Galatians 1:6-9

"I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want tot pervert the gospel of Christ.  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.  As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed."               

                            beware of additives

We have been called to come into relationship with God in the grace of Jesus Christ.  However, some people in Paul’s day, (and some people in our own day), turn away from the simplicity and beauty of this grace.  It appears that among the churches of Galatia some teaching was going about which perverted the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The Galatians seem to be in the process of abandoning the grace of a personal relationship with a loving God for something else.  History tells us that certain Judaizers sincerely accepted salvation in Christ, but added that the observance of various Jewish rites and traditions were necessary for “good standing” with God.  These Judaizers’ teachings were infiltrating the Galatian churches where many of these Gentiles had no Jewish heritage or tradition.

Do you think we run into some of the same issues in our day?  How about among various denominations?  I remember struggling in my own walk with God during a particular season of my life, specifically as a result of teachings about “how real Christians live”.  I wanted to love and serve God faithfully and sincerely, but I began to pursue “right living” even more than the “Righteous One”.  The result was that I walked right past mercy and into self-righteousness along with judgment and condemnation of others.  This led to separation rather than unity, fear rather than security, and works rather than faith for salvation.  Even now, I sometimes struggle with “grace alone” because I am trying to be “good enough”.

There are places and times for separation, fear and works: we are to be separate from the world, we are to have reverential fear of offending God, we are to work out our faith.  But as a foundation, all of this must rest on the relationship with have with God by the love and grace of Jesus Christ.  Really, it is quite simple, yet I sometimes turn away from the simplicity to my own efforts and achievement.  The amazing good news is that God not only wants close fellowship with us, and wants us to enjoy it with one another, but He wants it bad enough to make the way for us to have it:  by the grace of, and faith in, Jesus Christ.

Are there any “additives” in your thinking that are creating distinctions God never intended?  Have you made some things “necessary” that really aren’t?  If so, what?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What is it that is essentially necessary for relationship with God?  Stick to that, and as you grow in your knowledge and understanding of God and His love for you and for others, you will grow as well in your application of His truth in practical ways.

Read and Pray:  Isaiah 42:5-9, Micah 6:8, John 15:15