The Disciple's Lifestyle: What COUNTS?
In our Bible Study group last night we were looking at Discipleship in Galatians...Paul had a problem in the church in Galatia.
False teachers had come and told the congregants that, in addition to faith in Christ, they needed to be circumcised, keep the law and observe Jewish cultural traditions.
It's seldom that one sees Paul as upset as he is in Galatians and one realises that the very heart of the gospel is at stake. The gospel is about God's grace, received by faith and lived out in love. Paul argues strenuously and convincingly that going to our own efforts (pulling ourselves up by our bootlaces) won't work.
He makes two statements that, at first glance, seem disconnected and even contradictory:
| For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Gal.5:6) Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. (Gal.6:15) |
So what counts?
We know that circumcision or lack thereof (or any ritual) doesn't count.
But what does count?
Paul gives two things:
- A new creation.
- Faith expressing itself through love.
If one thinks about it - these two things are not actually that different.
One member of our Bible Study suggested that they were the noun and verb of the same thing.
The noun is the new creation. When we encounter Christ through faith, we are born again, regenerated and we become a new creation (See 2Cor5). The Holy Spirit comes into our lives and the old has gone and the new has come. The heart of stone becomes the heart of flesh because Christ's grace, love and forgiveness restores us.
The verb of being a new creation is faith expressed through love. In other words, our life-changing relationship with Jesus (faith) changes the way we live (love).
Therefore, we don't need rules and rituals.
We just need to LIVE (faith expressed in love) who we already ARE (new creation)
(More on this tomorrow...)
