Day: June 26, 2017

Battle to the Death

Galatians 4-6

galatians-5-25

Tuesday, June 27

There is a life and death battle going on inside all of us.  In one corner we have the flesh and in the other corner we have the Spirit.  It is a battle to the death.  One will win; the other will die.

The desires of the flesh are listed in Galatians 5:19-21.  They are sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery (excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures); idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.  We all have some of these desires and verse 21 says that if we give into these desires we will not inherit the kingdom of God.  Thus, if our flesh wins the battle, on judgment day you will be sentenced to death.

However, Galatians 5:24 states that those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Galatians 5:16 says if you walk by the Spirit, you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.  I am sure most of you have heard of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  I think many people look at the fruit of the Spirit as a list of good attributes that we ought to try to attain, but that is not what this verse is saying.  It says the FRUIT of the Spirit are these attributes, meaning you will automatically receive these attributes if you live by the Spirit.  You don’t have to try to be more patient; you will automatically be more patient because of the Spirit that is in you.  You will be more loving due to the Spirit and so on.

You will want to ask to be filled with the Spirit so you can be more loving because Galatians 5:14 says the whole Old Testament Law can be fulfilled by loving your neighbor as yourself.  Think about it.  If you crucify the selfish desires of your flesh and love others instead of yourself, you are fulfilling the whole Law.  You are not required to fulfill that Law, but it is pretty awesome to think we could do that by just living for others instead of ourselves.

Galatians 6:8 says, “For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.”  We will reap what we sow.  The next verse (6:9) then tells us to not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we don’t grow weary.  Verse 10 then adds that while we have the opportunity, we should do good to all men, but especially to those that are of the household of the faith.  Paul admits that it is not always easy to do good to all people.  You have to sacrifice your own desires to use your time and resources for others, and to make it even more difficult some people are not very deserving of your help and not at all grateful for the good you do for them.  It can be very tiring continually sacrificing for others even if they do appreciate it, but remember not to grow weary and you will reap the reward.

It sounds difficult to crucify all of your fleshly desires and live for others instead of yourself, but are you really sacrificing that much if the reward you get for doing this is eternal life in the Kingdom?  You will actually gain a WHOLE LOT MORE if you can stop living for yourself now in this short lifetime and live for others instead.  Seems like a REALLY EASY choice to make; crucify your fleshly desires and live by the Spirit.

-Rick McClain

(Photo Credit: http://www.dailylifeverse.com/posts/2014/11/galatians-5-25)

Old Testament Salvation

Monday, June 26
Galatians 1-3

It seems so easy to understand. I sin so I deserve to die. Jesus died in my place so if I put my faith in God and Jesus and am baptized, then I am saved. Pretty simple. But what about the people that lived before Jesus was crucified? How could they be saved since Jesus did not die for their sins before they died themselves? Many people believe those Old Testament folks were saved by sacrificing animals for their sins since these instructions were included in the Old Testament Law that Moses gave to them. That seems logical, but there were many people that lived before the law was instituted, including Abraham and Noah. The Law could not save them because it did not exist yet. Galatians 3:17 says the Law came 430 years after the promises were made to Abraham. That brings me to my last question for now: If there was a way to be saved before Christ died and before the Old Testament law sacrifices were put in place, why would Jesus have needed to die? Why couldn’t we be saved in the same way Noah and Abraham were saved?
Hebrews 11 makes it clear that there were indeed people that were alive before the Law was put in place that are saved. Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham were all mentioned as men who had faith. Hebrews 11:16 states that God is not ashamed to be called their God and that He has prepared a city for them. They were saved by their faith, not from sacrificing animals. Moreover, Hebrews 10:4 says it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. That makes it pretty clear that sacrificing animals was not the way to be saved, even for those following the Old Testament Law. So how were they saved since they were not baptized?
Acts 4:12 says, referring to Jesus, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Galatians 2:16 explains that we are saved by faith in Christ Jesus, not by the works of the Law. It also mentions that no flesh is justified by the works of the Law, which again throws out the animal sacrifices as a way to salvation. Therefore, we are saved by our faith, the same way that people in the Old Testament were saved.
But you may be thinking, how could the Old Testament people put their faith in Jesus when Jesus did not even exist yet? Jesus was not alive back then, but he was talked about a lot. The first reference to Jesus was all the way back in Genesis 3:15, but the coming Messiah was mentioned all throughout the Old Testament. I believe that their faith in God and the faith that He had a plan in place to make them righteous (the Messiah) was indeed having faith in Jesus, even though they didn’t know Jesus by name. I believe that Jesus death on the cross paid for their sins even though they died before that happened.
So why did all of the animals need to die if it didn’t save anyone? Galatians 3:24 said the Law was their tutor that would lead them to Christ so they could be justified by faith. It was a set of rules, if followed, that would lead them to Christ so they could be saved by their faith. Noah showed his faith by building an ark. Abraham showed his faith by packing up everything and moving to a new land. People alive when the Law was instituted showed their faith by following the law. We now show our faith by being baptized. All of mankind from the beginning of time was saved the same way, by faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:29 states, “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” That verse seems to tie it all together. Abraham’s offspring belong to Christ and will receive the very same promise that was given to Abraham.

Rick McClain