We could preach a thousand sermons on this verse and never exhaust the glory of its truth –
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Galatians 2:21
In brief –
I shall not frustrate (set aside) grace (the teaching of it, the living in it, or the rejoicing about it)
for, it righteousness (right-standing, forgiveness, salvation)
come by the law (my obedience, my ability, my goodness as measured against another, my attention to detail, my religious affiliation)
then Christ is dead (crucified) in vain (for nothing, for no purpose, for no reason).
Bottom line – God had a perfect law – and a world filled with broken, imperfect people. So, he gave his perfect Son – that He might redeem and reconcile those people to Himself. He does so, not based on the goodness of those people – but based on the Goodness of that One Person, Jesus.
If we could have been made right with God by keeping any law – any form of it, any interpretation of it, any rabbinical application of it, any religious permutation of it – then Jesus would not have died. In fact, His death would have been foolish – because He would have done something for us that we could have done for ourselves.
He entered into our broken circumstances – and took upon Himself our sin, our separation, our guilt, our pride, our foolishness, our ignorance, our brokenness – and He died (for us… as us?)
This is grace. This is love-that-has-no-bounds. This is oceans of mercy and rivers of peace. This is awesome, period. This is God.
But… Why? So that we could then, post-salvation, having believed this truth, saddle ourselves with MORE law-keeping, more religion, more stuff-to-make-God-happy-so-He-won’t-get-me? Heaven forbid!
We are to live FREE – both from religion AND sin. We are to recognize, rightly, the harmful things in this world – but we do so with a “sound mind” – and not a “timid heart”. We walk as sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Christ. We have His heart – and He holds our future. We live by the Spirit – and we walk by the Spirit – heirs of eternity – forgiven, graced with mercy, alive… and well! Archive for the ‘Paul’ Category
Galatians 2:21 Dead In Vain?
Posted by Jason on September 17th, 2014
We could preach a thousand sermons on this verse and never exhaust the glory of its truth –
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Galatians 2:21
In brief –
I shall not frustrate (set aside) grace (the teaching of it, the living in it, or the rejoicing about it)
for, it righteousness (right-standing, forgiveness, salvation)
come by the law (my obedience, my ability, my goodness as measured against another, my attention to detail, my religious affiliation)
then Christ is dead (crucified) in vain (for nothing, for no purpose, for no reason).
Bottom line – God had a perfect law – and a world filled with broken, imperfect people. So, he gave his perfect Son – that He might redeem and reconcile those people to Himself. He does so, not based on the goodness of those people – but based on the Goodness of that One Person, Jesus.
If we could have been made right with God by keeping any law – any form of it, any interpretation of it, any rabbinical application of it, any religious permutation of it – then Jesus would not have died. In fact, His death would have been foolish – because He would have done something for us that we could have done for ourselves.
He entered into our broken circumstances – and took upon Himself our sin, our separation, our guilt, our pride, our foolishness, our ignorance, our brokenness – and He died (for us… as us?)
This is grace. This is love-that-has-no-bounds. This is oceans of mercy and rivers of peace. This is awesome, period. This is God.
But… Why? So that we could then, post-salvation, having believed this truth, saddle ourselves with MORE law-keeping, more religion, more stuff-to-make-God-happy-so-He-won’t-get-me? Heaven forbid!
We are to live FREE – both from religion AND sin. We are to recognize, rightly, the harmful things in this world – but we do so with a “sound mind” – and not a “timid heart”. We walk as sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Christ. We have His heart – and He holds our future. We live by the Spirit – and we walk by the Spirit – heirs of eternity – forgiven, graced with mercy, alive… and well! 
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Thoughts on Colossians 2:9-10
Posted by Jason on February 18th, 2014
You have to love the KJV wording of these two awesome verses. Check it –
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power
I’m no Bible-translator, nor do I play one on the internet – but I do love to think about awesome truths when I see them.
