Text: Galatians 3:1-6
Memory verse:
“Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—”
Galatians 3:5 NKJV
Many believers still want to draw the products of grace by living under law. This is not possible. This is what Jesus described as joining the new garment with the old garment and pouring the new wine in an old wine bottle (Matt 9:16-17). The old garment and the old wine stand for the law and the new garment and the new wine stand for grace. The law is built on what you can do or what you deserve but grace is built on what Christ did apart from your effort. In grace, you deserve nothing and earn nothing but just God’s gift. Under law, you can boast but under grace, you have no ground for boasting.
Now, how do you know if you are not slipping into the law after you have started by grace through faith?
First, believers who are slipping into the works of the law complain about every problem and every challenge instead of praying about them. Even when they make attempts to pray, they refuse to drop the burden for the Lord but carry it around. (Phil 4:6; I Pet 5:7). Contrarily, those who remain under grace live by faith and they pray about everything.
Secondly, they measure their God by the size of their problems rather than measuring their problems by the size of their God. Such were the ten tribes who magnified the people in the land above God (Num 14:3).
Thirdly, they give evil reports rather than good reports (Num 13:32). Evil reports are words which are contrary to what God said but good reports are what God said. Good reports are the words of faith in our mouths. These believers are moved by what they see or the things they hear (2 Cor 4:13; 18).
Believers who are still under law boast of what they can accomplish instead of boasting of what God has accomplished for them through Christ and what He is now doing through them (1 Cor 15:10; Phil 2:27).
These believers brag of their love for God instead of God’s love for them. Peter bragged of his love for Christ and yet denied Him while John relied on Jesus’ love and stood by Him till death. John referred to himself at different times in the book of John as, ‘The disciple whom Jesus loved’ (John 13:23; 19:26-27).
Friends, according to our memory text today, you cannot receive anything from God by the works of the law but by faith. Don’t let the challenges of the times cause you to begin to live by your self effort and by your reasoning. You are called to navigate through this world by faith.
Prayer points
1. Father, thank You for loving me and please help me to always rely on Your love for me in Jesus name.
2. Father, thank You for saving me by grace through faith and please, help me to continue to live as such in Jesus name.
Today’s declarations
1. I started with grace and faith, so I can’t continue with the works of the law.
2. I will forever be conscious that I cannot earn any blessing but only by grace through faith.
Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng