Devotions

Circumcision is of the Heart by the Spirit

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There is only one way to be justified and made right with God and that is by faith, by believing Him. It was by faith, by believing God, that Abraham was justified as it says in Romans 4:3 “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness”. Each of us will stand personally before the Lord as it says in Romans 2:16 “on the day when God judges the secret things of people, according to my gospel, through Christ Jesus” and it won’t be about what others did or what we might have done, but only about our individual character. Have we accepted Jesus Christ and turned our hearts to live with love, joy, peace as he demonstrated? Because on that day, God, in Romans 2:6–8 “will reward each one according to his works: 7 to those who, by perseverance in good work, seek glory and honor and immortality, eternal life, 8 but to those who act from selfish ambition and who disobey the truth, but who obey unrighteousness, wrath and anger”. 

Glory and Honor and Peace to Everyone Who Does Good

Romans 2:1–16
There are those that believe their religious beliefs will justify them before God and these very people are often those that “pass judgment on someone else” in Romans 2:1. As it says though, in

Romans 2:11 “For there is no partiality with God”.

It also says in

Romans 2:2 “Now we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who do such things”.

There is absolute truth here, that every person will stand before the Lord and give an account of their actions so Paul asks in

Romans 2:3 But do you think this, O man who passes judgment on those who do such things, and who does the same things, that you will escape the judgment of God?

There is no hiding place from the righteous judgment of God. There is, however, forgiveness and a new heart to live by the spirit and to produce fruit for God’s kingdom that we can have a clear conscience when we stand before him in

Romans 2:16 “on the day when God judges the secret things of people, according to my gospel, through Christ Jesus”.

 

Circumcision is of the Heart, by the Spirit

Romans 2:17–29
We all believe that what we think is right and that our behavior is acceptable. We judge ourselves by ourselves. So also do these religious Jews that in Romans 2:17 “boast in God”. These also claim to, in Romans 2:18 “know his will and approve the things that are superior, because you are instructed by the law”. But there is an indictment against these Jews in the middle of these verses, in

Romans 2:24 For just as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Those who have the Law are to be the example of righteous and holy living for all the world to see so how is it that, in Romans 2:24 “by the transgression of the law you dishonor God!”. It is because they claim to have, in Romans 2:20 “the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth in the law” but they are not doing what is in the law. They need to teach themselves in Romans 2:21-22. It is not circumcision that makes you a Jew, it is the thoughts and intentions of the heart in

Romans 2:29 But the Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter, whose praise is not from people but from God.

Entrusted With the Oracles of God

Romans 3:1–8

The Fear of God is not Before Their Eyes

Romans 3:9–20

The Righteousness of God Through Faith in Jesus Christ

Romans 3:21–31 

Abraham Believed God

Romans 4:1–12
Paul uses Abraham as an example to draw a line between justification with God by works and justification by faith. If Abraham, or I, do the work then I have something to boast about as in

Romans 4:2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

There isn’t any work that I can do to justify myself with God. He is the one that “justifies the ungodly” in Romans 4:5. My part is simply to believe as Abraham did in

Romans 4:3 For what does the scripture say? “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness.”

Just as Abraham received righteousness by faith, before he was circumcised, so in

Romans 4:11 “And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness by faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he could be the father of all who believe although they are uncircumcised, so that righteousness could be credited to them”.

It Is by Faith, in Order That It May be According to Grace

Romans 4:13–25

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Romans 2:1-29
  • Romans 3:1-31
  • Romans 4:1-25
Devotions

The Fruit of the Spirit

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God is known, He is seen in His creation in Romans 1:20 “For from the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, both his eternal power and deity, are discerned clearly, being understood in the things created”. Yet, we as human beings are often so wrapped up in our senses, so driven by our own desires and the thoughts of our own minds that we have, as it says in Romans 1:25 “exchanged the truth of God with a lie, and worshiped and served the creation”. Through the gospel, there is the power to change us, to reveal the love of God to us, to set us on the right path, not in pursuit of things, but to develop in us the fruit of the spirit. The freedom, the life, the goodness of God in us causes us to experience as in Galatians 5:22–23 “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self control. Against such things there is no law”. We can never have too much of these in our life.

Live By The Spirit

Galatians 5:16–21 

The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22–26
As it says in Galatians 5:19 “the deeds of the flesh are evident” because these come naturally from our connection to the fallen world we are born into. Even-so, they are listed for us in Galatians 5:19-21. The fruit of the spirit though, does not come naturally. This only comes as we are first born again into the kingdom of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and then given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said it this way in

John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone is born of water and spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God.

