Love God Greatly - GalatiansSample

Paul admonished the churches of Galatia for yielding so easily and turning away from the gospel of grace. There were false teachers in the region who were misleading Christians into believing that they needed to first be circumcised and then follow all of the laws of Judaism in order to follow Jesus Christ. Paul was shocked that Christians would abandon Christ’s good news of grace so quickly. Believers today can find ourselves drifting from the gospel of grace. It often seems too easy, too accessible, too good to be true. Our inclination is to rely on our religious activities, our biblical knowledge, or our pious behavior to earn acceptance and salvation from the Lord. When we do that, we pervert God’s perfect gospel. When we do that, we risk God’s condemnation and curse. When we do that, we forget that God’s love cannot be bought, earned, or manipulated, but is freely given to those of us who are undeserving yet willingly receive it. How have you guarded Christ’s gospel of grace? Are you requiring of yourself or of others more than God asks? Are you drifting into a performance-based relationship with God forgetting that His gift of grace and mercy is free? Are you pouring out the grace and mercy that God gifted you onto others? Father God, I thank You for salvation...for your favor and grace that comes to me unconditionally and freely. Lord, help me respond to Your call and Your direction out of love and devotion - not out of obligation. Lord, prevent me from distorting Your gospel by imposing rules and judgments on people who desperately need You. Lord, I thank You that salvation was a free gift given by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. In Jesus’ name. Amen