Stop trying to be Jewish

Galatians    
    I get so sick of Christian’s justifying their actions based upon Old Testament commands and scriptures. The old testament was written for the Christian’s learning, not their obedience (Rom. 15:4).  On Sunday evening’s we have been going through a paragraphical study of the book of Galatians. The entire letter to the churches of Galatia are about why they DO NOT have to follow the old testament scriptures. As a matter of fact, Paul gives them a dire warning, “Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the law, you have fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:2-4). A few things here. 1) Following the old rites has zero benefit to christians. 2) If you try to obey part of the old law, you are under obligation to keep the entirety of that law. Lest we forget, Peter, a jew, says that’s impossible! In Acts 15, which addressing Judaizers, Peter says “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing up on the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?” (Acts 15:10). 3) If you try to be justified by the old law, you forfeit your salvation. The phrase does not get much more plain than “You have fallen from grace.” The fact remains, the New Testament is the better covenant, enacted on better promises (Heb. 8:1-6). The Old Law was written for the a certain people, the Jews, at a certain time, before the sacrifice of Jesus, to follow (Heb. 1:1-3; 9:1-12; 9:15-17 & 22; & Col. 2:14). People who say you are Christians, stop trying to be Jewish. I love you all!

In His service,
Steven Hugley