Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?
Summary: Paul segues into a metaphor about running a race. To finish the race we need to stay in the race and not be distracted.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:7 – Road Runner”The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
Summary: Paul summarizes the essence of the gospel in this passage. Yet, as simple as it sounds, it is difficult to do.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:6b – Love and Conflict”For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.
Summary: Paul continues to prompt interesting questions about Christian life. “What has value for God?” is a question that opens the door to understanding God’s will better.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:6a – Blind Spot”For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.
Summary: Once again Paul points us to the truth that there are reasons we wait, have faith, and hope.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:5 – Waiting in Faith and Hope”… you have fallen away from grace.
Summary: Falling away from grace doesn’t sound so scary until we realize that God’s grace is essential for true life in the flesh and eternal life in the spirit.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:4b – A Place Called Grace”You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ;
Summary: Paul’s insistence on this point is leading us to deeper levels of understanding God’s power of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:4a – Christ or Antichrist?”Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
Summary: Paul’s discourse on the law and God’s family has opened up a whole new world of understanding for this writer.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:3 – A Horrible Thought!”Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
Summary: Paul’s statement about circumcision seems a bit over the top. Fortunately, we have lots of context to help us understand Paul’s meaning.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:2 – Complications”Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Summary: Paul is working hard to help us understand our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:1b – Standing Firm”It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.
Summary: Understanding what Paul means by freedom is key to understanding what it means to be saved by faith in Jesus.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:1a – Children of the King”