Freeing Fools
"It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere" - Voltaire
Paul knew this first hand. He would say to the Galatians...
"O foolish Galatians! Who bewitches you?...for freedom Christ frees us!" (Galatians 3:1; 5:1)
Freed them from what?
Christ freed them from the impossible task of saving themselves by doing good works. Christ Jesus covered our sin with his blood and gives us righteousness before God "IN HIM".
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all mankind... Christ Jesus who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed" ... "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them...He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God IN HIM." (Titus 2:11,14; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21)
We do not become righteous by our good works or by OUR faith in Christ..but by "the faith OF Christ" Jesus...it is a gift from God "IN HIM".
"There is none righteous, not even one...being justified in His blood, we shall be saved from indignation, through Him." (Romans 3:10; 5:9)
Attention all political and religious "do-gooders", keep it up because it is a good thing - BUT - all the good works in the world will not make one person righteous before God.
"...a man is not being justified by works of law, except alone through the faith OF Christ Jesus, we also believe in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by the faith OF Christ, and not by works of law, seeing that by works of law shall no flesh at all be justified." (Galatians 2:16 CLNT)
I know, some translations have "IN" where the KJV and CLNT has "OF", i've read many of them - but the oldest and best Greek manuscripts read "faith OF Christ".
Our faith in him simply allows us to rejoice in what He has done on our behalf. So rejoice in the truth that you and those you care about have been Reconciled by the "BLOOD" OF CHRIST, Justified by the "FAITH" OF CHRIST, and will be Saved from death at the "RETURN" OF CHRIST to free us from death.
"For freedom Christ frees us".
And oh by the way - treat others like you appreciate it!
Paul knew this first hand. He would say to the Galatians...
"O foolish Galatians! Who bewitches you?...for freedom Christ frees us!" (Galatians 3:1; 5:1)
Freed them from what?
Christ freed them from the impossible task of saving themselves by doing good works. Christ Jesus covered our sin with his blood and gives us righteousness before God "IN HIM".
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all mankind... Christ Jesus who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed" ... "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them...He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God IN HIM." (Titus 2:11,14; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21)
We do not become righteous by our good works or by OUR faith in Christ..but by "the faith OF Christ" Jesus...it is a gift from God "IN HIM".
"There is none righteous, not even one...being justified in His blood, we shall be saved from indignation, through Him." (Romans 3:10; 5:9)
Attention all political and religious "do-gooders", keep it up because it is a good thing - BUT - all the good works in the world will not make one person righteous before God.
"...a man is not being justified by works of law, except alone through the faith OF Christ Jesus, we also believe in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by the faith OF Christ, and not by works of law, seeing that by works of law shall no flesh at all be justified." (Galatians 2:16 CLNT)
I know, some translations have "IN" where the KJV and CLNT has "OF", i've read many of them - but the oldest and best Greek manuscripts read "faith OF Christ".
Our faith in him simply allows us to rejoice in what He has done on our behalf. So rejoice in the truth that you and those you care about have been Reconciled by the "BLOOD" OF CHRIST, Justified by the "FAITH" OF CHRIST, and will be Saved from death at the "RETURN" OF CHRIST to free us from death.
"For freedom Christ frees us".
And oh by the way - treat others like you appreciate it!