Covenant Grove Daily Devotionals

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and dont get tied up again in slavery to the law. Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. Ill say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from Gods grace. But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isnt God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you. Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcisedas some say I dowhy am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended. I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves. For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But dont use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: Love your neighbor as yourself. But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It is only through the grace of Jesus that we are free. Paul believed so passionately in the freedom in Christ that he was willing to suffer for it. This freedom is to be used to serve others, love others, and even be willing to suffer for others (which Paul was doing for the Galatians). Passion matters!

So often we get so passionate about issues and topics that are not crucial. We can offend and hurt others in our desire to be right or win the debate. This is not freedom but selfishness. Other times we are not passionate enough about Gods work we overlook the hurtful actions of others (instead of dealing with them in love) and sit by passively as injustice happens (rather than taking a stand). The Lord is calling your heart to move with His heart.What do you need to be less passionate about? What things of God do you need to be more passionate about? What might it look like for you to suffer for Gods truth?

Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says? The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of Gods promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as Gods own fulfillment of his promise. These two women serve as an illustration of Gods two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother. As Isaiah said, Rejoice, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into a joyful shout, you who have never been in labor! For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband! And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac. But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit. But what do the Scriptures say about that? Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free womans son. So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman.‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4‬:‭21‬-‭31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus can change how you see everything. Paul was using a familiar analogy, often used by the rabbis, about the two children of Abraham. However, he assigned the Mosaic covenant in the role of the slave child! This was totally different than how he was raised to see the world. Walking with Jesus changed how he saw his life, how he saw the future, and how he understood the whole world. Paul wanted his readers to know their identity as children of Gods promise.

God wants to renew your mind. The Redeemer wants to take away the lies and false thoughts that have trapped you and kept you from His joy and overflowing life. The Lord wants to give you His wisdom for life, relationships, money, and work. This renewal doesnt happen instantly but grows more and more as you follow Gods Spirit and continue to know Gods Word and way.How has Jesus changed your thinking, attitude, and actions? Why is it important to know your identity as a child of Gods promise?

Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world? You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years. I fear for you. Perhaps all my hard work with you was for nothing. Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentilesfree from those laws. You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you. Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News. But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God or even Christ Jesus himself. Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth? Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them. If someone is eager to do good things for you, thats all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when Im with you. Oh, my dear children! I feel as if Im going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I dont know how else to help you.‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If you arent careful, being religious can ruin your relationship with God. Paul reminded the Galatians that he first came to them while sick. Even though they hesitated to bring in a sick stranger, they cared for him even before they were Christians! God was already working in their hearts, and the one they helped find healing helped them find salvation in Jesus. Years later, they were not sure if they trusted Paul and his gospel message. They had become legalistically religious. They were considering getting circumcised in order to be accepted by the Lord (but theyhad already been approved by God, shown by the Spirit in their lives). They were mistakenly starting to believe that they could substitute rule following for a living relationship with God.

God wants us to pray, go to church, work for justice, and serve together. All these good things, though, cant take the place of hearing Gods voice and doing what you know is right. There is no substitute for knowing the Lord through His Word and walking in His love and grace. So in every sermon, church event, serving opportunity, prayer, Bible reading, and more listen for the voice of your Redeemer who loves you, guiding you on the path of living in His love.Why is it so tempting to follow the rules rather than walking with God? How is your life anchored in Gods Word, prayer, and obedience?

Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. And thats the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, Abba, Father. Now you are no longer a slave but Gods own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Rules arent bad, but they dont make us good. The Galatians had received the Holy Spirit by faith. Paul wrote this letter to prevent them from trying to get the fruit of the Spirit through the human effort of following the law. The new covenant has come, with the Spirit of God living inside of believers. The Galatians were trying to go back to the old covenant, symbolized by circumcision. They were trying to be right with God through their own effort, which wasnt even the way to be righteous in the old covenant!We can see the Trinity in these verses. The Father sent His Son to buy our freedom. The Son chose to be crucified under the law. Christ rose again and sent His Spirit into our hearts. The Spirit reminds us of the love of the Son, who made us children of the Father, so we can cry out Abba! (Abba means Dad.) You are an heir called, adopted, chosen, and loved.Why is it important to speak to God as a close, loving Dad? Are you trying to be right with the Lord by loving and following Jesus or by following the rules?

Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and Gods promise to Abraham belongs to you.‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬-‭29‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The promises of God can change your life. Paul described the law as playing the role of a tutor the Lord gave the law to instruct people how to live until we could receive the inheritance. The inheritance is the Holy Spirit, a new heart, and a new will to follow the ways of the Lord (Jer 31:31-34; Eze 36:26-27). Now that the promised inheritance had come through Christ, we no longer follow the tutor. We live by trusting Jesus.

We have a new identity from the Father, through the sacrifice of Jesus and the presence of the Spirit. In the ancient world the oldest son was the heir and had special standing in the family. In Christ all believers are heirs of Abrahams promise; we are all the firstborn son with special standing Jew, Gentile, slave, free, men and women. Realize and remember who you are in Christ. You are not a slave but free in Christ. So often we dont live out this freedom. So often we dont live like we are Gods special children. You dont earn the Fathers love; you receive it. Live out Gods mission as His dearly loved child. Receive His love and share that love with every person in your life.How do these verses help you understand the Old Testament laws? How can you posture your life to receive the love of God?

Dear brothers and sisters, heres an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or amend an irrevocable agreement, so it is in this case. God gave the promises to Abraham and his child. And notice that the Scripture doesnt say to his children, as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says to his childand that, of course, means Christ. This is what I am trying to say: The agreement God made with Abraham could not be canceled 430 years later when God gave the law to Moses. God would be breaking his promise. For if the inheritance could be received by keeping the law, then it would not be the result of accepting Gods promise. But God graciously gave it to Abraham as a promise. Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham. Is there a conflict, then, between Gods law and Gods promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive Gods promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬-‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

An old man decided to take ballroom dancing lessons to be able to dance with his wife, who loved to dance. There were many steps to learn and it was hard for him to remember them all, but he slowly got better and better. On their next anniversary he took his wife out to dance. Before they took to the floor, he seemed anxious. Don't worry, my dear, his wife reassured him, it is not about the steps, it is about us. He stopped worrying about getting the steps right, stared into his wife's eyes, and had a great night dancing.

God wants to dance with you. The purpose of the law is not to make us right with God but to tell us what we are doing wrong. This is important. The dance class can give guidance for the steps, but it is not the same as dancing with the one you love. Know the rules but focus on following Christ. He wants to lead your life in a dance of joy, freedom, and significance.What do these verses teach you about the promises of God and the purpose of Gods law? Are you focused more on following the rules or Jesus?

Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christs death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it? I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ. In the same way, Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith. The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. Whats more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, All nations will be blessed through you. So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. 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 Gods Book of the Law. 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. This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, It is through obeying the law that a person has life. But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God wants you to experience the life that comes from His Spirit. Paul was trying to convince the Galatians that they do not need to be circumcised in order to be saved or accepted by God. In these verses he gave two arguments. First, Abraham believed in God and was considered righteous. Faith has always, even in the Old Testament, been the way to be right with the Lord. Second, Paul gave the example of the Spirit's power in the lives of the Galatian believers they had been changed and seen miracles. This power didn't come through circumcision, but through faith making the decision to trust and follow Jesus.

Follow the way you most experience Gods Spirit. If it is in worship, listen to worship music all the time. If it is reading books or listening to sermons, make time to be filled up with those. If it is nature or hiking or serving or missions or silence or journaling, make a way to do those things. Make prayer and the Word of God a part of those times too. And dont neglect gathering with other believers, either (Heb 10:24-25). Let the Lord speak into your life, make decisions with Him, and live a fully devoted life. This is life way beyond the rules or trying to prove you are a good or religious person. This is an adventure and journey with Jesus, a relationship with the Creator and Savior that will change your life. Walk with the Spirit of God and experience life!How do you most experience the life of Gods Spirit? What difference could it make if you spent more time doing these things?

