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Itty Bitty Bible Study – Galatians 3:10-20

Galatians 3

My thoughts for the Itty Bitty Bible Study group on Facebook. (join if you’d like to get these in fb!)

I’ve shared my thoughts on Galatians 1:1-10; Galatians 1:11-24 & 2:1-10; Galatians 2:11-21; 3:1-9 and now,

Galatians 3:10-20.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith(title from the ESV Bible)
Galatians 3:10-12 – Do you rely on the works of the Law?

Galatians 3:10 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.”
11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”
12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Habakkuk 2:4

The New Living Translation says Galatians 3:10- 11:

10 But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.”
11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.

God’s Word Translation phrases it:

10 Certainly, there is a curse on all who rely on their own efforts to live according to a set of standards because Scripture says, “Whoever doesn’t obey everything that is written in Moses’ Teachings is cursed.”
11 No one receives God’s approval by obeying the law’s standards since, “The person who has God’s approval will live by faith.”

This refers back to Galatians 1:6-9
Especially verses

8 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.
9 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.

And Galatians 2:16

16 yet we know that a person is not justified[a] 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.

Danger Danger!
I touched on the danger of the law in IBBS Galatians 2:11-21

Deuteromony 27:26 In New Living Translation to make it clear what is said:

‘Cursed is anyone who does not affirm and obey the terms of these instructions.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

Youngs Literal Translation says it this way:

Cursed is he who doth not establish the words of this law, to do them, — and all the people have said, Amen.

Jeremiah was told:

Jeremiah 11:3-5
3 You shall say to them, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man who does not hear the words of this covenant 4 that I commanded your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Listen to my voice, and do all that I command you. So shall you be my people, and I will be your God, 5 that I may confirm the oath that I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day.” Then I answered, “So be it, Lord.”

Even Jesus explained the power and importance of the Law this way:

Matthew 5:18-20
18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

 

Trusting in the law is Not a good idea!
BECAUSE No one is justified by the law!

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, 

But God! God had/has a plan!

Romans 6:23 but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Back to Galatians 3:13-14

Galatians 3:13
13 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”—
14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

 

REDEEMED!!!

TO ME, THIS IS THE GOSPEL!!!

Isaiah 53:1-6
1 Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19
18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
19 that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

Romans 4:7-8
7 “Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”

THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE!

Romans 6:23 but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

HOW?

Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

IN CHRIST!

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This is along the same lines that Martin Luther declared his change of heart – and desire for the church to recognize scripture(he never wanted to leave the Catholic Church).Nathan Bingham discuses Justification by Faith, and Martin Luther’s revelation about Romans 1:17.

15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Paul wrote Romans.
The Gospel that he proclaims is that the just shall live by faith – faith imparted, imputed to us, through the death burial and resurrection, depending upon our response to hearing the gospel. If we respond in faith –
it is counted to us a righteousness!

New Living Translation:

Genesis 15:6
And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith.

Thank you Lord Jesus for saving my soul! And all that the comment implies!

MORE of Romans!

Romans 5:6-11
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

When my heart thinks on this, I know that God loves me! WHILE I WAS STILL A SINNER!
~~~~

I’ve included a lot of Romans.
There is a very easy way that I understand the plan of Salvation, and it’s called the Romans Road.
It is verses through Romans that take a person down the path to understand the steps of salvation.
It is NOT law! It is just a compilation of verse to make it easy to understand!
I appreciate GotQuestions.org for providing this!

I share my steps in My Testimony!

~~~~
The Law and the Promise(title by ESV)

Galatians 3:15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.
16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.
17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.
18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

There are many references to the legal aspects of the law – and here, Paul is explaining, as only a very well trained Judaic lawyer can, that Abraham’s promise was to have ONE come from him to deliver us all.

Galatians 3:19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.
20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.

I have grown to understand this a little better after becoming a mom. Even since working with children in child care.
Children NEED rules – for their safety – yes, but also to teach them.

DON’T TOUCH THE STOVE
Why not?
IT’S HOT!
What’s hot?
DON’T TOUCH THE STOVE!
….OWWWWWWWW, MOMMMY!
I SAID, DON’T TOUCH THE STOVE, IT’S HOT!
Then, the child learns by experience that touching the stove was hot, what hot meant, and why mommy had a rule. Not following the rules can cause pain!
The outcome is that once the child is able to rule themselves, they no longer touch the stove…on purpose!

This is how I understand the concept of the Law – it was to teach the Hebrews what things were not good for them.
The cleansing rituals? Protected them from many diseases that other tribes and nations died from.
The clean and unclean? Many of the foods were more apt to have toxins or parasites in them, that killed other nations.
Why did Israel have these rules and others suffer without them? Because Abraham chose to follow God! And he taught his family. And they taught theirs.
Sadly, historically, Jews have been persecuted for their being protected, health wise, financially, and other ways. Those that suffered saw that the Jews did not suffer, and decided that they were either stealing from them, or were putting curses on them, causing the diseases, or whatever. It is so hard for the human to accept responsibility for their own choices, and so easy to point the finger to those that have made choices that bring them blessings. It’s so easy for humans to cry “no fair”, when they do not want to play by the rules in the first place.

The law was given as a teacher, as a guide.
That is the rest of Galatians 3!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

I want to thank

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Itty Bitty Bible Study – Galatians 3:1-9

Galatians 3

My thoughts for the Itty Bitty Bible Study group on Facebook. (join if you’d like to get these in fb!)

Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.

Amplified:
O you foolish
and
thoughtless
and
superficial
Galatians,
who has bewitched you [that you would act like this],
to whom—right before your very eyes—Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified [in the gospel message]?

Scathing!!!

WHO! Bewitched!
Definition:

  • cast a spell on and gain control over (someone) by magic.
    “his relatives were firmly convinced that he was bewitched”
    synonyms: cast/put a spell on, enchant;
  • enchant and delight (someone).
    “they both were bewitched by the country and its culture”
    synonyms: captivate, enchant, entrance, enrapture, charm, beguile, delight, fascinate, enthrall
    “we were bewitched by the surroundings”

Strongs(Blue Letter Bible Resource) (G940) defines it:

  1. to speak ill of one, to slander, traduce him
  2. to bring evil on one by feigning praise or an evil eye
  3. to charm, to bewitch

Thayers Greek Lexicon explains this word:
“of those that lead away others into error by wicked arts”

Witches were not looked upon favorably!
Leviticus 20:27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood [shall be] upon them.
Exodus 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Revelation in 21:8 and 22:15 place witchcraft and sorcery outside of the Kingdom of Heaven.
King Saul is said to have died for seeking the insights of a witch in 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

Paul says in Galatians 1:8-9

8 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.
9 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.

He is coming from his understanding of the old testament – the Jewish Bible – witchcraft is a destructive force! He is using very strong language, and stating that they should be accursed is just agreeing with God’s words!

Witchcraft is idolotry – and God does not look kindly upon idolotry:
Exodus 20:1

And God spoke all these words, saying,
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,
6 but showing steadfast love to thousands[b] of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Somewhere around 2001, I wrote a web page on Eclectic, dealing with Witchcraft.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

The books of John – First, Second and Third – speak a lot about how to test the spirits.
Jesus warned us of False Prophets –

Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Jesus warned us that the closer to the time he returns(and we are closer now than in Peter, James and John’s day) the more danger there will be: Matthew 24:

3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.
5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.

11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.
24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
25 See, I have told you beforehand.
26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.

This cry of Paul’s to the Galatians is as important to us today as it was in the first century.
And, between he and John(as well as the written gospels which give us Christ’s words) – we can KNOW how to beware of the bewitching of false prophets.

2 Timothy 4
1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Paul even warned the Corinthians!

2 Corinthians 11:3-4
3 But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ.
4 For [you seem willing to allow it] if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted. You tolerate all this beautifully [welcoming the deception].

