Good Morning Friends,
“For through the law I died to the law so
that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer
live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in
the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the
grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died
for nothing!” (Galatians 2:19-21)
First, and foremost, there is no hope of
right relationship with God through law-keeping. As James said, “For whoever
keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking
all of it.” (James 2:10) We certainly have been guilty of breaking at least one
point of the law, so we are all guilty of it all! A right relationship with God
through law-keeping is possible only by perfectly keeping the whole law, and no
one, except Jesus, has done that, or ever will. We are all desperately in need
of grace, and God has freely given it!
Second, a right relationship with God comes
through being crucified with Christ. We don’t literally have to go to a cross,
but what Christ did on the cross has to become ours. Our life must become His. Jesus
said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his
life for me will find it.” (Matthew 16:25) Keep your life for yourself and
ultimately you lose it. Give your life to Christ, and eternally you will find
it!
Third, this new life in Christ is lived by
faith, by trusting God. Trust is one of the most difficult things to do, yet it
is what God wants as much as anything. To trust God is the primary way we show
we love Him. To believe what He said and take Him at His word. For salvation,
and for all of life.
His, by Grace,
Steve
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