Hunkered Down Devotion

Galatians 2:16 (Voice)
16 But we know that no one is made right with God by meeting the demands of the law. It is only through the faithfulness of Jesus[a] the Anointed that salvation is even possible. This is why we put faith in Jesus the Anointed: so we will be put right with God. It’s His faithfulness—not works prescribed by the law—that puts us in right standing with God because no one will be acquitted and declared “right” for doing what the law demands.

The Pharisee’s, the Jewish religious leaders from Jesus’ day, tend to get a bit of a bad rap.  This is mainly, I think, because in most of the gospel stories where they appear, they are usually opposing Jesus, questioning Jesus, or, eventually, plotting to kill Jesus.  But this is not what the Pharisee’s were really all about.  To be a Pharisee was to be a Zealot.  Someone deeply concerned, preoccupied even with the observance of the law.

The Pharisee’s were not what some of my pastor friends would call ‘Chreasters’ (Christmas & Easter Church goers).  Instead, Pharisee’s took their religious faith and their religious observance so seriously that it was all broken down into literally hundreds and hundreds of rules.  Rules that the Pharisee’s did their best to strictly observe and rules that they called others out when they failed to observe.  

But what Paul is making clear to the Galatian church, and to all of us is that while trying to follow God’s rules is certainly a good and worthwhile endeavor, many of these religious laws were manmade.  Regardless, none of us are capable of perfectly following all of the law anyway – God’s law, or the additional manmade rules that have been added on top of it.  

Thankfully, all is not lost.  Our fate and our salvation does not rest on our ability to perfectly fulfil the law of God or man.  Our salvation also doesn’t rely on our perfect, unwavering, unquestioning faith.  Instead, scripture testifies that ‘it is His (Jesus’) faithfulness…. It isn’t even his perfection, but his faithfulness to his father and our God that has saved us…. Praise God for the faithfulness of Jesus Christ and the salvation and grace that it brings for us all.

Sharing God’s Love
Chip  

Prayer:  Lord, Thank you for Jesus Christ who is witness of love and faithfulness.  Amen.