Faith -- for salvation and for all of life

Today's reading is confusing in that it speaks of Christians who live without faith. This needs clarifying. First, no one can be a Christian without faith. However, the NT letter to the church at Galatia describes those who believed in Christ and were saved, then fell into the notion that they had to live their Christian life in their own strength and their own efforts. Faith in Christ includes faith for all of life, but they thought they had to do something to earn God's grace. This letter addressed this concern in several ways. The first calls them to consider where this idea came from and how evil it is:

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:6–10)

Next, Galatians presents the true gospel. Salvation is by faith in Christ, never in ourselves or anything we do, no matter what it is, or who it is:

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:15–16)

Then these believers who were trying to live by works were plainly told they had been duped into thinking their perfection came by self-effort. How could they think that would work. If self-effort could not get them saved, how could self-effort change their lives?

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:1–14)

The reading for today did not distinguish between people trying to perfect their lives by works and people who try to get saved by their works. The former happens to some Christians, but the latter cannot be called "Christian" for they never trusted the Lord for anything. I cannot 'try to act like a Christian' if I am not one. Not only that, once Christ saved me, He keeps me in His care and changes my life. My faith may falter and I might fail to act like what I am, but that cannot change what Christ has already done, nor does it change the reality that I belong to Him.

PRAY: Jesus, my assurance is in You. Always. If I put it in myself, I'm walking in the flesh and forgotten what You have done and are doing for me. You are my Savior; I am not. You are enough.

 

 

A deeper definition of hypocrisy . . .

This morning God gives insight into hypocrisy beyond my usual thoughts about it. For the most part, I’ve considered saying one thing (I am a Christian) and doing another (behaving as if I am not) earns me that label. Today’s Scripture reading gives a slightly different perspective.

Some background is needed. In the early church there were some who claimed to believe in Jesus Christ yet added circumcision was necessary for salvation. Their background as Jews contributed to this for in the Old Testament era, circumcision was a sign that they were in a covenant relationship with God. It did not put them into that relationship — it was a sign that they were already in it. However, some Jewish believers got it backwards. This issue was in constant debate in the New Testament. Paul wrote to the church at Rome . . .

For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. (Romans 2:25–29)

He is saying that being a true or genuine Jew is not a matter of outward or external things, such as wearing phylacteries, paying tithes, or being circumcised. Genuine circumcision is not the physical rite itself but an inward matter of the heart and a work of the Holy Spirit. In other words, this ritual was a symbol for a changed life.

It is the same for Christian faith. We have actions that signify that we believe such as baptism and attending church services, but those actions do not save us. They are intended to show that we have God’s redemptive life.

In the early church, circumcision was not the only Jewish tradition. Another was separation from Gentiles who were considered pagans. However, Christ came to save all who believe, including Gentiles. Certain Jews had a problem with this. The Apostles were including Gentile believers, but those who wanted circumcision frowned on their inclusion and wanted them circumcised. Paul wrote about it . . .

But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” (Galatians 2:11–14)

Peter was eating with Gentiles but didn’t want the Jews see him doing it. Paul called this hypocrisy. I try to think of a modern parallel such as if I gladly ate at our non-believing neighbors but didn’t want my Christian friends to know it, or if I joined the library book club and read books that my Christian friends didn’t approve of, so hid that from them? The hypocrisy is not in the eating or the reading — it is in the hiding! It is in acting as if my salvation is about doing ‘Christian’ things and not doing any ‘outside the church’ things.

Paul writes about the freedom of salvation by faith. I am justified by faith in Christ, not what I do . . .

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:15–16)

Faith changes the ‘I wants’ of my heart. I desire to do ‘Christian’ things, but so I desire to reach sinners — by eating with some, by reading with some, by playing Scrabble with some — and being open about it with my Christian friends so they can pray for me and for those unsaved friends. Some may shake their heads and say tsk, tsk, as if Christians should not do that, but Jesus ate and drank with sinners and was criticized the same way.

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Jesus, I hear You telling me to be who I am with whoever is around me. Do not hide my life and actions for fear of others with a conception of Christianity that is so narrow that they cannot include or be friends with the ‘sinners’ in their lives. Instead, I know You want people to hear about You and see You in action in the life of Your children. May my life be an open book and may others see You it its pages. Amen!