Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

November 29
Sunday


THE GALATIA
CHURCH

READ:
Galatians 3:1-12
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Are you so foolish?
Having begun in the
Spirit, are you now
being made perfect by
the flesh?
__Galatians 3:3
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I was driving through the countryside when I spotted a church building whose name surprised me. It said, "The Galatia Church." The name caught my attention because I was certain no one would choose to name a church this unless it was a geographic necessity.

A study of the biblical book of Galatians reveals that it is paul's most fiery letter--criticizing the people for legalism, self-effort, and the exchange of grace for a different gospel. Galatia was not exactly the kind of church that you would see as an example to be followed.
This is true because the Galatians were trying to please God through their own efforts rather than by reliance on Him. Paul's charge against them was this: "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" (3:3).

Just as we cannot earn a relationship with God by our works, neither can we develop spiritually through our own strength. Paul's reminder to the Galatians (and us) is this: Dependence on God through the work of the spirit in our lives is at the core of our walk with christ.

If we think we can become like Jesus by our own efforts, we are, like the Galatians, fooling ourselves. __Bill crowder
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```````````````````Cast your futile efforts down,``````````````````
``````````````````````Down at Jesus' feet;``````````````````````
```````````````````Stand in Him, in Him alone,```````````````````
`````````````````Gloriously complete. __Proctor``````````````````
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The Holy Spirit is the Christian's power supply.

*************Today's Bible Reading __ Galatians 3:1-12************

1 O foolish Galatians! Who
has bewitched you that you
should not obey the truth,
before whose eyes Jesus
Christ was clearly portrayed
among you as crucified?

2 This only I want to learn
from you: Did you receive
the Spirit by the works of the
Law, or by the hearing of
faith? 3 Are you so foolish?
Having begun in the Spirit,
are you now being made
perfect by the flesh? 4 Have
you suffered so many things
in vain--if indeed it was in
vain?

5 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?--

6 just as Abraham "believed
God, and it was accounted
to him for righteousness."

7 Therefore know that only
those who are of faith are
sons of Abraham. 8 And the
Scripture, foreseeing that God
would justify the Gentiles by
faith, preached the gospel to
Abraham beforehand, saying,
"In you all the nations shall
be blessed," 9 So then those
who are of faith are blessed
with believing Abraham.

10 For as many as are of the
works of the law are under
the curse; for it is written,
"Cursed is everyone who
does not continue in all things
which are written in the book
of the law, to do them." 11 But
that no one is justified by the
law in the sight of God is
evident, for "the just shall live
by faith." 12 Yet the law is not
of faith, but "the man who
does them shall live by
them."

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

A group of Jews had taught that the Gentile believers must convert to
Judaism in order to be saved (Acts 15:1). Some scholars believe that
Paul wrote this letter after Ad 49 Apostolic Council in Jerusalem
(Acts 15:1-35) to correct the Galatians. __SIM KAY TEE
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