Jesus Plus

Galatians 2:4-5

These verses are about false brothers, they may be members of the local church but they are not brothers in Christ and they come for one reason to add circumcision as a requirement to be a Christian.  Paul said they were trying to enslave us and take away our freedom but many have tried over the years to make requirements, like baptism, walking down the aisle of a church building to confess publicly, church membership, and the list goes on.  That is why verse five is such a great lesson; we, like Paul, should not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved as it has been for us.

Becoming a Christian is simple in fact it may be a no-brainer because it is a free gift from the heavenly Father.  But simple is not always easy, in fact, for many if God had only added faith-plus it would have been much easier.  Religion is based on doing some act to earn God’s approval, but Jesus tells us in John 3:16 that His Father loved you so much that He gave His Son to take your place.  That act of love requires only one action from you, to by faith accept that Jesus’ blood redeemed you and put you in fellowship and a relationship with His Father.  In fact, Romans 6:23, states the following; “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  In fact the apostle told the Ephesians Church the following; “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”  It was by God’s grace and He gave you the faith to believe and put your trust in what Jesus did on the cross; you are in Christ because of His great love for you.

The apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 2:21, that if justification were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose, in fact, Jesus makes this statement in John 10:9. “I am the door.  If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and go in and out and find pasture.”  This same Jesus tells us that he is the only way to the Father in John 14:6, and many will say that is too narrow, it is too exclusive but the fact still remains, Jesus said; “I am the way and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  Not through membership, not through baptism, not through communion, nor any act on your part but faith in what Jesus did by shedding his blood for your sins. 

Lord Jesus, thank you for each person who has preserved the gospel, for each teacher who has as held to the truth.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice