December 21
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NO LONGER SLAVES BUT SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD
Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3 So we too, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elementary principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters. 6 Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. – Galatians 4:1-7
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It is interesting how Paul compares a rich child who is an heir to a slave. Because he is still a child, the rich owner is still under adults who stewards his responsibilities until he is mature enough to do so. Paul compares this situation to our spiritual maturity and our bondage to the world system. When Christ Jesus was sent by the Father, his purpose was to set free those who are living under the world system and bound by Law. Before Christ came, we were slaves of sin but when Jesus came to die on the cross for us, that changed. Since Christ is the Son of God, He also adopted us as His own sons and daughters. When Jesus died and was resurrected from death, we became heirs of God and He gave us the Holy Spirit to live inside us, so we can remember that we are heirs of righteousness and no longer slaves to sin. In other words, we do not intentionally or habitually sin anymore. We become children of God who inherits his righteousness through Jesus Christ.
Sadly, many Christians fail to understand this concept of adoption through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Because all men are sinful by nature, some of those who have already accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior still miss out on their inheritance that God gave us through his Son Jesus. When Christ died on the cross, we were given an announcement of our inheritance to God’s kingdom. Still, many believers fail to receive that gift of salvation because of their love for the world. They continue to think that they are still poor and do not have that inheritance of salvation. So, they still live their lives as slaves to sin and live defeated lives. Because they are still immature to understand the concept of adoption made through Christ’s death on the cross, they miss out comprehending their rights to living holy lives because the Holy Spirit lives in them already.
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REFLECTION
• What would you do if you had an announcement that you inherited something?
Monthly Archives: December 2020
CLOTHE YOURSELVES IN CHRIST JESUS ILMA’S VLOG
December 20
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CLOTHE YOURSELVES IN CHRIST JESUS
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, being confined for the faith that was destined to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our guardian to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. 26 For you are all sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.
– Galatians 3:23-29
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According to a commentary, before we were saved by faith; before we lived our lives by faith, we were kept under guard by the law. Here, Paul uses a different word and a different idea than when he wrote the Scripture has confined all under sin in the previous verse. The idea behind confined is imprisonment; the idea behind under guard is protective custody. There is a sense in which we were imprisoned by our own sin under the law; but there is also another sense in which it guarded us in protective custody.
In verse 24, the commentary says that it protects us by showing us God’s heart and by showing us the best way to live. It protects us by showing what should be approved and disapproved among men. It protects us by providing a foundation for civil law. In these ways and more, we were kept under guard by the law. The whole purpose of the law is to bring us to Jesus. Therefore, if someone doesn’t present the Law in a manner that brings people to faith in Jesus, they aren’t presenting the Law properly. The way Jesus presented the Law was to show people that they could not fulfill it, and needed to look outside of their law-keeping to find a righteousness greater than the Scribe and the Pharisees (Matthew 5:17-48). Using the picture of baptism, Paul illustrates what it means to have faith in Christ Jesus. He doesn’t say we were baptized into water, but baptized into Christ. Just as in water baptism a person is immersed in water, so when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, we are immersed in Jesus.
If we clothe ourselves in Christ Jesus, we will be free and have life. We will all be heirs to God which he promised to all of Abraham’s descendants. When we believe in Jesus, we become one with God as well.
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REFLECTION
• How can we clothe ourselves with Christ?
LIFE PROCEEDS FROM FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST ILMA’S VLOG
December 19
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LIFE PROCEEDS FROM FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST
19 Why the Law then? It was added on account of the violations, having been ordered through angels at the hand of a mediator, until the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; but God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? Far from it! For if a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has confined everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. – Galatians 3:19-22
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According to a commentary, part of the reason the law was given was to restrain the transgression of men through clearly revealing God’s holy standard. God had to give us His standard so we would not destroy ourselves before the Messiah came. But the law is also added because of transgressions in another way; the law also excites man’s innate rebellion through revealing a standard, showing us more clearly our need for salvation in Jesus as mentioned in Romans 7:5-8.
James Montgomery Boice called Galatians 3:20 “probably the most obscure verse in Galatians, if not the entire New Testament.” Another commentator said he has read more than 250 different interpretations of it; some other commentator raises the figure to 300. “The general thought seems to be that the promise must be considered superior to the law because the law is two-sided. The law was mediated, and this means that man was a party to it. The promise, on the other hand, is unilateral; man is not a party to it.” The law is not something evil, opposing God’s promise. The problem with the law is found in its inability to give strength to those who desire to keep it. If the law could have given life, then it could have brought righteousness. But the Law of Moses brings no life; it simply states the command, tells us to keep it, and tells us the consequences if we break the command. Luther says “When the Law drives you to the point of despair, let it drive you a little farther, let it drive you straight into the arms of Jesus who says: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’”
Paul reminds the Galatians once again that the promise of God is much higher than the law. He further explains how the law couldn’t bring life for it is only believing in Jesus Christ that we can have life. It is sad to watch many Christians live under law when Jesus Christ died for all of them already. Living under the law only brings death instead of life.
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REFLECTION
• Why can’t some Christians let go of living under the law?
THE RIGHTEOUS ONE LIVES BY FAITH
December 17
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THE RIGHTEOUS ONE LIVES BY FAITH
10 For all who are of works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written: “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THE THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO DO THEM.” 11 Now, that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “THE RIGHTEOUS ONE WILL LIVE BY FAITH.” 12 However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “THE PERSON WHO PERFORMS THEM WILL LIVE BY THEM.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written: “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”— 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. – Galatians 3:10-14
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Psalm 119:1 says, Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD! And Psalm 1:1-2 says, Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.
According to a commentary, the word law is used in two senses in the Bible. Sometimes it means “The Law of Moses, with all its commands, which a man must obey to be approved by God.” Sometimes it means “God’s Word” in a very general sense. Many times when the Old Testament speaks of the law, it speaks of it in the general sense of God’s Word to us. When Psalm 119:97 says Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day, the Psalmist meant more than just the Law of Moses; he meant all of God’s Word. There is an inherent, built-in blessing in living the way God says we should live, in fulfilling the “manufacturer’s recommendation.” When Paul said that as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse, he didn’t mean that the law was bad or the Word of God is wrong. He simply meant that God never intended the law to be the way we find our approval before Him.
In this letter to the Galatians, Paul points out to them the importance of the cross of Christ in verse 13. Before Jesus died, it was important for the people of God to follow the Law of Moses or they will be cursed. When Jesus died and hang on a tree, He took on that curse so that all God’s people including the Gentiles could join in the blessing of Abraham. After Jesus made that sacrifice for all believers, they are now supposed to live in the faith that will result in their receipt of the Spirit’s blessings.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think some Christians still live under the law instead of faith after all these years that passed since Jesus died for them on the cross?
SONS OF ABRAHAM ILMA’S VLOG
December 16
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SONS OF ABRAHAM
6 Just as Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7 Therefore, recognize that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. -Galatians 3:6-9
________________________________________Morris commented that “It mattered a great deal to the apostle that God saves people by grace, not on the grounds of their human achievement, and he found Abraham an excellent example of that truth.” In verse 6, Paul quotes Genesis 15:6. It simply shows that righteousness was accounted to Abraham because he believed God. It was not because he performed some work and certainly not because he was circumcised, because the covenant of circumcision had not yet been given.
Calvin comments that Genesis 15:1-6 shows that when Abraham put his trust in God, specifically in God’s promise to give him children that would eventually bring forth the Messiah, God credited this belief to Abraham’s account as righteousness. “Abraham was not justified merely because he believed that God would multiply his seed, but because he embraced the grace of God, trusting to the promised Mediator.”
The commentary further says that there are essentially two types of righteousness: righteousness we accomplish by our own efforts and righteousness accounted to us by the work of God when we believe. Since none of us can be good enough to accomplish perfect righteousness, we must have God’s righteousness accounted to us by doing just what Abram did: Abraham believed God. This quotation from Genesis 15:6 is one of the clearest expressions in the Bible of the truth of salvation by grace, through faith alone. It is the gospel in the Old Testament, quoted four times in the New Testament (Romans 4:3, Romans 4:9-10, Romans 4:22 and here in Galatians 3:6). Paul spoke from the Scriptures. He had already spoken from his personal experience and from the experience of the Galatian Christians themselves. But this passage is even more important, because it shows how Paul’s teaching is correct according to the Bible itself.
A true Christian ensures that they live by grace and faith and not by works. Just like Abraham became father of all nations because of his faith, we too, must have that same faith just like our father Abraham.
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REFLECTION
• How can you live a faith just like your father Abraham did?
ARE YOU FOOLISH AND BEWITCHED? ILMA’S VLOG
December 15
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ARE YOU FOOLISH AND BEWITCHED?
You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:1-5
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According to a commentary, the term foolish Paul used in this verse is from the ancient Greek word anoetos, which had the idea of someone who can think but fails to use their power of perception. The principles Paul referred to are things the Galatians knew, things they had been taught. The knowledge and understanding were there, but they were not using them. The word “bewitched” has the idea that the Galatians were under some type of spell. Paul didn’t mean this literally, but their thinking was so clouded – and so unbiblical – that it seemed that some kind of spell had been cast over them.
Barclay translates bewitched as put the evil eye on. The ancient Greeks were accustomed to and afraid of the idea that a spell could be cast upon them by an evil eye. The evil eye was thought to work in the way a serpent could hypnotize its prey with its eyes. Once the victim looked into the evil eye, a spell could be cast. Therefore, the way to overcome the evil eye was simply not to look at it. In using this phrasing and the word picture of bewitched, Paul encouraged the Galatians to keep their eyes always and steadfastly upon Jesus. When we see Jesus clearly before us, we won’t be deceived.
Paul repeated the phrase from Galatians 3:2 because he wanted to emphasize there was a choice to be made. Which will it be? Do you believe you will be blessed by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Will you earn and deserve your blessing from God, or will you believe and receive it?
We clearly see Paul cautioning all Christians to ensure that they do not fall prey into the bewitchment of the evil one. The only way to do that is to ensure that you choose to walk in faith instead of following the law. Sadly, many Christians have been fooled and bewitched for so long that it is hard to get out of such wrong indoctrination or religion.
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REFLECTION
• How can a Christian ensure that he or she isn’t fooled by doctrines and teachings that looks like the gospel bug is a different gospel?
JUSTIFIED THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS ILMA’S VLOG
December 14
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JUSTIFIED THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS
15 “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from the Gentiles; 16 nevertheless, knowing that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law; since by works of the Law no flesh will be justified. 17 But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Far from it! 18 For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a wrongdoer. 19 For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”- Galatians 2:15-21
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According to a commentary by Morris, this is Paul’s first use of the great ancient Greek word dikaioo (justified, declared righteous) in his letter to the Galatians. “It is a legal concept; the person who is ‘justified’ is the one who gets the verdict in a court of law. Used in a religious sense it means the getting of a favorable verdict before God on judgment day.” Paul knew that even a strictly observant Jew such as he was could never be considered right before God by what he did under the Law of Moses. Instead, he, Peter, and every single Christian must have believed in Christ Jesus. According to Stott, “‘Faith in Jesus Christ’, then, is not intellectual conviction only, but personal commitment. The expression in the middle of verse 16 is (literally) ‘we have believed into (eis) Christ Jesus.’ It is an act of committal, not just assenting to the fact that Jesus lived and died; but running to Him for refuge and calling on Him for mercy.” By refusing fellowship with Gentile Christians, Peter said in his actions that we are – in part – considered right before God by the works of the law. Paul couldn’t stand this because it wasn’t the truth.
Luther comments “To give a short definition of a Christian: A Christian is not somebody who has no sin, but somebody against whom God no longer chalks sin, because of his faith in Christ. This doctrine brings comfort to consciences in serious trouble.” Essentially Paul said, “There is more sin in trying to find acceptance before God by our law-keeping than there is sin in everyday life as a Christian.” Commitment is essential in salvation; without it, we will be doing works of the Law.
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REFLECTION
• Why is commitment essential in our salvation?
HOW HYPOCRISY COMPROMISES TRUTH ILMA’S VLOG
December 13
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HOW HYPOCRISY COMPROMISES TRUTH
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For prior to the coming of some men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and separate himself, fearing those from the circumcision. 13 The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? -Galatians 2:11-14
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In this letter to the Galatians, Paul mentions how he confronted Peter and didn’t keep quiet about how Peter does not act like a true Christian. In Acts 11:1-18, Peter himself was told to welcome Gentiles into Christianity without the precondition of becoming Jews. In verse 12, we witness Peter being afraid to eat with the Gentiles because he cared so much about what the Jews would say about associating with the uncircumcised. Though Peter was previously in agreement with welcoming Gentiles into the church without bringing them under the Law of Moses, when Peter came to Antioch at Paul’s home church, it was another story. He refused to associate with Gentile Christians once certain Jewish believers from Jerusalem came. Knowing their background, Peter knew they would be offended at his fellowship with Gentiles who had not come under the Law of Moses. In their eyes, these uncircumcised Gentiles were not really Christians at all. Therefore, to please them and to avoid a conflict, Peter treated these Gentile Christians as if they were not Christians at all. What a shame! Don’t we all do this as well, fearful of what those people with reputation would think of us if we do not fit into their belief system and traditions? We please humans more than God.
