'Food for Thought' is the free monthly, Bible-based meal for individual digestion or group feasting, and is a work of the Holy Spirit.
May 2024 - WHAT MATTERS?
"For when we are in union with Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor the lack of it makes any difference at all; what matters is faith that works through love" (Galatians 5:6 GNB/TEV).
Among the churches of Galatia, there were people who claimed that believers in Christ must also obey the Law of Moses in order to be put right with God; the circumcision of men was one of these laws. Today, there are people who claim that believers in Christ must also obey certain laws to be put right with God, to be saved from hell. Believers in Christ who don't obey these laws are regarded as unfaithful and "taught more correctly" or shunned; churches that don't embrace these laws are condemned as apostate churches.
Whilst lack of circumcision doesn't appear to be a cause of condemnation these days, there are plenty of other laws that are used to divide and condemn brethren. You have probably come across some of these laws. We heard about one such law in an African shop when we tried to buy bacon; the shop girl told us that people who eat bacon go to hell. We have also experienced a withdrawing of fellowship when we left one particular church to meet with a different church. The former church considered us "lost" because we had left the one and only "correct" church. We have also been condemned online for not using the King James version of the Bible (exclusively), and for worshipping on Sunday instead of Saturday. Such laws are a source of division in the church.
In his letter to the Galatians, Apostle Paul argues that the Law of Moses is not binding on those in Christ Jesus. Here are the key points of Paul's argument:
* The purpose of the Law was to show what wrong doing is, and the Law was only meant to last until the coming of Christ (Galatians 3:19,23-25).
* We are put right with God only through faith in Jesus Christ, never by doing what the Law requires (Galatians 2:16,17,21; 3:11).
* We receive God's Spirit through faith in Christ, not by doing what the Law requires. If the Spirit leads us, we are not subject to the Law (Galatians 3:2,5,14; 5:18).
* If we build a system of Law to be put right with God, then we have to obey the Law, and we will be condemned because we can't keep the Law perfectly. If we break one law, we break them all (Galatians 2:18; 3:10,12. See also James 2:10-11).
* If we try to justify ourselves by obeying the Law, we cut ourselves off from Christ. We are outside God's grace (Galatians 5:2-4).
You may also like to read Paul's argument in his letter to the Romans. Key points are found in Romans 3:19-31; 4:5; 7:4-6, 12-13; 8:1-4.
Paul makes it clear in Galatians and Romans - Christians are not under the Law of Moses. Does that mean Christians don't have to obey any laws? Consider the following scriptures:
"And now I give you a new commandment: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34 GNB/TEV).
"Jesus replied, 'If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him'" (John 14:23 NIV).
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you" (John 15:12 NIV).
"This is my command: Love each other" (John 15:17 NIV).
"Be under obligation to no one - the only obligation you have is to love one another. Whoever does this has obeyed the Law ... If you love someone, you will never do him wrong; to love, then, is to obey the whole Law" (Romans 13:8,10 GNB/TEV).
"What he (God) commands is that we believe in his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as Christ commanded us" (1 John 3:23 GNB/TEV).
"You will be doing the right thing if you obey the law of the Kingdom, which is found in the scripture, 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself'" (James 2:8 GNB/TEV).
Don't let people persuade you that your salvation depends on your obedience to certain laws. Christians obey a person, Jesus Christ, not a law code. Obeying Jesus Christ instead of obeying a law code is like driving a vehicle on the road and obeying the directions of a Police Officer instead of obeying the traffic laws. The law says, "Stop at a red light", but a Police Officer has the authority to turn off the traffic light and direct you personally. Christ has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18), and he directs us. Listen to him! (Matthew 17:5; Hebrews 1:1-2).
Quoting Oswald Chambers: "We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the One Whom the Bible reveals (cf John 5:39-40) ... Always keep your life measured by the standards of Jesus. Bow your neck to His yoke alone, and to no other yoke whatever ... It takes God a long time to get us out of the way of thinking that unless everyone sees as we do, they must be wrong ... Jesus said, 'Go and make disciples,' not 'make converts to your opinions.'" (My Utmost for His Highest, 6 May)
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"For when we are in union with Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor the lack of it makes any difference at all; what matters is faith that works through love" (Galatians 5:6 GNB/TEV).