I’m not sure if the Galatians were as aware of the seriousness of this accusation, but I do know that Paul is going to try to lay it out for them. I’m glad, because I know that I become a little jew – leaning on rules – to not have to seek God’s face for answers. I KNOW, because of Paul’s writings, that I do not want to fall again into the darkness of the law, rules, and works. I KNOW I do not want to be judged by them! Paul’s writings are deep, wide, and thick. Let’s dive in.

Galatians 3
3:2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
5 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—

I have to keep floating between versions, and the one that helps me the most is the Amplified.

Galatians 3:2-5 AMP
2 This is all I want to ask of you: did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying [the requirements of] the Law, or was it the result of hearing [the message of salvation and] with faith [believing it]?
3 Are you so foolish and senseless? Having begun [your new life by faith] with the Spirit, are you now being perfected and reaching spiritual maturity by the flesh [that is, by your own works and efforts to keep the Law]?
4 Have you suffered so many things and experienced so much all for nothing—if indeed it was all for nothing?
5 So then, does He who supplies you with His [marvelous Holy] Spirit and works miracles among you, do it as a result of the works of the Law [which you perform], or because you [believe confidently in the message which you] heard with faith?

How did you receive the Holy Spirit?
Did He show up because you were doing good works?
Or did you HEAR the preaching, and believe it – and received it!

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Ephesisans 2:8-9AMP
8 For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God;
9 not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].

The point is, if there is any way that our works can save us, then Christ’s death is in vain!

Galatians 2:21 AMP
21 I do not ignore or nullify the [gracious gift of the] grace of God [His amazing, unmerited favor], for if righteousness comes through [observing] the Law, then Christ died needlessly. [His suffering and death would have had no purpose whatsoever.]”

I want to follow closely the true Gospel – because Hebrews 6:4-6 puts the fear of God into my heart:

4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,
5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

Hebrews 10:26-27
26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

In this last day – nearer to the end of the age – I want to make sure that I cling to the right gospel! To trust in works is to nullify, negate, or diminish the work of Christ on the cross.
On this web site, if one does a search for the tag grace, you will find many many blogs that I have tagged grace over the years. It is by GRACE! I am saved!

Romans 7 explains the purpose of the Law – Paul explains the struggle.
He concludes this chapter crying out:

Romans 7:24-25
24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Apparently the Galatians had ‘suffered’ many things on behalf of the gospel – whether dying to the flesh personally, or actually having persecution. Paul asks them basically – is it worth it to go back to being a slave to the law? Was that the price you were wanting to pay?
We are asked to count the cost…is that gospel worth that price?

Galatians 3:6-9
AMP –
6 Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, [as conformity to God’s will and purpose—so it is with you also].

ESV
6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

Abraham?

I’m going to try this…I hope it works!
The Bible Guy at The Bible Helper shares a power point on Abraham!

I’m going to cut Galatians short here – because there is something that Paul is trying to say…

EVEN as ABRAHAM believed GOD!
THAT faith is what was counted to HIM as righteousness!

Where did Abraham come from?

From Adam to Noah – Genesis 5
Noah’s Grandfather was Methuselah. LONGEST LIVING HUMAN!
Enoch was his Great Grandfather. HE WALKED WITH GOD!
This is the ancestry of SHEM!

Thanks to Knowing Jesus – here is a list of scriptures about Abraham, his family and his descendants.

Genesis 11 gives us the whole lineage, following the Tower of Babel.

Noah believed God – AND BUILT AN ARK FOR A FLOOD!

Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

SHEM! The son of Noah!
Shem RODE IN THE ARK!Genesis 6; Genesis 9; Genesis 10

Abraham descended from Shem, and is one of the heroes of the faith!
Genesis 11:26-32 give the snapshot of Abraham’s Beginning in the Bible.

Hebrews 11:8-10
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

The key here is Hebrews 11:6

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Jesus asks at the end of a parable:

Luke 18:8b
Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”

How is a heart blameless(or other versions say perfect) towards God?

Deuteronomy 6:5
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Deuteronomy 4:29
But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Matthew 22:36-39
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Also in Mark 12:29-31;

This passage is interestingly titled “Circumcise your Heart”

Deuteronomy 10:12-15
12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?

How?

Psalm 119:9
BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Psalm 119:11
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

And what were those commands?

Luke 10:26-28

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Matthew 22:37-38
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment.

AND

John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

AND

Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

AND

James 1:27
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

And now we are right back at the beginning!
How did we receive the Holy Spirit? By works or by faith?

Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

And that is only because:

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Ephesians 2
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Our salvation IS ALL A WORK OF GOD!
Yes, we have freewill.
Yes, we have to receive Him, and believe –
but that very ability is a gift from God!
The downside is that we can say no –
or we can follow “another” gospel:

Galatians 1:6-7
6 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—
7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

Oh Father God, let us NOT be bewitched by the false teachings of this current age.
Oh Father God, deliver us from evil!
Oh Father God, open our eyes that we might see clearly!
Oh Father God, make the “tickling ears” teachings ring so false in our ears, because we have hidden YOUR word in our hearts, and we have been like Bereans and searched out the scriptures, and we love you with our WHOLE heart!
In Jesus’s precious name, I Pray!
Amen.

Itty Bitty Bible Study On Galatians 1:1-10
IBBS on Galatians 1:11-24 & 2:1-10
IBBS on Galatians 2:11-21

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or choose to LIKE me on facebook, or other social media!
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Itty Bitty Bible Study – Galatians 2:11-21

Galatians 2:11-21

My thoughts for the Itty Bitty Bible Study group on Facebook. (join if you’d like to get these in fb!)

Galatians 1:1-10
Galatians 1:11-24 & 2:1-10

Galatians 2:11-14
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
12 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.[a]
13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.
14 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?”

Paul had been preaching to the Gentiles.
Because of the freedom from the law – as he explains in Romans and Hebrews, he never required circumcision for Titus, or any of the Greeks that were with him.

Apparently, based on this passage, Peter was fine with the Greeks, until the Jews were watching, and then he reverted to the Jewish clean and unclean practices, and avoided these brothers.

Jesus made clear directions on how to address a brother or sister that was sinning – Matthew 18:15 – 16

If I had better Biblical history Knowledge, I could tell you if the sheet of unclean animals was before or after this – but here is what I think:

  • Acts 9 – Saul’s Conversion
  • Acts 10, God sends Peter to Cornelius, the vision of the sheet of unclean animals
  • Acts 11 – Peter defends preaching to the gentiles, and they send Barnabas after Saul/Paul in Tarsus
  • Now, in the beginning of Chapter 12, Herod kills James, the brother of Jesus.
    In Galatians, in Paul’s first visit to Jerusalem, 3 years after his conversion, he met James, the brother of Jesus. (Galatians 1:19)
  • Acts 12 – Peter is jailed, Herod is smitten, Paul, Barnabas and JohnMark continue.
  • Acts 13 – Paul and Barnabas commissioned
  • Acts 14 ministry, and Paul stoned, first time
  • Acts 15 – here we have the dispute about circumcision.

5 chapters after Peter had been shown that the Gentiles were to be received.
Also, after Paul had been commissioned, based upon his sharing of what he had been preaching.
Chapter 15 is where Peter has a great speech!

Acts 15:7-11
7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

James(the Apostle, not the brother of Jesus), after listening to Paul and Barnabas says this:

Acts 15:19-21
19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

The council then wrote a letter – and sent it out

Acts 15:22-29
22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers,
23 with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings.
24 Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,
25 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.
28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

I don’t know where the confrontation between Paul and Peter landed – but the main issue is that the doctrine of grace, not works was confirmed. And it’s the doctrine of works that started this whole dispute in the beginning of Acts 15!
And it’s the very doctrine of works that Paul is trying to undo in this letter to Galatia!

Back to Galatians:
In 2:15-21, Paul writes,

15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;
16 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.
17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!
18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Romans 3 discusses this in much detail.
Galatians 3 goes into more detail, and we will get there.

The basic take home here, for me is this:

Galatians 2:20
I am crucified with Christ
Nevertheless I live,
Yet not I
But Christ
Lives in me:
And the life that I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God
Who loved me
And gave himself for me.

