Verse of the Day 9/21

Through the Bible - Song of Solomon 4-6, Galatians 2

 

Good morning,

We recently read Paul's concise gospel in 1 Corinthians 15.  As we move to Galatians in the New Testament reading (above) Paul is dealing with a church that had turned away from the true gospel and fallen back into legalism.

Today's verse comes from yesterday's reading in chapter 1.

Galatians 1:6-7 (Amplified Bible)  I am surprised and astonished that you are so quickly turning renegade and deserting Him Who invited and called you by the grace (unmerited favor) of Christ (the Messiah) [and that you are transferring your allegiance] to a different [even an opposition] gospel.

⁷Not that there is [or could be] any other [genuine Gospel], but there are [obviously] some who are troubling and disturbing and bewildering you [with a different kind of teaching which they offer as a gospel] and want to pervert and distort the Gospel of Christ (the Messiah) [into something which it absolutely is not].

The Amplified Bible correctly describes the situation in that they were not just turning, they were deserting Christ by following man made rules and regulations.  John MacArthur writes regarding "turning away" - "This is better translated deserting.  The Greek word was used of military desertion, which was punishable by death.  The form of this Greek verb indicates that the Galatian believers were voluntarily deserting grace to pursue the legalism taught by the false teachers" the Judaizers.

 

Romans 4-5. Ephesians 2 and many other passages show us that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, not of works.

 

We need to keep the gospel message before us.  This can be done by being in His Word.  We can also be reminded of this in hymns and modern songs that convey the message.  I'll post the first stanza to "Living He Loved Me".  If you have another song that reminds you of the gospel of Christ, sing it in your heart or out loud in preparation for the day ahead and the day of His return.

 

Living he Loved Me
Dying he saved me
Buried He carried my
My sins far away
Rising he justified me
Freed me forever
One day he's coming back Glorious day

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

 Galatians 1:3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. ⁴ Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. ⁵ All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.

There Is Only One Good News

 ⁶ I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News ⁷ but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.

 ⁸ Let God's curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. ⁹ I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.

 ¹⁰ Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant.