Paul makes it clear that faith absolutely is foundational to the Christian life. It is the means by which we lay hold of the promises we have in Christ. But what is faith exactly? What does it involve? What do the following texts teach us about the origin of faith? Gen. 15:5, 6; John 3:14–16; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15; Gal. … Continue reading –>
“And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith” (Phil. 3:9, NKJV). We should not assume Jewish Christians were suggesting that faith in Christ was not important; after all, they were all believers in … Continue reading –>
“…just as it is written: `The righteous will live by faith.’” Romans 1:17, NIV While I was attending Walla Walla College in the late 1970s, a professor asked his class an impromptu quiz. “How many believe,” he asked, “that we can work our way to heaven by our good deeds?” Only one or two hands … Continue reading –>
Paul says three times in Galatians 2:16 that a person is not justified by “works of the law.” What does he mean by the expression “works of the law”? How do these texts (Gal. 2:16, 17; 3:2, 5, 10; Rom. 3:20, 28) help us understand his meaning? Before we can understand the phrase “the works of the law,” we first need to … Continue reading –>
In Galatians 2:15, Paul writes, “We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners” (ESV). What point do you think he was making? Paul’s words need to be understood in their context. In an attempt to win over his fellow Jewish Christians to his position, Paul starts with something they would agree with—the traditional distinction between Jews … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Gal. 2:15–21; Eph. 2:12; Phil. 3:9; Rom. 3:10–20; Gen. 15:5, 6; Rom. 3:8. Memory Text: “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 … Continue reading –>
For further study on the issue of unity and diversity in the church, read Ellen G. White, “Investigation of New Light,” pp. 45, 47, in Counsels to Writers and Editors; “An Explanation of Early Statements,” p. 75, in Selected Messages, book 1; “Tactfulness,” pp. 117–119, in Gospel Workers; and “Manuscript Release 898,” pp. 1092, 1093, in1888 Materials, vol. 3. “Even the best of men, if left … Continue reading –>
Geraldo Makinano I slumped onto a fallen tree in the thick forest to wait for my partner and fellow student missionary to catch up to me. We still had 20 miles to hike, and we were tired and thirsty. Suddenly I realized that we were in rebel territory where soldiers roam searching for “the enemy.” … Continue reading –>
The Unity of the Gospel October 15, 2011 Key Thought: The church was in danger of losing its understanding of the gospel because of dependence on Jewish traditions that opposed faith in Christ’s work. 1. Have a volunteer read Galatians 2:3-5 A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea … Continue reading –>
The situation in Antioch surely was tense: Paul and Peter, two leaders in the church, were in open conflict. And Paul holds nothing back as he calls Peter to account for his behavior. What reasons does Paul give for publicly confronting Peter? Gal. 2:11–14. As Paul saw it, the problem was not that Peter had decided to … Continue reading –>
“Live in harmony with one another…” Romans 12:16, NIV I enjoy concerts. I marvel at how many different instruments in an orchestra can blend together to produce something of great power and beauty. I also thrill at the many different voices that blend together to produce the majestic strains of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” Whether it … Continue reading –>
I have about as many bones as the average adult female does, and that’s enough for me. Some of those 206 bones are long and narrow, some are short and stubby. They attach to other bones by various means. Some of them are “fused” together. Others fit together by means of a hinge. And I … Continue reading –>