Then Jesus also said in

John 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name—that one will teach you all things, and will remind you of everything that I said to you.

Peter identified it this way in

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

So when we are born again into God’s kingdom. we gain a teacher, the Holy Spirit who works in us to produce fruit. This fruit is a new kind of character and nature described in

Galatians 5:22–23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self control. Against such things there is no law.

You Who Are Spiritual, Restore

Galatians 6:1–5

Let Us Not Grow Weary in Doing Good

Galatians 6:6–10 

A New Creation

Galatians 6:11–18
The end of this letter sums up with this one point in

Galatians 6:15 For neither is circumcision anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

There isn’t any redeeming value in the works of the flesh whether that be in marking your body as in circumcision, or in living to “observe the law” as in Galatians 6:13 or the superstitions of the heathen. Whatever the background, the life of a Christian begins with “a new creation” and develops the fruit of the spirit.

Jews from this region were in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:9 “Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia” and had a very different religious discipline, the Law of Moses, than did the people of this region. “The original inhabitants of north Galatia were Phrygians, … the Celtic element predominated … known for … independence … drunkenness and revelings … there is evidence that they were highly superstitious”.1

There was a strong Roman influence where “The cities … were adorned with fine public buildings in the Greco-Roman tradition and … the urban elites acquired the trappings of Hellenic sophistication”.2

Set Apart for the Gospel of God

Romans 1:1–7

That I May Impart Some Spiritual Gift to Strengthen You

Romans 1:8–15 

The Gospel is the Power of God for Salvation

Romans 1:16–25
There is power available for salvation, but only to those that believe. But where does believing begin? It says in

Hebrews 11:6 Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and is a rewarder of those who seek him.

There must first be an acceptance that God exists, but even more than that, an understanding that God is good, that He is not holding back anything from us but wants what is best for us. When we accept God in this way, there is power available through the gospel for our salvation in Romans 1:16.

This attribute, this knowledge that God is good is not hidden, in fact, this is displayed clearly in all of creation as it says, in

Romans 1:19–20 because what can be known about God is evident among them, for God made it clear to them. 20 For from the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, both his eternal power and deity, are discerned clearly, being understood in the things created, so that they are without excuse.

The deception, the ignorance, the lie that has blinded humanity through the ages is that in

Romans 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

and set their attention on creation as it says in

Romans 1:25 who exchanged the truth of God with a lie, and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed for eternity. Amen.

They Did Not See Fit to Recognize God

Romans 1:26–32

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Galatians 5:16-26
  • Galatians 6:1-18
  • Romans 6:1-32

References

  • 1. Guthrie, D. (1988). Galatia. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, p. 829). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.
  • 2. Mitchell, S. (1992). Galatia (Place). In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 2, p. 870). New York: Doubleday.
Devotions

Until Christ Is Formed In You

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We are all born without any knowledge of the world around us and without any understanding of the realm of the spirit where God is. Just as we grow and gain natural knowledge about the world around us, we also grow from a state of innocence, into a knowledge of sin. We are, as it says in Galatians 4:3 “enslaved under the elemental spirits of the world”. But there is also a knowledge of the kingdom of God and the work done by Jesus Christ to free us to become the children of God as it says in Galatians 4:5–6 “in order that we might receive the adoption. 6 And because you are sons, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! (Father!),”. It is in the knowledge that we grow in Galatians 4:19 “until Christ is formed in you!”. 

When We Were Children

Galatians 4:1–7
We understand that we are born into this world as infants and grow to become children, and finally become adults. But Paul uses this cycle of life to illustrate spiritual growth. We are born as natural beings with no understanding of, or access to, the spirit realm. We are born “enslaved under the elemental spirits of the world” in Galatians 4:3 bound by the laws of nature, the fallen nature that gave dominion to the devil and his fallen angels. This is the dominion the devil used to tempt Jesus in

Luke 4:5–8 And he led him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to him, “I will give you all this domain and their glory, because it has been handed over to me, and I can give it to whomever I want. 7 So if you will worship before me, all this will be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered and said to him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ”

Jesus didn’t accept this offer because our relationship is to be directly with the father and Jesus had been sent to pay the price for our redemption in

Galatians 4:4–6 But when the fullness of time came, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 in order that he might redeem those under the law, in order that we might receive the adoption. 6 And because you are sons, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! (Father!),”

At That Time … You Were Enslaved

Galatians 4:8–12 

Until Christ Is Formed In You

Galatians 4:13–20
Paul has explained that when they were children they were under the law. But in Christ, they are free, forgiven, reconciled to God as his sons and daughters, heirs with Christ. When Paul brought them this message, he says “you welcomed me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus” in Galatians 4:14.

