"God Pause Daily Devotional" The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 8 June 2016 with Scripture Galatians 2:15-21
Galatians 2:15 We are Jews by birth, not so-called ‘Goyishe sinners’; 16 even so, we have come to realize that a person is not declared righteous by God on the ground of his legalistic observance of Torah commands, but through the Messiah Yeshua’s trusting faithfulness. Therefore, we too have put our trust in Messiah Yeshua and become faithful to him, in order that we might be declared righteous on the ground of the Messiah’s trusting faithfulness and not on the ground of our legalistic observance of Torah commands. For on the ground of legalistic observance of Torah commands, no one will be declared righteous.[Galatians 2:16 Psalm 143:2]
17 But if, in seeking to be declared righteous by God through our union with the Messiah, we ourselves are indeed found to be sinners, then is the Messiah an aider and abettor of sin? Heaven forbid! 18 Indeed, if I build up again the legalistic bondage which I destroyed, I really do make myself a transgressor. 19 For it was through letting the Torah speak for itself that I died to its traditional legalistic misinterpretation, so that I might live in direct relationship with God. 20 When the Messiah was executed on the stake as a criminal, I was too; so that my proud ego no longer lives. But the Messiah lives in me, and the life I now live in my body I live by the same trusting faithfulness that the Son of God had, who loved me and gave himself up for me. 21 I do not reject God’s gracious gift; for if the way in which one attains righteousness is through legalism, then the Messiah’s death was pointless.[Complete Jewish Bible]
-------Paul is passionate about this message he is proclaiming: Christ is doing a new thing and is inviting us to participate, too. It's bold and exciting news, but what does it look like this summer? How are our vocations, institutions and congregations bearing something new in the midst of old traditions and conflicting loyalties?
I serve a small congregation founded in 1893. There are so many signs of new life at Zion, but sometimes this growth bumps up against tradition or a maintenance attitude. I am encouraged by Paul's message to the Galatians because he is asking us to move beyond constant compromise and minor tweaks; he's reminding us that we are death and resurrection people, called to the messy work of transformation every single day. When we seek to live in reference to the law we fail every time, but thankfully through God's promise of life there is no stopping the body of Christ!
God of life, your son died for everything that separates us from the promises of your kingdom. Transform our loyalties and compromises with holy courage that dies and rises with Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Meta Herrick Carlson
Zion Lutheran Church, Minneapolis
Master of Divinity, 2008
Galatians 2:15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;
16 yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law.
17 But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!
18 But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor.
19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ;
20 and it is no longer I who live, but it is 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 and gave himself for me.
21 I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.[New Revised Standard Version]
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