The Journey Readings: Week 137... and... it's all about the gospel...

Paul wrote a letter to the churches in Galatia...
churches he founded in Jesus's name...
churches he labored over...
aching for Christ to be formed in them...

...my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish

of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!

Galatians 4:19 ESV

His letter prompted because he'd heard others had slipped in to lead them astray...

teaching a different gospel than what he taught...

they taught Mosaic law... instead of freedom in Christ...

What I appreciate most about Paul's letter to these converted Gentiles...

is his use of the Old Testament... when they had no background in it at all...

Paul establishes faith in Christ as the only means of salvation...

using Abraham to explain about faith's primacy to the law...

Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and work miracles among you

do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith---

just as Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness?"

Galatians 3:5-6 ESV

Then he tells them of Abraham's two wives... one slave... one free...
one giving birth by the flesh... one by God's faith-full promise...

For it is written Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman

and one by a free woman. ...these women are two covenants.

One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.

... But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. ...

Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 

Galatians 4:22, 24, 26, 28 ESV

Teaching these baby Christians...
the law enslaves... the promise of the gospel frees...

And what I see... Scripture is all about the gospel...

Paul's Scripture was the Old...

he points to it time and again...

to prove the legitimacy of Jesus...

And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith,

preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying,

"In you shall all the nations be blessed."

Galatians 3:8 ESV

The whole of Scripture...
it's all about the gospel...
it preaches the good news of Jesus Christ...

Ask Him to reveal it to you...
so you can see Him through and through...
it will only help establish Him in your heart and mind...
who He really is... and what He's done for you...

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross

of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been

crucified to me, and I to the world.

For neither circumcision counts for anything,

nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy

be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

Galatians 6:14-16 ESV

This week's readings...
Monday                 1 Corinthians 4-5
Tuesday                1 Corinthians 6:1 - 7:24
Wednesday            1 Corinthians 7:25 - 8:13
Thursday               1 Corinthians 9:1 - 10:22
Friday                   1 Corinthians 10:23 - 11:34