Galatians 3:1-5PHILLIPS O you dear idiots of Galatia, who saw Jesus Christ the crucified so plainly, who has been casting a spell over you? I will ask you one simple question: did you receive the Spirit of God by trying to keep the Law or by believing the message of the Gospel? Surely you can’t be so idiotic as to think that a man begins his spiritual life in the Spirit and then completes it by reverting to outward observances? Has all your painful experience brought you nowhere? I simply cannot believe it of you! Does God, who gives you his Spirit and works miracles among you, do these things because you have obeyed the Law or because you have believed the Gospel? Ask yourselves that.
Observation
Jewish legalists in the church were teaching that belief in Jesus had to be combined with obedience to the Law in matters such as circumcision. After all, they reasoned that God’s promises were made to God’s people, so new Christians had to become more like Jews to be acceptable to God. This was in direct opposition to Paul’s teaching that salvation is free, available to all humankind, and by grace through faith. He insists that it is through God’s Spirit working in them – not any performance-based standard – that salvation, justification and sanctification occur.
This is not the only instance where Paul wrote about the free gift of salvation for Gentiles and Jews alike, separate from the observance of Jewish Law, tradition and works. We are redeemed and remodeled “not by any works lest they should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-10 MSG) and God works in His own way to do it using “the foolish things of the world to shame those considered wise” (1 Cor 1:26-30). God chose to provide – free to us – salvation (our repositioning from existing in the world to living in Christ) through the humiliation, shame and suffering of the Cross because it was the price only God Himself could pay. Jesus was the only sinless sacrifice ever born as a human.
Impact on Me
So, I tell people that I am a recovering over-achieving perfectionist and some days I am not recovering. I was raised in a high-performing family and a denomination with a heavy weight of rules to follow to be acceptable to God. As a rule follower and striving to be perfectionist, I rated myself always not quite good enough in both areas. When I surrendered my life to Christ and began to read the Bible for myself, I discovered that obedience to Christ was not necessarily the same as living up or obedience to the rules and traditions I had learned growing up. I realized that God has a different standard of perfection and achievement than the culture of this world. “I will ask you one simple question: did you receive the Spirit of God by trying to keep the Law or by believing the message of the Gospel?”
“Does God, who gives you his Spirit and works miracles among you, do these things because you have obeyed the Law or because you have believed the Gospel?” So, on the days I am not recovering from the drive for perfectionism, I fall into the unbelief of doing something to look good to others when it is either not what God is asking of me or just for show. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is quick to convict me of my display of pride so that I can repent and seek God’s will and purpose for me – visible or invisible, doorman or doormat, blessing or sacrifice – so I can walk in obedience to Him regardless of what others may think. I am so glad that God created repentance because I need it often!
Prayer
Father God, You are Love past understanding. Sending Jesus, Your Son, Love Incarnate, to provide for us salvation, restoration and true life through faith alone. Never allow me to forget that only by Your work in me am I ever who You dream for me to be. May my obedience to you be my act of love in return. Keep me mindful of the virtues that make me more like You and mark true achievement in Heaven – love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, meekness, faithfulness and self-control, mercy, grace, compassion and justice. Let me see with the eyes and love with the heart of Jesus. In Jesus’ name I pray.
Pressing On In His Footsteps 