Today, August 2nd, represents the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (1776). The U.S. Declaration of Independence was signed by fifty people on this day in 1776.
The Book of Galations - The Christian’s “Declaration of Independence”
(The “Magna Carta of Christian liberty”)
Through Jesus Christ, we are declared independent. Dependent upon God, yet independent from the world system that is controlled and managed by Satan. Grace declares that we are complete, established, able to endure, and anxiety-free in our relationship with God. By casting all of our cares and concerns on Him, we are free to live a moral and righteous life without fear of retribution from this unkind world.
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. A-men’ ”
(1 Peter 5:10).
The Book of Galatians is an epistle of Paul the Apostle that is written to the churches of Galatia who have become content with their exercise of faith. They are displaying outwardly signs of works that becomes a concern of Paul’s. His letter to these churches is an attack against gradual turn from faith to works. He learns of their actions from a report that the Galatian churches were suddenly taken over by false teaching(s) of certain Judaizers. Paul’s message to the Galatians is so important that he chose to write it himself in lieu of dictating words to a secretary, as was his usual practice (chapter 6, verse 11).
In Chapter 3, there is a clear explanation, with details, that the Holy Spirit is given by faith, not by works. In other words, there is nothing that we can do to “earn” this precious gift from our Heavenly Father.
“And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth”
(Hebrews 9: 15-17).
“That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life”
(Titus 3:7).
Excerpt: Give God the Glory! Know God & Do the Will of God Concerning Your Life, © 2001, by Kevin Wayne Johnson.
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