#112-G58 – Galatians 3:1-2
The great apostle Paul begins this chapter by discussing the foolishness of the Galatians and all those who think they have something that will improve on the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ as the basis for one’s salvation. Man’s works can’t add anything to the complete and finished work of Christ. Here in chapter three of Galatians Paul continues with his comments about what some have done to pollute his message of grace, trying to impose the Mosaic Law on the relatively new believers in this Romans province of Galatia. Here Paul continues his arguments that oppose the teaching these people had brought into the area.
I then go to Ephesians 1:18 [and then I Corinthians 2:12-16] where Paul has written to these others about some of these same problems. Here we’re to understand the way God wants us to “see” things. We simply call this divine viewpoint thinking. As you learn the word of God one day at a time, you should more and more begin to see all of life the way He would have us see it. In this case, we’re to note that salvation comes by grace through faith alone. By studying these other passages, we get a better, broader understanding of this truth.
People naturally tend to think merit has much to do with gaining anything and everything in life. But such is not the case with this which is most important of all–Salvation. It comes to us ONLY by grace through FAITH in Christ. This represents the difference between what we may call human viewpoint and divine viewpoint. It is now the Bible that makes it possible for us to learn about how God thinks concerning many areas of life.
I then go to the I Corinthians 2 passage where Paul talks there also about the basics of salvation. This is something I often review because I know how simple it is for people to get off track in their doctrinal beliefs. I then go to I Corinthians 12:13 and note what God did at the point of our salvation to put us into a permanent relationship with Jesus Christ. This is known of the baptism OF the Holy Spirit that puts us into Christ, and one body. In other words, we are permanently IDENTIFIED with Christ at the point of our salvation. I Corinthians 3:16 is more on the work of the Holy Spirit in our salvation. This points out that the Holy Spirit now dwells IN us. Today every believer has the indwelling of Christ. I Corinthians 6:19-20 provides still more on this. This lets us know that there’s a real sense in which we as believers are now “slaves” to God. We are His and we need to think and act like it. We are to therefore glorify God in our body through our obedience to Him.
Romans 8:8-9 is still more about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We are to serve God in all that we do because of what God has done for us, is doing for us, and is going to do for us. Here I again point out that EVERY believer today has the Holy Spirit living within them. Again, that’s EVERY believer.
I then conclude with a discussion about how all these things and much more are covered in my books. They may be ordered through Amazon.com —22 Key Promises you can count on & Discovering God’s Rich Blessings in time of suffering.
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