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GALATIANS
Galatians 1:1-5
I, Paul, as God’s chosen apostle, am sending this letter to the churches in Galatia and asking God’s blessings on you.
I am disappointed that you are believing a message that is not the good news about Christ, and I ask God to eternally punish those who are teaching such a message.
It was Jesus Christ, not any human, who revealed the message that I proclaim.
For 17 years after God showed his Son to me, I had no contact with the apostles.
Finally, when I returned to Jerusalem and told Peter, James, and John what I always proclaim, they agreed that Barnabas and I were preaching the same message and serving the Lord just like they were.
Later I rebuked Peter for not behaving according to the gospel, in that he was encouraging non-Jews to adopt Jewish laws and rituals.
Because you trusted in Christ, not because you obeyed the laws God gave Moses, you received the Holy Spirit and now experience his working among you.
It is those Jews and non-Jews who trust Christ who are Abraham’s spiritual descendants, because those who seek to be justified by obeying the laws that God gave Moses are condemned by God.
Christ was condemned instead of us, so that God might bless the non-Jews just as he blessed Abraham, and so that we might receive the Spirit.
By giving his laws to the Jews, God has not canceled what he promised to Abraham much earlier concerning his descendant, Christ. Just like God gave his blessings to Abraham just because he promised to do so, he freely gives his blessings to us.
God gave his laws to supervise us sinful Jews until Christ, Abraham’s promised descendant, would come.
Because of our relationship with Christ, we are Abraham’s spiritual descendants, and God’s heirs, no longer like slaves.
Each of you is no longer like a slave, but a child of God and an heir of what he has promised.
I plead with you to do as I did when I was with you, and not obey all the Jewish rules and rituals.
Because of our relationship with Christ, we are not subject to Mosaic law; being Abraham’s spiritual descendants, we are free from such bondage.
Reject the false teaching that you must be circumcised, and do not become enslaved to rules and rituals again, otherwise Christ will not benefit you at all.
Although someone has confused you, I am sure that you will not accept his false teaching, and that God will punish him.
Although you are free from having to obey Jewish rules, instead of doing what your self-directed nature desires, love and serve each other.
Let God’s Spirit direct you, and then you will not do what your self-directed nature desires.
Those who think evil thoughts and do evil things will not receive the blessings of God’s rule, but God’s Spirit produces many good qualities in our lives.
Gently correct anyone among you who is sinning, and help each other without thinking you are better than others.
We should not tire of doing good, but instead, we should do good to everyone, especially to believers.
Some people want you to be circumcised only so that they will not be persecuted for proclaiming what Christ accomplished for us on the cross, but that is the only thing that I will boast about.
I have suffered enough for declaring the truth about Jesus, so do not trouble me again.
I pray that God may act kindly within you.

© 2008-2017 Ellis W. Deibler, Jr.