made by faith
For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of His death on the cross (v.1).
READ: Galatians 3:1-6
What happens when you take 13 non-Christians and get them to live by the Bible’s instruction for 3 weeks? The UK reality TV series Make Me a Christian attempted to answer that question last year.
The contestants included an atheist biker and a lesbian schoolteacher. They were mentored by four clergy—an Anglican, a Catholic, an Evangelical, and a Pentecostal. Though this is a bizarre idea for presenting Jesus to unbelievers, some of the contestants stated that they were going to “pursue Christianity further.” The apostle Paul had some hard words for the Galatians when they were trying to “make themselves Christians” by works (Galatians 3). He asked four clarifying questions:
1. Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? (3:2). The answer was no—for the indwelling of the Spirit had come by belief, by faith.
2. Why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? (v.3). The Galatians were foolishly following the instruction of the Judaizers who were telling them that they could move toward spiritual maturity by works and externals, not by grace and the inner working of the Holy Spirit.
3. Have you experienced so much for nothing? (v.4). Paul’s people had been persecuted for their grace-based faith. If they had returned to following Mosaic Law—denying grace—then they would have suffered for nothing.
4. Does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? (v.5). His answer, “Of course not!” The miracles were not of the Law, but were all about the hearing that leads to faith.
You and I can lose sight of the basis of our own salvation at times—thinking that it’s based on doing the right things. The reality? Our faith flows from God’s amazing grace. Only God can make a Christian. —Tom Felten
Why is seeing salvation as a gift of God’s grace so important? Where does doing good works fit in to the living-out of our faith in Jesus?
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Loading ...A Passionate Pursuit for the Savior
By Isaac Tan, Singapore
But I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
Just to be the man who walked a thousand miles
To fall down at your door
I wonder if anyone here has heard this potentially irritating song? First written by The Proclaimers, a Scottish band, it was later on recorded by many artistes, including Steven Curtis Chapman.
The song talks about a guy passionately following someone he wants to spend his life with. So serious was he that he would go to the extent of walking mile after mile just to reach the person’s doorstep.
Likewise, to the Savior whom you have proclaimed your love for, are you passionately pursuing Him?
‘Follow me’
In the book of Matthew, Jesus once uttered two simple words, “Follow me.”
In Jesus’ time, being called a “follower” meant that one was close to his master.
Rabbis then were known as “followers of God”. In return, many men vied to be followers of these rabbis as it was considered a high honor to be close to these holy men.
However, unlike the rabbis, Jesus did not require men to vie for Him—all He sought was their obedience to follow. Simon Peter and Andrew heard the call of Jesus, dropped their nets and followed Him immediately.
The act of dropping their nets was significant because it meant that they gave up their livelihood.
The next step
However, Jesus’ call to follow requires more than merely walking beside Him.
Luke 9 tells of the account when Jesus predicted His death.
Following Jesus thus is a continuous process. It’s a daily affair that those who are His have to take part in.
The Bible instructs us that the first thing to do when following Christ is to deny the flesh, the world and ourselves.
As Christians the Bible is explicit: We cannot serve two masters. If we are slave to our livelihoods—our self-glory—there will be no room in our hearts for Jesus Christ.
Christ was willing to die to save the lost. His example in death is the basis why those who follow Him must be ready to sacrifice their lives as well.
Following Christ is, to a Christian, an unhindered passionate pursuit, fixing our eyes on Jesus all the way.
But many of us, after following Jesus passionately, fall back to our old ways. Somehow the self-glory we threw away has returned, gleaming brighter than ever. Our passionate pursuit of Christ slows to a jog and soon enough we find ourselves orbiting.
This orbiting behavior can become very dangerous because we can, at will, blur Christ out.
We no longer fix our eyes on Him but stagnate and very soon, we forget Him.
Sin happens when we close our eyes to God. We choose to blur Him out, sometimes on instigation by the devil.
The disciples themselves were not spared of this, especially Peter.
We read John 21 that after Christ’s death and resurrection, the disciples saw Him 3 times. Following the second time, Simon Peter said, “I’m going out to fish,” (John 21: 3a). Peter decided to go back to his old livelihood!
What happened to the Peter who followed Jesus immediately? What happened to the Peter who was filled with remorse after denying Christ?
Surely, he must have made it a point in his heart to never commit the same mistake.
But the Bible tells us Peter went back to fishing. From chasing after Christ, to slowly fading away after Jesus was arrested, to orbiting and waiting for Jesus to come back. Peter decided enough was enough and bailed out.
However, Jesus did not give up on Peter. He knew Peter’s heart’s condition and worked a redemptive work in him, offering him a second chance. Jesus used the same two words to Peter at the close of the chapter.
“Follow me.”
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What a wonderful Savior we have who is so full of grace that though He knows our very weakness, He still works in us nonetheless.
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July 10, 2009
READ: Ephesians 2:1-10
We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. —Ephesians 2:10
The Grand Rapids Art Museum has over 5,000 works of art, including 3,500 prints, drawings, and photographs; 1,000 works of design; and 700 paintings and sculptures. As I read about the new museum and anticipated visiting, I couldn’t help but think about God’s “museum.”
God is an artist, and His creation is unspeakably magnificent. But it is not His greatest work! God’s greatest work is His redemption of us. When we were still dead in our sins, He made us alive in His Son, Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:1,5). Paul reminded the Ephesians that they were God’s “workmanship,” or poiema (v.10), a Greek term that means “poem” or “work of art.” God’s art museum is the church, filled with millions of marvelous works—His people.
Being God’s work of art, Paul said, should result in something from us. We are not supposed to sit silently in the museum of fellowship. Rather, we are to show God’s love in practical ways through our good works. Jesus said these good works glorify our heavenly Father (Matt. 5:16).
God did not re-create us in His Son to be museum pieces. He redeemed us so that our good works would showcase the brilliant colors of His redemption and grace, and draw a world in darkness to the light of His love. — Marvin Williams
They witness best who witness with their lives.
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