By Grace
Posted by Karah
Pause
Take a moment to acknowledge your dependence on God. Thank Him for loving you and saving you despite your faults.
Have you ever disobeyed your parents?
Have you ever told a lie?
Have you ever taken something that didn’t belong to you?
You probably answered yes to all three of those questions. Since you’ve already admitted to breaking three of the Ten Commandments, let’s agree that no one is capable of keeping the law to perfection, and we are all in need of God’s grace.
With that in mind, read Galatians 3:6-14 in your Bible.
“For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written: Everyone who does not continue doing everything written in the book of the law is cursed.”
—Galatians 3:10
Consider these questions:
Look at verses 10-11. What do these verses teach you about trying to earn salvation based on your own merit? Explain.
What does it mean to say that Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law? Explain.
List some things that people think will make them right with God. How do those things compare to what these verses teach about salvation?
The Point
You are saved by grace through faith.
Respond
Abraham was saved because of his faith in God, not because of his own effort or because he was a good person. You are saved because of your faith in God.
In your journal, write out a brief testimony of how you came to the point of putting your faith in Christ. Make a commitment to share at least a part of your faith journey with one person this week. Jot down that person’s name in the margin.
As a Christian, you’re a bearer of good news that sets people free, not just a rule-keeper or rule-giver. Which do the people closest to you consider you to be? Why? What changes, if any, do you need to make to be a bearer of hope?
For further study, read Ephesians 2:6-10 and Romans 3:9-20,27-31.
Memory Verse
Use several 10-minute breaks throughout your day to review Romans 4:23-25. Repeat this process every day for five days, then recite the verses and see how you do!
Behind the Story
Paul wrote Galatians as a letter to the churches in Galatia. In it, he warned the new believers of the false teachings of the Judaizers. The Judaizers were a group of Jewish Christians that believed the Old Testament laws and rituals still applied to believers, especially the new Gentile converts. Paul wanted to make certain that all of his readers understood that salvation came through faith alone, and that through faith in Christ, they were free from the bondage of the Law.
Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Weekly Devotions