Trainee Ramblings: January 2015

It's SO easy to forget the fundamental truths of the Gospel. The Church in Galatia (http://tinyurl.com/l4o9s79) had forgotten one of the basic truths of the Gospel, that we are saved by grace (God saving us because He loves us not because we earned it), and had turned back to the Law (trying to be good in order to be saved (which doesn't work, see Genesis 3-Revelation 22)).

Right near the start of his letter to them, Paul says this (Galatians 1:6-7a), "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel - which is really no gospel at all." We soon find out that in Galatia the Church was being led astray by false teachers who were promoting physical circumcision as a sign of the Law, a sign that has no place in Christianity, and that this is what was leading the Galatians astray. But we too can quickly lose sight of the truths of the Gospel, and not just because of false teaching.

Throughout Galatians Paul explains and proclaims how we are saved by grace, how the law cannot save us, and how in Christ and the grace that comes through Him we have forgiveness and redemption and become heirs with Christ. He pleads, he rebukes and he encourages. The loving frustration of Paul is so clear in the way he writes, as he sees that the Galatians have something SO good and are on the verge of simply forgetting it and running after something which harbours only weariness, despair and death.

One of my favourite verses in the Bible at the moment (if we should have favourite verses ;)) is Galatians 5:1 which says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." It takes me right back to John 19:30 describing Jesus' last words on the cross, "... Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." When Jesus died on the cross he dealt with all of our sin forever. In case we weren't sure, he said it himself (and with words God (including Jesus) created the universe, with words Jesus calmed the storm, rose the dead.. you get the idea, when Jesus says something is, it is..).

When we forget the fundamental truths of the Gospel, lies and fears creep in and we begin to despair and lose hope. We need to remember that it is finished, that Christ has set us free and that we need to stand firm and not let ourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Sometimes we get so aware of our own sin, so convicted by it, that we lose hope and grow sad, because somehow we have forgotten the truth of the Gospel that we are saved by Christ and that He has set us free and that by the Spirit we will be changed if we continue in Him.

Sometimes we don't realise our sin and in pride or in distraction become so obsessed by the world and by things limited to this life and we forget the beauty, humility and majesty of the Gospel, we forget the immense love of God for us and all that Christ has done for us.

Either way all we need to do is remember the Gospel and turn our focus back to Christ and by the Spirit everything will follow.

Stand firm. It is finished.

Trainee Ramblings

25 Jan 2015

Don't forget the Gospel

9 Jan 2015

Some helpful videos