Salvation through the cross of Christ alone!

Monday 11-7-2016  La Lucila, Province of Buenos Aires    

Today we read Job 31 – 32 and Galatians 5 – 6

S.  Gal 5:11-12 The fact that I am still being persecuted proves that I am still preaching salvation through the cross of Christ alone. NLT

O.  Why were the Jewish leaders so eager to kill Paul or keep him in prison?  It was simply that he preached that a person could be made right with God, saved and cleansed from sin, without becoming a Jew.  So why would God allow these Judaizers to follow Paul around, trying to convert the new Gentile Christians into Jews?  I think it was to stir the Apostle Paul into writing this very important epistle so that every Christian could know that we are not bound by the ceremonial laws of Judaism.  Paul preached, and I must preach, salvation through the cross of Christ alone.  Paul officially puts to rest this extremely important issue.

A.  Paul, himself, before his conversion, had zealously opposed to this “Jesus way to God” and had dragged men and women into prison and hoped for their execution.  Now he is suffering his own medicine… being chased down by zealous Jews everywhere he preached.  But now, these Jews were aware that this “sect” was getting out of hand.  So they were now infiltrating the Christian, hoping to make them half Christians and half Jews.  What disaster might have followed if this valiant apostle had not tackled this false doctrine at its budding.  Oh, how thankful for this wonderful truth: Salvation through the cross of Christ alone.

P.  Lord Jesus, “Salvation by your cross alone” is a fatal blow to my ego.  It says I am not good enough to be allowed into Your heaven.  It reminds me that I am an unworthy sinner.  It tells me that I cannot pull myself up by my own boot-straps.  It points me to Your sufficient sacrifice that needs nothing added.  You paid the price.  You cancelled my debt at Calvary.  If I try to crawl on my knees until they bleed to try to pay for my sin… I am denying the total sufficiency of Your perfect sacrifice.  I am saved today by Your mercy and grace alone.  What a relief!  Thanks, Lord, for clarifying this truth in this epistle to the Galatians.  Amen.

Ralph

PS. He was a military man where I was ministering in Longbeach, California during my years in Bible School.  He apparently had a Roman Catholic background and was sure that Christ’s sacrifice was not enough.  I showed him Galatians 2:16 “So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.”  NIV  He read it, but could not believe that this could really be in the Bible.