If that isn’t clear enough – Paul drives it home:

Galatians 2:21
I do not frustrate the grace of God:
For if righteousness come by the law,
THEN CHRIST IS DEAD IN VAIN!

Basically, Romans 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 all explain this more fully!
It makes sense – Paul wrote Romans!

Today, we are flooded with a lukewarm gospel, not one of adding legalistic bondage.
Of course, there are those versions of Christianity that do hold to variations of the law.

James wrote, in light of favoritism, to explain the dangers of holding to the law:

James 2:8-13
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

That explains the danger of getting pulled back into the law!
James also addresses the faith without works position in James 2:14-26 (James is going to be one of the Itty Bitty Bible Studies!)

It is such a fine line…and yet, it had the power to potentially destroy the early church. It still does.
Even today, in Amish communities, there are approved shawl patterns and non approved. Approved fabric and non approved. Where there is a difference, there is a split in fellowship!
Look at all the denominations we have.
Look at all the different types of Baptists we have?

We have ONE Lord – Jesus Christ.
Let’s get back to sharing the gospel, and not our own applications!
Applications of the gospel are quite often personal in nature.
And if we are making decisions based upon the fear of man’s opinion, the we have missed the boat!

Blast from the Past Itty Bitty Bible Study from 2009 Galatians 2
Galatians 3 goes more into depth about Faith and Works. I’ll try to go into more detail there.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or choose to LIKE me on facebook, or other social media!
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! 
Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.

There are many organizations that support children and families. Here is one that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Galatians 1:11-24; 2:1-10

Galatians 1:11-24 & 2:1-10

My thoughts for the Itty Bitty Bible Study group on Facebook. (join if you’d like to get these in fb!)

The Itty Bitty Bible Study on Galatians 1:1-10 addressed some WHO issues.

Now, we are addressing some WHY or HOW.
Galatians 1:11-24

11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel.
12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Block quote
13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.

15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born,[d] and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to[e] me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;[f] 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me.

There are several points that Paul wants the Galatians to know before he goes any further.

  • The gospel he preached was not made up by man
  • Nor did he receive it by man
  • Proof is in his past, as a very prominent Jewish leader, turned believer in Christ
  • Called by grace – not of himself
  • Sent not to the jews, but to the heathen…gentiles..non jewish world
  • He separated himself to seek God while in arabia
  • Went to talk with peter – for 15 days, and the only other he met was James(the brother of Christ)
  • His relationship with god prevents him from lying
  • In judea and cilicia, he was known only by his witness and testimony that went before him
  • All to the glory of God.

It is by his testimony that he declares his path.
The HOW and WHY that he is an Apostle and has this Gospel.

Chapter 2:1-10

2:1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.
2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.
3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.
4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—
5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me.
7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised
8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles),
9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

Here Paul talks about how he went back to the desert, so to speak, to spend time with the Lord for 14 years.
Somewhere in here, he picks up Barnabas and Titus.
And they head back to Jerusalem.
Here’s his points:

  • He goes to the leaders of the Christian movement, and shares with them the gospel that he has been preaching to the gentiles.
  • HIS MESSAGE WAS THAT OF LIBERTY IN CHRIST.
  • Not liberty to sin – but freedom from the curse and works of the LAW!
  • “Those that seem to be influential”, this seems to be speaking of those that were the leaders.
  • They didn’t add to what Paul was preaching, as a statement that he was preaching the correct gospel.
  • They recognized the grace given to him, and the message to the Gentiles, just like the message that was given to PETER to the Jews.
  • Gave him the right hand of fellowship!
  • Told him to care for the poor.

The pillars of the Christian movement, the Apostles who had walked with Jesus, gave Paul the go ahead, and confirmed his representation of the gospel! He mentions James, Peter(Cephas) and John.
What is the Gospel of the Apostles?
It was compiled into what we now know as the Apostle’s Creed.

The Apostles Creed is explained on

For the Christian Faith – this is the basic statement of belief.
It is this creed, and maybe the Nicene Creed -, that is the basis for sharing our faith.
Neither of these was written by the Apostles.
Yet, this is the basic idea for why Paul went to Jerusalem.
He was double checking to make sure that HIS revelation was lining up with those that had walked with Christ in real life!

