Good Morning!
It was a great weekend for us. Some friends of our ministry joined together to give away Thanksgiving dinners to approximately 55 families. Praise God for those who helped make this possible through their donations and for the families we met who received the dinners. God uses people like you to accomplish His will and show the love of God to so many people!
The law versus Faith is a common theme in the book of Galatians. We know that we are "justified" by the law and we are under the "curse" of the law if we think we can use it to enter into heaven. It's just not possible. Paul said in another book, "For by grace you are saved through Faith..." Ephesians 2:8.
Galatians 3:10 says:
"For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written:
'Cursed is everyone who does not continue doing everything written in the book of the law.'"
Paul is not saying that the law is bad. He is stating that if a person desires to right in the eyes of God by keeping the law...he/she must keep ALL of the law. And we know because we have been born with a sinful nature in a world of sin, that this is impossible. If a person is relying on his/her righteousness to get them to heaven...they will fail.
But, the "righteous will live by FAITH." v.11.
I have met some really good people in my life. Really good! They have the heart to do right and make the right decisions. Their attitude is positive. Their personality is contagious. They are people you love being around. But...without Faith in Jesus Christ for their salvation, they are not able to get to heaven on their goodness alone.
Yesterday as I was leaving the church I told a lady in our church to have a good week. She smiled and immediately told me, "But, I'm not good." I have told her many times, "Katy, you sure are good! Her response is always, "You know, the Bible says that nobody is good."
Katy is right. It is not by goodness or works that we enter into heaven. But, once we have put our Faith in Jesus we are told to live by His law. We serve Him. We love Him and love other people to show our love for Him. We live for Him.
"The just shall live by Faith." Habakkuk 2:4. This was stated first by the prophet Habakkuk. Then years later a man named Luther was reading the scriptures in a Monastery when he came across this verse in Romans 1:17 and it motivated him to begin a Reformation that would change the evangelical course of the church in Europe. Until Martin Luther fully understood that it was NOT by his works... regardless of the magnitude of his good works...no one would make it to heaven without FAITH.
The purpose of taking the Gospel to every nation is so people can know without a doubt that their Faith in what Jesus has done at Calvary will please God and give them an entrance into God's heaven.
If you are found to be right before God...it is not because of your works or keeping the law. You are right before God because of your FAITH.
Living a life of Faith means you give God total control of your life. It means your future is safe with God. It means your today and tomorrow is safe with God. It means the political messiness in America is in God's hand. You can trust God with it.
It means the future coming of Jesus is in God's hand. Sure, Jesus is coming again. We know that for sure. but, we don't have to anxious about when He is coming and all the signs of His coming. We just know that it is an event that will come soon and we trust God for the timetable. "Keep your eyes upon the Eastern sky for your Redemption draweth nigh!"
All of this is a result of living by FAITH!
May God Bless You!
Don Betts
DBEA/campus320
DBEAWINNING.COM
TO GOD BE ALL GLORY!