So who are these that “zealously seek you, not commendably. but they want to exclude you” in Galatians 4:17? These are not people that are seeking the good of the believer but are seeking their own good by bringing people under the law again so Paul questions them in

Galatians 4:21 Tell me, you who are wanting to be under the law, do you not understand the law?

The message Paul is trying to get across to them is that they should grow up, they must become full grown. Paul gave them the message and they were born again, but now he labors again to raise them to maturity in

Galatians 4:19 My children, for whom I am having birth pains again, until Christ is formed in you!

Do You Not Understand The Law?

Galatians 4:21–31 

For Freedom, Christ Has Made Us Free

Galatians 5:1–6
Paul has made the point that the promise first came to Abraham when he believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness. Then, circumcision was done as an outward sign. But it was many years later that the law was introduced through Moses. This law, which had a type of sacrifice for sin, could never make one free from sin and death. Freedom came when Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice, gave himself as atonement that the penalty of death was paid, and we were free. Now, Paul offers this declaration in Galatians 5:1 to “Stand firm, therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery”.

Paul makes it very clear that if you are depending on the law for salvation, then Christ can not save you … justification, salvation, reconciliation with God, is only in Galatians 5:6 “in Christ Jesus … (by) faith working through love”.

Who Hindered You?

Galatians 5:7–15

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Galatians 4:1-31
  • Galatians 5:1-15
Devotions

I Had Been Entrusted With The Gospel

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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

Galatians 2:1–5 

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

Galatians 3:1–7 

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

Today’s Reading

  • Galatians 2:1-21
  • Galatians 3:1-29
Devotions

A Revelation of Jesus Christ

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The life of Paul is a testimony to the grace and goodness of God. He was one of the toughest and most religious of the Israelites, yet when Jesus Christ appeared to him, he received him as the Lord. This was a very personal transformation for Paul, a spiritual encounter that changed him forever. And, as Paul declares the gospel of Jesus Christ, it is not to bring people into submission to Paul’s authority or to conform people to Paul’s set of rules, it is for them to also have this revelation that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, the Son of God, the Lord of Lords, the one that has become our high priest and has opened the way for us so we can in Hebrews 4:16 “approach with confidence to the throne of grace”. 

Test Yourselves to See if You Are in the Faith

2 Corinthians 13:1–10
The church at Corinth is now well established, gifts of the spirit were in operation as we saw in 1 Corinthians 12. Yet, Paul had been writing to them as children in

1 Corinthians 3:1 And I, brothers, was not able to speak to you as to spiritual people, but as to fleshly people, as to infants in Christ.

so Paul encouraged them in the use of spiritual gifts, and most of all in love. Now, the church has matured in some ways because Paul says “Christ … is powerful among you”, yet, there are those in the church that are challenging Paul in

2 Corinthians 13:3 since you are demanding proof that Christ, who is not weak toward you, but is powerful among you, is speaking in me.

Paul has identified these accusers as false apostles, as deceivers, and has given his defense but before finishing this letter, Paul turns their attention away from the disputing about himself or others or who is qualified as an apostle and charges believers to “see if you are in the faith”. This is the more important question, what have we individually done with this gospel of Jesus Christ? Paul says, look to yourself in

2 Corinthians 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are unqualified?

The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 13:11–13

An Apostle Not From Men

Galatians 1:1–5

There Are Some Who Are Disturbing You

Galatians 1:6–10 

A Revelation of Jesus Christ

Galatians 1:11–17
Paul relates his experience, his conversion, his encounter with Jesus Christ that happened after he succeeded in his religious endeavors in

Galatians 1:14 and was progressing in Judaism beyond many contemporaries in my nation, because I was a far more zealous adherent of the traditions handed down by my forefathers.

and after he zealously, as a proponent of the traditions, sought to destroy “the church of God” in

Galatians 1:13 For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism, that to an extraordinary degree I was persecuting the church of God, and trying to destroy it,

Now, he had “a revelation of Jesus Christ” in Galatians 1:13. This is not a work of men, it is a manifestation of the power of God and now, Paul says in

Galatians 1:11 For I make known to you, brothers, the gospel that has been proclaimed by me, that it is not of human origin.

