Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

July 31
Friday


THE ONLY
PLACE TO START

READ:
Galatians 1:6-12
_______________________________________

If anyone preaches any
other gospel to you
than what you have
received, let him be
accursed.
__Galatians 1:9
_______________________________________

When a publishing company asked me to write an endorsement for a new book, I said I'd be glad to. It appeared to be a helpful effort directed to young people, challenging them to live for God in a changing world. But as I read the book, something troubled me. Although it had lots of Scripture and great spiritual advice, it didn't explain that the starting point for any relationship with God is salvation through Jesus Christ.

The writer seemed to imply that the essence of living spiritually in modern society is based totally on action--good deeds--and not on saving faith in Christ. I didn't write the endorsement.

The culture of the church is changing rapidly. Often left behind in the rush to find exciting new ideas is the essential nature of the gospel. The apostle Paul was astonished that people so readily embraced a "different gospel" (Gal. 1:6). What he preached was not from man, but a direct revelation from Jesus Himself (vv.11-12).

We must never let go of that true gospel: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again for our justification, declaring us righteous before God (Rom. 4:25); 1 Cor. 15:3-4). this alone offers the "power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Rom. 1:16). If we want to live for God, this is the only place to start. __Dave Branon
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````````````````````No one can say he doesn't need``````````````
````````````````````````Forgiveness for his sin,``````````````````
```````````````````For all must come to Christ by faith`````````````
```````````````````To have new life within. __Branon`````````````
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Faith is the hand that must take God's gift of salvation.

*************Today's Bible Reading __ Galatians 1:6-12************

6 I marvel that you are
turning away so soon from
Him who called you in the
grace of Christ, to a
different gospel, 7 which is
not another; but there are
some who trouble you and
want to pervert the gospel
of Christ. 8 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. 9 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.

10 For do I now persuade
men, or God? Or do I seek
to please men? For if I still
pleased men, I would not be
a bondservant of Christ.

11 But I make known to
you, brethren, that the
gospel which was preached
by me is not according to
man. 12 For I neither
received it from man, nor
was I taught it, but it came
through the revelation of
Jesus Christ.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Christianity began in Judaism. As more and more non-Jews became
Christians, the role of Judaism in the Christian faith became an
issue. a group of Jewish teachers, called the Judaizers, taught
that Christians must first convert to Judaism and follow Jewish ceremonies and practices in order to be saved. Paul wrote this letter
to correct this teaching (v.6), affirming that salvation is by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ, not by observing the Mosaic law (Gal.
2:16-20; 3:11,24-25). SIM KAY TEE