In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone! - who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe.
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.*
The journal continues…
'Spiritual growth and maturity are never enhanced by reliance on the efforts of the flesh.'** Paul says, 'Having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect [being perfected; attaining maturity] by the flesh?' (3:3).
In chapter 2, Paul cut to the heart of what it means to be a Christian—being justified by believing in Christ alone for salvation. Complete dependence on God and His promise to pardon my sin, free me from all guilt and to cover me with the perfect righteousness of Christ. None of my good works when brought before a holy God could reconcile myself to Him. Only what Christ did for me on the cross.
Now in chapter 3, as Paul questions the believers at Galatia, I wonder if he is not questioning all believers, including myself. How quickly we can drift away from complete dependence on Christ to reliance on self. We need Christ to save us and we need Christ to live.
'The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me' (2:20).
I don't believe in self-confidence. I believe in confidence in Christ alone. I am not ashamed of my frailty—I have been set free from the burden of performance. I am not the Vine. I am the branch [John 15:1-5]. And, without humility, I will never know my God nor His power in my life.
My Dare:
Paul never overcomplicated the gospel. In fact, he sought to break it down to very clear terms so it could not be misunderstood. He gave his listeners only two options—
Please God—or—Please man,
Live in the Spirit—or—Live in the flesh,
Grace—or—Law,
Blessing—or—Bondage
Today, I will seek to do the same for my children. To not complicate the truth, but instead to make it very clear and simple so they can see only two choices before them:
Disobey and suffer the consequences
—or—
Obey and honor God
This will help reveal their heart and their need for grace and the gospel.
Most of us would certainly claim NOT to be legalists, yet when we turn our noses at other believers, pride ourselves in our high standards and many accomplishments, and look to ourselves to get through the problems of the day, we live void of grace. And, there is no middle ground. Join me tomorrow as Paul reveals in chapter three where the roads of law and grace both lead.
* Stuart Townend & Keith Getty, In Christ Alone
** The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible, Thoughts for Personal/Family Worship: Chapter 3 (Galatians)
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