 

They Were Glorifying God Because of Me

Galatians 1:18–24
After Paul’s conversion, his life was threatened in Damascus and he escaped (see Acts 9:23–25, 2 Corinthians 11:32–33). The book of Acts doesn’t mention this three year period. Paul doesn’t return immediately to Jerusalem as we might have expected him to have done, instead, in

Galatians 1:17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away to Arabia and I returned again to Damascus.

Then, after a short visit to Jerusalem, his life was threatened again and he went to Tarsus, the city of his birth in Cilicia in

Galatians 1:21 Then I came to the regions of Syria and of Cilicia,

So, in “the churches of Judea” in Galatians 1:22 Paul was only known by his reputation in

Galatians 1:23–24 and they were only hearing, “The one formerly persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith that formerly he was attempting to destroy,” 24 and they were glorifying God because of me.

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • 2 Corinthians 13:1-13
  • Galatians 1:1-24
Devotions

We Are Speaking in Christ Before God

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In this world, we know people first by what they say and then by what they do. Paul has demonstrated his apostleship in 2 Corinthians 12:12 “Indeed, the signs of an apostle have been done among you with all patient endurance, both signs and wonders and deeds of power” and yet, there are now others, deceivers, turning people to “a different gospel” in 2 Corinthians 11:4. People may forget the work we have done, and at what personal cost, but as Paul said of himself, so it should also be with us that, in 2 Corinthians 12:19 We are speaking in Christ before God, and all these things, dear friends, are for your edification.

Just as Christ Himself Is, So Also are We

2 Corinthians 10:1–10

Proclaim the Gospel in the Regions That lie Beyond

2 Corinthians 10:11–18 

The Sincerity and the Purity of Devotion to Christ

2 Corinthians 11:1–15
Some have come preaching a different message, they are turning people to follow themselves and to follow “a different gospel” in 2 Corinthians 11:4. As an apostle to the Gentiles, Paul speaks to the believers in Achaia as a matchmaker contracted to deliver the bride saying “I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ” in 2 Corinthians 10:2. He says in

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds may be led astray from the sincerity and the purity of devotion to Christ.

Paul describes these people that have come to them saying in

2 Corinthians 11:13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

and goes even further to say they are like Satan himself in

2 Corinthians 11:14 And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light.

 

If It Is Necessary to Boast

2 Corinthians 11:16–33
These other apostles, these other teachers, these deceivers have come with their credentials, boasting about their natural human accomplishments in

2 Corinthians 11:18 Since many are boasting according to human standards, I also will boast.

Now, Paul gives an account of his life beginning in

2 Corinthians 11:22 Are they Hebrews? I am also! Are they Israelites? I am also! Are they descendants of Abraham? I am also!

but that is not enough for these boasters so he goes on to ask if they are “servants of Christ” in 2 Corinthians 11:23. Then he asks, have they been “beaten … stoned … shipwrecked” in 2 Corinthians 11:25 and his list goes on in 2 Corinthians 11:26-27 “on journeys … in dangers … with toil and hardship … sleepless nights … going hungry … cold” and in

2 Corinthians 11:28 Apart from these external things, there is the pressure on me every day of the anxiety about all the churches.

Who else can boast of these things that represent Paul’s sincerity, his dedication, his hearts desire for the salvation of the Gentiles even at the risk of his own life which he has faced from the very start after his conversion in Damascus in 2 Corinthians 11:32-33.

The Extraordinary Degree of the Revelations

2 Corinthians 12:1–10 

We Are Speaking in Christ Before God

2 Corinthians 12:11–21
How is it that these believers are deceived? They have seen the power of God manifested through the hands of Paul in

2 Corinthians 12:12 Indeed, the signs of an apostle have been done among you with all patient endurance, both signs and wonders and deeds of power.

Paul is writing to them because he plans to come to them again, and the nature of the gospel is that the churches, the believers who are the church, support the work of ministry. They have supported Paul’s work but there are those that are bound up by their love for money (see Matthew 19:21, Acts 8:23) and accuse Paul as if he is seeking their possessions so Paul is clear with them in

2 Corinthians 12:14 Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you. For I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

When accusations are made, some get defensive, and the carnal among them might think this is Paul’s motive, but his intent is to set them on the right path because, as he says in 2 Corinthians 12:20 “I am afraid lest somehow there will be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, pride, disorder” but Paul is sincere, pure in heart, as he says in

2 Corinthians 12:19 Have you been thinking all this time that we are defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and all these things, dear friends, are for your edification.

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • 2 Corinthians 10:1-18
  • 2 Corinthians 11:1-33
  • 2 Corinthians 12:1-21