Galatians 2 DEVO: Gospel is By Grace thru Faith plus Nothing!

Chapter 2:
In this chapter, Paul continues to emphasize that the good news of Jesus is received by grace thru faith. This was the very issue that was settled in Acts 15 at the Jerusalem Council. He reminds them Titus, who was a Greek, was not circumcised, proving they weren’t gonna’ give in to this false teaching. He also explains that the apostles agreed with Paul that He was to go to the Gentiles with this message of grace.
Paul then gives a final example of how Peter wrongly gave into this false teaching. His response? “I apposed him to his face because he was clearly in the wrong.” Peter was “not acting in line with the truth of the Gospel” and Paul called him on it!
The closing verses speak of “justification.” I tell people think of “Just-if-I’d never sinned.” Literally the word has to do with a legal declaration. It’s a choice, by God, to declare us righteous because of Jesus’ blood NOT because of anything we have done or could do! For “if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” Paul then concludes with a verse that many of us have memorized to remind us who we are: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
SO WHAT?!
*What are some ways we add to the free, gracious good news of Jesus? How about things like “if I read my Bible more God will like me more” or “If I give some money to help people in Haiti” or “if I go to church more often” or…… you fill in the blank. Whenever we do or even think things like this we add to the message of God’s grace. Let’s not do this but instead let’s daily thanks God for His amazing grace and out of gratefulness live a thank you letter back to Him!
*The last time you were corrected for doing something wrong, how did you respond? It doesn’t ell us in this passage what Peter’s reaction was, but if you read his Peter’s letters (which we will later) you’ll see he learned humility and God used him greatly. May we do the same.
*Galatians 2:20 – Do you believe it? Lord, help us to not only believe it but to live it!