This clearly shows how Paul takes this matter seriously. He had publicly confronted Peter over the issue in verse 14. This was also serious because it involved the issue of eating together. It is easy to criticize Peter; but every person knows what it means to do something that you know is wrong. Everyone knows what it feels like to go against what you know very well is right. Everyone knows what it feels like when social pressure pushes you towards compromise in some way. Salvation and the filling of the Holy Spirit did not made Peter perfect; the old Peter was still there, just seen less often.
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REFLECTION
• How can we ensure that we don’t do the opposite of what we preach and believe?
RECOGNIZE THE GRACE GIVEN TO YOU & REMEMBER THE POOR
December 12
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RECOGNIZE THE GRACE GIVEN TO YOU & REMEMBER THE POOR
6 But from those who were of considerable repute (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism)—well, those who were of repute contributed nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised 8 (for He who was at work for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised was at work for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do – Galatians 2:6-10
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Based on a commentary on this chapter of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, Paul knew that in his day, there were leaders of high reputation – “famous” Christians, if you will. But they did not overly impress or intimidate Paul; whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man. Even though Paul met with influential and famous Christians a few times, they did not give him the gospel he preached. The leaders in Jerusalem added nothing to the gospel Paul preached or to the apostolic authority he possessed. Paul didn’t wait for someone else to make him a great Christian. He knew that it came down to a personal relationship between himself and Jesus. This isn’t to say that Paul received nothing from others or that no one else could ever bless him; but his Christian life was not built upon what other people did for him. Stott comments says that “Paul’s words are neither a denial of, nor a mark of disrespect for, their apostolic authority. He is simply indicating that, although he accepts their office as apostles, he is not overawed by their person as it was being inflated (by the false teachers).” Paul certainly did remember the poor in Jerusalem. He put a lot of effort towards gathering a contribution among the Gentile churches for the sake of the saints in Jerusalem.
I am amazed at Paul’s boldness to declare and confront those who will preach the wrong gospel or even distort it. How many church leaders have this kind of integrity and boldness to challenge all believers to truly obey and live the gospel? We have so many counterfeit churches teaching false or twisted gospels and also many so-called Christians who accept wrong gospels because they don’t take responsibility to obey and live the truth.
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REFLECTION
• Why is recognizing God’s grace key to living the renewed life we have in Jesus?
FIGHT FOR THE TRUE GOSPEL
December 11
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FIGHT FOR THE TRUE GOSPEL
3 But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 Yet it was a concern because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy on our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. 5 But we did not yield in subjection to them, even for an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. – Galatians 2:3-5________________________________________
In the Mosaic law, a Gentile convert must be circumcised. Paul addresses this issue in this part of his letter to the Galatians. A commentary says that Paul’s point is that the leadership in Jerusalem accepted Titus (a Gentile convert) even though he was not circumcised in accord with the Mosaic Law. This shows that the Jerusalem leadership accepted the gospel of grace as Paul understood it. The circumcision of Titus was a potential issue because circumcision – the cutting away of the male foreskin – was the sign of initiation into the Jewish faith and the Mosaic covenant. If a Gentile man wanted to become a Jew, he would have to be circumcised as an adult. Jewish men were circumcised as babies. Since all Jewish men were circumcised and most all Gentile men were not, it was an easy way to refer to “those who are part of the covenant” and to “those who are outside of the covenant of Moses.” According to Luther, “Paul did not condemn circumcision as if it were a sin to receive it. But he insisted, and the conference upheld him, that circumcision had no bearing upon salvation and was therefore not to be forced upon the Gentiles.”
In verse 4, Paul confronts this issue of because of false brethren who attempted to bring Paul and other Christians into bondage. It is important why Paul calls these men false. Of course, they did not think of themselves as false brethren. They thought of themselves as true brethren. But because they opposed and contradicted the gospel revealed to Paul by Jesus Christ, they really were false brethren, according to the standard of Galatians 1:6-9. Paul also addressed how these false brethren came sneaking in secretly to look into their freedom in Jesus and bring them back into slavery to the laws. These men probably had the best of intentions, but they were still dangerous men who had to be confronted.
In verse 5, Paul states that he remained steadfast. Some might react this way out of pride or just plain stubbornness. But Paul did it so that the truth of the gospel might continue with you (the Gentile Christians like those in Galatia).
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REFLECTION
• What is the role of a true believer in ensuring the true gospel is uncorrupted?