Among the churches of Galatia, there were people who claimed that believers in Christ must also obey the Law of Moses in order to be put right with God; the circumcision of men was one of these laws. Today, there are people who claim that believers in Christ must also obey certain laws to be put right with God, to be saved from hell. Believers in Christ who don't obey these laws are regarded as unfaithful and "taught more correctly" or shunned; churches that don't embrace these laws are condemned as apostate churches.
Whilst lack of circumcision doesn't appear to be a cause of condemnation these days, there are plenty of other laws that are used to divide and condemn brethren. You have probably come across some of these laws. We heard about one such law in an African shop when we tried to buy bacon; the shop girl told us that people who eat bacon go to hell. We have also experienced a withdrawing of fellowship when we left one particular church to meet with a different church. The former church considered us "lost" because we had left the one and only "correct" church. We have also been condemned online for not using the King James version of the Bible (exclusively), and for worshipping on Sunday instead of Saturday. Such laws are a source of division in the church.
In his letter to the Galatians, Apostle Paul argues that the Law of Moses is not binding on those in Christ Jesus. Here are the key points of Paul's argument:
* The purpose of the Law was to show what wrong doing is, and the Law was only meant to last until the coming of Christ (Galatians 3:19,23-25).
* We are put right with God only through faith in Jesus Christ, never by doing what the Law requires (Galatians 2:16,17,21; 3:11).
* We receive God's Spirit through faith in Christ, not by doing what the Law requires. If the Spirit leads us, we are not subject to the Law (Galatians 3:2,5,14; 5:18).
* If we build a system of Law to be put right with God, then we have to obey the Law, and we will be condemned because we can't keep the Law perfectly. If we break one law, we break them all (Galatians 2:18; 3:10,12. See also James 2:10-11).
* If we try to justify ourselves by obeying the Law, we cut ourselves off from Christ. We are outside God's grace (Galatians 5:2-4).
You may also like to read Paul's argument in his letter to the Romans. Key points are found in Romans 3:19-31; 4:5; 7:4-6, 12-13; 8:1-4.
Paul makes it clear in Galatians and Romans - Christians are not under the Law of Moses. Does that mean Christians don't have to obey any laws? Consider the following scriptures:
"And now I give you a new commandment: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34 GNB/TEV).
"Jesus replied, 'If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him'" (John 14:23 NIV).
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you" (John 15:12 NIV).
"This is my command: Love each other" (John 15:17 NIV).
"Be under obligation to no one - the only obligation you have is to love one another. Whoever does this has obeyed the Law ... If you love someone, you will never do him wrong; to love, then, is to obey the whole Law" (Romans 13:8,10 GNB/TEV).
"What he (God) commands is that we believe in his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as Christ commanded us" (1 John 3:23 GNB/TEV).
"You will be doing the right thing if you obey the law of the Kingdom, which is found in the scripture, 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself'" (James 2:8 GNB/TEV).
Don't let people persuade you that your salvation depends on your obedience to certain laws. Christians obey a person, Jesus Christ, not a law code. Obeying Jesus Christ instead of obeying a law code is like driving a vehicle on the road and obeying the directions of a Police Officer instead of obeying the traffic laws. The law says, "Stop at a red light", but a Police Officer has the authority to turn off the traffic light and direct you personally. Christ has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18), and he directs us. Listen to him! (Matthew 17:5; Hebrews 1:1-2).
Quoting Oswald Chambers: "We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the One Whom the Bible reveals (cf John 5:39-40) ... Always keep your life measured by the standards of Jesus. Bow your neck to His yoke alone, and to no other yoke whatever ... It takes God a long time to get us out of the way of thinking that unless everyone sees as we do, they must be wrong ... Jesus said, 'Go and make disciples,' not 'make converts to your opinions.'" (My Utmost for His Highest, 6 May)
To Subscribe
Please click the SUBSCRIBE button below, enter your email address in the box provided, and click the SUBSCRIBE button a second time. Thank you.