What Makes a Person Good?

Bible In A Year | Read: Galatians 3

26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:26-29

Overview of Chapter

Paul reminds his Jewish readers that Abraham was forgiven on the basis of believing what God told him, not by keeping the Old Testament Law (Genesis 15:6). How could Abraham have kept laws that didn’t even exist yet? If a person were to earn righteousness by keeping the law, they would be required to keep all of it all the time. That’s 613 rules! Although the law was great at letting people know they needed forgiveness, it never brought about forgiveness. You either depend entirely on the law and be perfect or trust Jesus and let him pay for all the times you have failed to keep the law. Since keeping the law perfectly is impossible, the right choice is obvious.

The mixing of trusting Jesus but requiring some extra stuff is tempting. We have received the priceless gift of salvation, and God requires nothing from us but to believe it. When we attempt to earn salvation, we are trying to put a price on something that is priceless.

Thoughts on the verses

What makes a person good? Better yet – what makes them righteous in God’s sight? Is it works – or faith? Is it law – or grace? In other words, do you work to make yourself good enough? Do you earn it? Or do you believe – trust God for it, and rest in His work? This is not just a philosophical debate over doctrine – this is the great battle of religion and spirituality. These are the dividing lines between the gospel of Christ and every other religion: faith vs. works – grace vs. law. Paul lays out the heart of the gospel, and the only way that a person can be truly good.

Action Steps

Bible: What is God showing me?  What am I going to do about it? 

Bless: Serve one person through word, action, or gift today.

Prayer

Dear God, thank you that when you see me, you see Christ’s perfect work in saving me and that I’m clothed in Him.  Amen.

Have you ever thought it would be cool to hear some C3 leaders discuss the daily verses, share about their lives and mostly just talk about nonsense?  Of course not!…even though nobody has ever thought that we are still doing it.  You can follow along with us each morning in a brand new podcast – Monday Comments & Us vs. Joel Osteen.