A Life Worthy

I have been crucified with Christ… (Galatians 2:20).

But…I haven’t.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not second-guessing Paul here, and I’m certainly not questioning Scripture.  I get (sorta) the idea that Jesus went to the cross on my behalf, so that it is as though I were in fact crucified.  The Father looks at me and sees my record clean and my debt paid, because of Christ.

But 

I did not bear the scorn

or the lash

or the thorns

or the nails

or the shame

or the tomb.

Those were his, and his alone.

Though it should have happened to me, it happened for me.

I am left with so much that I don’t deserve

and

so little that I do.

And that, I suppose, is grace.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker (Galatians 2:18)

I gotta admit, this verse puzzles me.  On the one hand, it seems clear enough.  If I offer to replace the broken window, it’s pretty compelling evidence that I broke it. If I fix the side mirror on your car, it kinda proves that I’m the one who sideswiped you.   If I say, “I’m sorry,” it shows that I did something wrong.

Anyway, the point is on the other hand. Christ does not fit this pattern.  He did not destroy.  He was not a lawbreaker.  In fact, he rebuilt that which he did not destroy.  He rebuilt what I destroyed.  

He rebuilt what I destroyed.

So, I’m not exactly sure what Paul is getting at.  He seems to place this verse here as proof for his previous statement, that Christ does not promote sin, but I’m having trouble seeing the connection.  I’m left with the thought that my pathetic attempts to fix my relationship with God under my own strength are simply more proof that Pride is still very much at work in me.

But seriously…what do I know?  If you’ve got a better handle on this verse, please oh please chime in.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

We who are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners” know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:15-16).

The Jews, of all people, should have known better.

For hundreds of years, the Jews had gone the “Earn your way to Heaven” route.  The pattern they had grown up with–sin, feel guilty, sacrifice, feel better, work hard, fail, sin–it didn’t work, and the Jews who had come to Christ knew it didn’t work.  If it had, they wouldn’t have needed Christ.  And yet here they were, trying to stuff the endless grace of the Father into a musty sack of old traditions.

Why would they do that?

I dunno, Beloved.  Why do we?

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10).

I like to be liked.

Is that so very bad?  

I had a friend once upon a time who seemed to delight in being obnoxious for Christ.

Seriously

He approached every nonbeliever as an enemy combatant.  When he witnessed, it was less like teaching than taunting:

Do you follow Jesus?

No?  Why not?

Don’t you realize that if you die without Christ, you’re going to hell?

What do you mean, you’ll think about it?  You could die tonight!

As I write this, I can hear the edge in his voice.  Still makes me twitch.

Beloved, you are an ambassador, and ambassadors tend to accomplish more if people like them.  So, yeah, it’s good to be liked.

But

Being liked is not your goal.  It’s more of a byproduct of being a Godly person.  If at any point along the journey you have to pick between pleasing people and pleasing God, (and you will), well…

Exactly

Be winsome, Beloved, but not wimpy.  Stand firm for him.

Happy Friday.

Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:7).

The people Paul was referring to were called the Judaizers.  They thought that all Christians should follow the Law–basically the rules and rituals observed in Old Testament-style temple worship.  (Yes, I know they didn’t call it the Old Testament, but we do, so hush.)

Anyway, they were basically telling the Galatians that Jesus’ death was not enough.  According to the Judaizers, the Galatians needed to follow the OT rules to obtain and maintain their relationship with God.  The moment they said this, of course, the Judaizers threw grace out the window and reduced Christianity to yet another “Work your way to God” religion.

Paul called that perversion.

Did you think of any “haftas” yesterday?  Take them into your prayer time today.  Ask God to show you whether you are attempting to put your efforts on the level of his grace.  It may not even be on purpose.  There can be a fine line between working to earn his love and working out of the love that already overflows.

So, you know, think about it, pray about it…but don’t stress about it.  That’s just you trying to control things again.

You are adored, Beloved.

Happy Tuesday