Lesson 2083

(Lesson 2083)(08-18-17)  Galatians 5:1-14
    “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. I would  were even cut off which trouble you. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

    In this lesson, Paul once again warned the Galatians to avoid the entanglements of the old Hebrew Law. He told those Jews, who were adamant to hold on to the restrictions of the Law, that they would be wholly bound by it. Meaning, then just as it does today, that if a lost soul is reliant on one part of the Law to achieve eternal salvation, that soul must abandon any hope of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and obey every element of that Law.
    Sadly, the vast majority of today’s socalled Christian churches insist that obedience to some of the commandments (The “thous shalt nots”) is required to achieve spiritual rebirth and eternal salvation. That misunderstanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ is leading thousands of people into hell every day. That is because, if one places a part of his/her faith in his/her own ability to live above sin, that one does NOT have absolute faith in the perfection of Jesus Christ for remission of ALL sin. That lost soul is, by default, maintaining faith in his/her own actions instead of leaving it all on the cross of Jesus Christ.~