Jesus Christ is fully-God. All that God is, Jesus is. He is THE revelation of God, about God, to us – in a body. The character, nature, heart, purpose, mind, and glory of God – the “whole fulness of deity” – lives in Jesus.
Wow.
Now, check this next part. We are “complete” in Him. We “have been filled” in Him. This Jesus, who is above all other powers and more perfect than any other authority – He has declared us, caused us to be, and made us by His death-conquering love, “complete”. He has released us from our sin, saved us from our death, and blessed us with His life. He is ours. We are His.
At a minimum, this verse is stating that we are, at present, in this moment, at this time, right now – complete in Jesus. There is nothing wanting, lacking, or missing.
That’s grace upon grace.
We can now stop searching for acceptance, based on our own performance, and simply live out of the acceptance, in Christ, that we already have. Jesus isn’t worried that He might, someday, become “less” like God – and we shouldn’t worry that we might, someday, become “less” accepted by God.
We should trust God, take Him at His word, and live out of the grace-life He has given us.
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Be blessed. Thoughts On Ephesians 3:8
Posted by Jason on February 16th, 2014
I have always been fascinated with Ephesians 3:8
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ (KJV)
Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. (NLT)
Here’s Paul – PAUL – and He uses the phrase “less than the least of all saints” to describe… himself!
Let that sink in.
Paul wrote half of the New Testament. Paul carried the message of Jesus throughout the Roman empire. Paul was beaten, stoned, and left for dead. Paul went to prison. Paul was THE man.
Yet, Paul maintained a spirit of real humility.
How is this possible? When comparing himself to others, no doubt, Paul could have pulled the “do you know who I am?” card.
Instead, he imitated Christ, becoming of “no reputation” and chose to serve, rather than to be served.
Paul’s motivation – I think it was his sole (soul?) motivation?
It was grace.
He spent his life – preaching it, living it, giving it, sharing it – because He had received it!
No matter the situation, or the time in his life, or the reason for any particular letter, Paul always focused on the grace of God.
Sure, he had to write about other topics, settle a few disputes, correct a few errors – but he always circled around to the “main thing” – grace.
I love this verse. It’s so cool.
Paul, once a Pharisee, enamored with the law, steeped in tradition, and filled with hate – is saved by grace. Then God allows Paul the great privilege – to share that same grace – with the world!
Wow!
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
If you enjoyed this post, please use the social media buttons below to share with your friends and followers. Also, if you shop at Amazon, please do so through the The Grace Station Amazon Page
. When you do so, Amazon kicks a small amount my way (without charging you anything extra) and that helps me keep The Grace Station up and running. Thanks so much! Be blessed.
. When you do so, Amazon kicks a small amount my way (without charging you anything extra) and that helps me keep The Grace Station up and running. Thanks so much! Be blessed.Grace and Peace – Paul’s Introductions To His Letters
Posted by Jason on July 3rd, 2012
The apostle Paul authored a good portion of the New Testament. He had an awesome way of greeting his readers.
Check these verses out –
…to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ… – Romans 1:7
…Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ… – 1 Corinthians 1:3
…Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ… – 2 Corinthians 1:2
…Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ… – Galatians 1:3
…Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ… – Ephesians 1:2
…Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ… – Philippians 1:2
…To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father… – Colossians 1:2
…Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace… 1 Thessalonians 1:1
…Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ… 2 Thessalonians 1:2
…To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord… – 1 Timothy 1:2
…To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord… 2 Timothy 1:2
…To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior… – Titus 1:4
…Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ… – Philemon 1:3
Regardless of original audience – an individual believer or a group of believers – Paul begins each letter with a salutation of grace!
Paul goes beyond the standard greeting of the day, combines like-terms from two predominate cultures, and brings forth eternal truth. God, in Christ, has presented to us his grace – his unending, unmerited, undeserved, remarkable, reconciling, redeeming – grace – and anyone who accepts Christ and His grace – will have true peace.
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.
Photo attribution: Ryk Neethling 