But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldnt eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peters hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions? You and I are Jews by birth, not sinners like the Gentiles. Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law. But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the lawI stopped trying to meet all its requirementsso that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Follow Christ more than the rules. Peter was living in the freedom of Christ (eating with Gentiles) until some people came from Jerusalem. He wanted to show that he was following the Jewish customs, so he distanced himself from the Gentiles sending the message that the Jewish cultural laws were superior to the gospel. This hypocrisy cut into the heart of the message of Jesus. Paul confronted Peter publicly because it was a public sin (they were later reconciled; see Acts 15:6ff).

The rules tell us when we are wrong, but they do not make us right with God. Only faith can do that, a walking in loving trust with our Savior. This was true in the Old Testament, too people were made right and forgiven through the sacrifices, not following the rules. People in Pauls day were twisting the good purpose of Gods law, just as people do today. Follow Jesus and you will fulfill the rules and much more. Embrace grace and sacrifice. Cling to the attitude of Galatians 2:20 Jesus loves you and gave His life; the joy is to love Him in return and give your life for Him. This relationship, if you really live it out, sets you free. This is the fullness of salvation.Why did Peter act differently around different people? How can you avoid this mistake? How can you follow Jesus and not just rules?

Then fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too. I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing. And they supported me and did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised, though he was a Gentile. Even that question came up only because of some so-called believers therefalse ones, reallywho were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations. But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you. And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.) Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews. For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles. In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Godly leadership greatly matters. Paul had stated clearly that his message was fromJesus and not dependent on the Jerusalem leaders, but he still had respect for their Christ-given leadership and authority. He went to Jerusalem to talk with them and make sure they were preaching the same message of truth. Titus was not circumcised (and the Galatian Christians didn't need to be either). There were, however, those that ignored the message of Christ and the authority of the leaders they were the ones going around saying that Gentile Christians needed to be circumcised in order to be saved. Paul was faithful to Christ and respectful of the leaders and authority that Christ had put in place. At the same time, he strongly opposed the false teaching that these misguided Jewish Christians were spreading.

God put leaders and authority figures in our lives, and it is important to be respectful of them. While Jesus calls everyone to a personal relationship, He also calls us to community and to follow godly leaders. The ultimate authority is the Lord (Matt 28:18), yet we also submit to those in authority over us. When we have authority, we lead with integrity. These verses are a great example of how to follow Christ above all while still submitting to godly leaders. Take some time to reflect on how you can do this.Who are the leaders and authority figures in your life, and how can you show them respect? Who are the people in your life that you have authority over? How can you make sure you lead with integrity and respect them?

Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ. You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religionhow I violently persecuted Gods church. I did my best to destroy it. I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors. But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus. Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lords brother. I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie. After that visit I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. And still the churches in Christ that are in Judea didnt know me personally. All they knew was that people were saying, The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy! And they praised God because of me.‭‭Galatians‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Your story with Jesus is powerful! We know from the Bible that Paul told his story many times and in many different settings. He reminded the Galatians that he came to them while sick, and that he did not go to Jerusalem to receive the gospel it was received directly from Jesus Christ. Paul's opponents claimed higher authority because they came from Jerusalem (which they did) and were authorized by Peter, James, and John (which they were not). Paul's reply was to tell his story. He received his commission to preach the gospel from Christ, and he would not change the gospel message or stop preaching.

Your story is a witness to the goodness of God. Take some time to think through the stories in your life where Jesus is the hero. It helps to have a few key stories that you can adapt to different situations. Work on how you tell these stories, and try to share them often. It is also valuable to have recent stories of how the Lord is working in your life. Your story is powerful!What are the big decisions of faith that you have made along the journey? Who are the people in your life who have defined your faith? Who can you tell your Jesus story to this week?