September 29-30, 2017
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Galatians? Here’s today’s reading:
Galatians 2 (ESV)
Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
6 As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message. 7 On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. 8 For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. 9 James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along…Continue Reading
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confrontation on several levels
Just a heads up for those posting and commenting here. First I so appreciate all of you and pray that the number of people committed to reading and sharing the Word grows. Second, we are trying something new for this short book of Galatians. Instead of reading a chapter a day, we will be taking 2 days with each chapter. So whether you decide to break the chapter up as the Spirit leads or convicts or read the same chapter two days in a row, I would like to try this out and see what we think and how God uses it. I just find that there is so much in these letters that we should take more time with them, to give a chance to meditate on the principles and to focus on how God would have us apply it to our lives rather than rushing through. I hope you will keep posting every day though, as you are able. Maybe if God sheds light on a few principles, share them over two days. Or even better, if reading over it for 2 days brings a deeper understanding or appreciation for the text, or some point of application, feel free to share that as well.
Also please share your thoughts with me about this little experiment. Thanks!
Hi Pastor, I just got back on and was allowed to log in. I’m going to give it another shot as soon as I finish reading Revelations. I started in Genesis last summer and should finish up in Rev. soon. I’ll try not to get discouraged if the system won’t let me log in. Bea
Hi, Bea – I’m sorry to hear you were having trouble logging in. The system has been up and running every day so I don’t know why you were having login issues.
Feel free to reach out to me or Michelle on Facebook if you’re having any problems with login or posting. Glad that you are able to login now. 🙂
20I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.❤️
Reading along in Galatians with you all, but still spending much of my time in Revelation…fluctuating between where we will be at the Women’s Study and also reading and studying ahead to prepare.
“I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain”
Definitely can relate to that.
There is some really good stuff happening in this chapter. Paul begins by affirming the purity of his gospel showing it came by God’s revelation rather than from man. Even the apostles, those pillars of the faith recognized what God had done in and through Paul and didn’t change the gospel Paul received from God. And don’t forget to remember the poor…
The next passage is so important. Because we are all being sanctified and need each other in the process, we need to be willing to confront and be confronted. It is not easy to be on either side but we all can fall into bad patterns of theology or behavior and when we see that, we need to address it in each others lives. We can also fall under the influence of people we shouldn’t and need those strong in the faith and Spirit to lead us back. That is certainly what we find here with Peter and Paul.
And I love verse 15+16. If you are ever dealing with someone who is leaning on works rather than grace and faith, it is a great place to turn. 3 times Paul affirms the negative, we are not justified by works. And 3 times he affirms the positive, we are justified by faith in Christ.
And I could meditate on verse 20 for a long time…..crucified with Christ…I no longer live….but then the life I live is based in Christ….who loved me……good stuff. Let’s talk about it!