaiah, so it is today. The LORD created us and gave us life and every blessing, but we do not recognize Him as our Maker and God. Instead of looking to Him and His Word, we have turned aside from Him and His ways to fulfill the selfish and sinful desires of our hearts. We have forsaken the LORD, corrupted His word, and provoked Him to righteous anger.
Have mercy upon me, O God, and move me to repent of my evil ways and look to You for pardon and forgiveness in the shed blood of Christ Jesus on the cross. In His name, I pray. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
“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.]