The Bereans kept Paul honest, so to speak –

Acts 17:11
Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

The Apostle John, who was one that Paul conferred with, said this:

1 John 4:1-3
4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

There is much more that John said that proved who a Christian is…but, he was warning that there were false prophets.

Paul is addressing those that specifically denounce his position, in order to bring the Galatians into bondage.
In this vein, he even spoke to Peter, when Peter was having difficulty with peer pressure – but that’s Chapter 2:11-21.

Blast from the Past
Itty Bitty Bible Study in 2009 for Galatians 1
Itty Bitty Bible Study in 2009 for Galatians 2

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or choose to LIKE me on facebook, or other social media!
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! 
Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.

There are many organizations that support children and families. Here is one that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Ruth Summary

My thoughts for the Itty Bitty Bible Study group on Facebook. (join if you’d like to get these in fb!)

Ruth 1

This brought me to mind of being brought out of darkness – into the Kingdom of His dear son.
We’ve just left the Christmas season – and this seems to be a beautiful declaration of what has occurred to Ruth through Naomi!

Isaiah 9:2 – The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.
2 Corinthians 4:6 – For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

I found these verses in one place – at Knowing Jesus – 13 Bible Verses about From Darkness to Light.

Ruth 2
This brought to mind God’s provision –

Ps 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Philipians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Ruth sought the Kingdom of God, and He supplied!

Luke 12:31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Ruth 3
This was a little crazy, but it did bring to mind that God orchestrates the events of human life in order to bring about His plan. His ways are not our ways! This is a warning to not judge – even if I think I can judge the behavior!

Isaiah 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

I get so stuck in my own perceived “right and wrong” that I can miss God’s voice.
That is NOT saying that I believe that anything goes for a Christian – follower of Christ!
Ruth did NOT go to the threshing floor out of lasciviousness, and seduction – she went out of obedience, and in the anointing of the Lord. They DID avoid all appearance of evil – and they did NOTHING sinful.

I don’t know how this plays out in the life of a Christian. I do know that I need to let God be bigger than my ideas of HIM, in order for HIM to do HIS work in my life. Pick up a hitchhiker? speak to a homeless person? spend time with a Wiccan? Comfort a homosexual? If God says so – if it is for God’s work, and showing God’s love – we have to be open to HIS direction.
My hardest sinner to handle? The liar.

Leviticus 19:11 ‘You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.

Rev 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars–they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

I try very hard not to lie.

Matthew 7:1-5
1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

This is a hard lesson for me. I feel that this sin is a simple thou shalt not.
And yet – I have some difficulty with sin – even this one at times!

But when I need to look at the beam in my own eye – I go to these verses:

Exodus 20
1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Then, for good measure, I can add this one in:

Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

If that is not enough to humble me, I look at Matthew 5, 6, & 7. Galatians 5, Titus, Romans – and on and on and on.
I can only ask others to join me on this journey – and share with them the experiences I’ve had – and support them in their walk with Jesus.

Ruth 4

From a legal perspective – Obed was Naomi’s son – to redeem Elimelech’s land. Which meant that nothing financially was beneficial to Boaz.
But in Biblical history – it’s through Boaz’s line that Obed’s lineage is named, as well as Jesus’s. Elimelech was not mentioned in the genealogies. Only Boaz, the son of Rahab!

This family has been through much torment – and I get a sense of PEACE – that transcends the story!

Philipians 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.

Grace –

2 Corinthians 2:8-9
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written: “He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”

It is all about the condition of the heart:

Proverbs 21:21 He who pursues righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness and honor.

And of course, this whole story is such a beautiful foreshadowing of Christ calling us out of darkness, drawing us to Himself, and redeeming our lives from the destroyer.

I hope that you have enjoyed this study – I have certainly learned much.
I have enjoyed both Matthew Henry’s Commentaries and the Torah Class on Ruth.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or choose to LIKE me on facebook, or other social media!
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! 
Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.

There are many organizations that support children and families. Here is one that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.