God has a different standard, as it says in Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” declares Yahweh. So, when we ask the question, in Acts 16:30 “what must I do so that I can be saved?”, there is one simple answer in Acts 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household!”. Just as Paul was entrusted with this gospel, so are we. We don’t need anyone’s approval or permission, it has already been given to us. It is in our hands to go, and tell one person, and then tell another, that Jesus Christ has freed them from the law of sin and death. The covenant, the blessing of Abraham is there for all who will believe.
Our Freedom That we Have in Christ Jesus
I Had Been Entrusted With The Gospel
Galatians 2:6–10
In any social gathering, there are those, as Paul described in this gathering in Galatians 2:6 “who were influential”. But it wasn’t the ability to influence people that mattered to Paul because the Lord had called Paul and sent him to the Gentiles. And it wasn’t approval that Paul needed to complete his work, this is simply a recognition of what God had already done in Paul in
Galatians 2:7–9 “they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcision … 8 (for the one who was at work through Peter for his apostleship to the circumcision was at work also through me for the Gentiles), 9 … those thought to be pillars—acknowledged the grace given to me”.
We often get this backward, looking for men to approve and commission and send, but it is the Lord that has set some in the church in
Ephesians 4:11 And he himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers
How Can You Compel the Gentiles to Live Like Jews?
Galatians 2:11–14
I Live by Faith in the Son of God
Galatians 2:15–21
The Ones Who Have Faith, These are Sons of Abraham
In You, All the Nations of the World Will be Blessed
Galatians 3:8–14
We often hear about the blessing of Abraham and the covenant that God made with him as Paul quotes here in Galatians 3:8 “In you all the nations will be blessed.” That blessing came on Abraham for one reason, he believed God. And as we read in
Galatians 3:6–7 Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, 7 then understand that the ones who have faith, these are sons of Abraham.
The sons of Abraham here are not his natural seed, but those that like him, also believe in
Galatians 3:9 So then, the ones who have faith are blessed together with Abraham who believed.
Paul is talking about two things here. First is that in
Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,”
The second is that in
Galatians 3:14 in order that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
To His Descendant the Promises Were Spoken
Galatians 3:15–18
This covenant, this promise to Abraham came first, and it was to Abraham and his descendant in
Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and to his descendant the promises were spoken. It does not say, “and to descendants,” as concerning many, but as concerning one, “and to your descendant,” who is Christ.
Then came the law, “after four hundred and thirty years” in Galatians 3:17 which “was added on account of transgressions, until the descendant should come” in Galatians 3:19 and it was God’s plan that in
Galatians 3:22–24 But the scripture imprisoned all under sin, in order that the promise could be given by faith in Jesus Christ to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were detained under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. 24 So then, the law became our guardian until Christ, in order that we could be justified by faith.
That The Promise Could Be Given By Faith
Galatians 3:19–29
Study Verses
- Galatians 2:6–10 I Had Been Entrusted With The Gospel
- Galatians 3:8–14 In You, All the Nations of the World Will be Blessed
- Galatians 3:15–18 To His Descendant the Promises Were Spoken
Today’s Reading
- Galatians 2:1-21
- Galatians 3:1-29
