Salvation Is A Gift

Posted by anthologycreative

Ever tried to use an expired coupon? How about play money when shopping at a store? If you have, it probably didn’t work so well. Most stores will only take the real deal—money that has value assigned to it.

In the same way, just being good doesn’t work with God. So how do we pay the debt we owe? How can we make things right with God when we don’t have anything of value to offer Him?

Read Galatians 3:4-9, and pay close attention to verses 8 and 9.

What does it mean that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness?

What was the value of Abraham’s faith?

What is the value of your faith?

According to these verses, is it good works or faith that makes you right with God? Explain.

Are you depending on your good works or your faith in Jesus for salvation? Explain.

Working hard and doing the right things is great, but these don’t restore a relationship with God that’s been destroyed by sin. Good works are important, but without faith, they are empty and worthless. We begin a relationship with God by trusting Jesus through faith. When we believe God’s Word and trust Jesus to bring us into a right relationship with the Father, we are restored and declared righteous, just like Abraham in today’s passage. The truth is, only Jesus can pay the debt of sin that we owe. Our sin has already been paid for. When we accept Jesus’ gift of grace, we are free to do good works for God and enjoy being in right relationship with Him.


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It Sounds Good.

Posted by Karah

Read Galatians 3:1-3.

Commercials do it all the time. The description sounds so good, so plausible, yet when you dig a little deeper (and buy the product), you discover there’s little truth to the claims. They sounded good, but the claims were far from the truth.

That’s the idea behind today’s key verse. Paul wrote those words to the members of the church in Galatia. He had preached the gospel to them, and they had accepted Jesus as their Savior. But now it seemed they had been lured away by a message that sounded good and had elements of truth, but flew in the face of the gospel. They knew that salvation wasn’t anything they could earn through good works or behavior, yet they’d fallen back into that idea. They were making the new believers try to live according to all the Jewish rules and regulations. They were trying to earn grace by doing good things.

The problem with earning salvation is that we have already blown it. By the time we decide to be perfect, we have already sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. That’s why Paul reminded the Galatians where their salvation came from. They had received grace through faith, not because of the good things they had done.

In today’s world, there are many voices sounding off about God, faith, religion, and salvation. Some of those messages sound good, but have little depth or truth to them. Don’t fall victim to them! As we walk together through Galatians 3 this week, cling to the solid truth of the gospel and don’t let go!


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whatever it takes.

Posted by phil

Ask yourself: are you willing to do whatever it takes to see people come to Christ?

Read 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. Think about verse 19.

What did Paul mean when he said he made himself a slave to everyone?

What’s difficult about that idea?

How do verses 20-22 apply to your life today? How have you become like others in order to show them Christ’s love?

When have you NOT followed these instructions? What happened?

How do Paul’s instructions relate to how Jesus lived His life? Explain.

Is there anything you should NOT do or say in order to share Christ with others? Why or why not?

This was a difficult passage for me when I was in high school. I was taught that I was to be different from others to demonstrate God’s work in my life. Yet these verses seemed to say I should act like others.

Yes, relationships with unbelievers are necessary in order to share God’s love, but not at the expense of living a life that’s pleasing to God.

So how do we balance? Jesus showed us how. He was in constant relationship with God. Jesus’ inner circle was a group of men who yearned to love God more. But Jesus also spent time with so-called sinners. He ate with them; He talked with them. He was their friend.

Do you have a group of believers who help encourage you and hold you accountable? Do you develop relationships with non-believers? How can you share the hope of Christ with someone this week?


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BUT IT’S MY RIGHT! WRONG.

Posted by phil

We are big on rights in this country, as we should be. Even at Camp Ridgecrest we feel like it is our right to do certain things or have certain opportunities. However, there is something that supersedes rights in the kingdom of God—moving the gospel forward.

Read 1 Corinthians 9:1-12. Concentrate on verse 12.

What was Paul upset about in this passage?

Why is it important to provide for ministers and missionaries?

How can you help those in the ministry this week? This doesn’t necessarily have to be monetary assistance!

How could the message of Christ have been hindered by Paul demanding the people provide for him?
What’s more important, having material possessions or spreading the message of Christ? Explain. How do you show this in your life?
What rights do you need to give up in order to share Christ’s love with others?

Unless you work at a church or are a missionary, this passage may be one you routinely skim over. Maybe you think, What does pay for ministers have to do with me? This passage reflects a bigger truth, though. Paul was describing a God-given right that he had. According to God, he was entitled to provision from the people to whom he was ministering. That should sound familiar to you. As Americans, we defend, protest, and write our legislators, all in the effort to claim what is ours! But Paul refused to use this right. He chose to go without so that the message of Christ could be proclaimed. Wow. What a shift in perspective! How could you go without something you deserve this week in order to honor God? Are you willing to make that sacrifice?


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Liberty and justice for all?

Posted by phil

Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. Take note of verse 11.

We were all once enslaved to sin, but thankfully we don’t have to stay that way! A change can be made through the power of Christ. This is the good news we are to share with others.

Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. Take note of verse 11.

How do you stand up to the list given in verses 9-10? With what
do you struggle?

What does it mean to be “washed,” “sanctified,” and “justified”?
How does it make you feel to
know that as a Christ follower you are no longer guilty before God?
Do you believe that all sins are equal? Why or why not?

Do you think someone can continue to struggle with a sin and yet be a believer? For example, can an alcoholic or homosexual ever be a Christ follower?

What about someone who is selfish or who talks negatively? Why or why not?

Often, verses 9-10 serve as a “Do Not Enter” sign posted on church doors. So-called believers point to homosexuals or drug addicts and say “There’s no room for you here until you get your life straight.” They withhold the life-changing message of Christ from those they deem unworthy. Yet how many Christ followers are guilty of continued disobedience in other areas like greed or gossip? There is no double standard with Christ. Everyone is guilty before God, and anyone who accepts His gift of love and mercy will become justified in His sight. Only Jesus can take away your sin and free you from its burden. Jesus can change lives. Be careful not to withhold His gracious gift from others.


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Pledge allegiance to…

Posted by phil

Read 2 Peter 2:15-19. Focus on verse 19.

Some people in the world say they find freedom in doing whatever they want to do. They tout their lifestyle as real freedom, but in reality they are enslaved by it.
Read the story of Balaam (Num. 22:22-35). Why do you think Peter mentioned this story?

-Have you ever been promised something only to realize you didn’t get what you were guaranteed? How did that make you feel?

-Why do you think people try to get others to commit the same kind of bad choices they make?
Have you ever been guilty of this? Explain.

-What gives you a sense of freedom? Why?

-To what do you feel enslaved? Explain.

-Do you think Christ has the power to free you from sin? How do you make that belief a reality?

A lot of people think Christianity is about a list of do’s and don’ts; they believe serving God means giving up freedom. Don’t be fooled! The truth is everyone is slave to something. People end up serving many different masters. Maybe it’s an addiction, like drugs or porn. Or maybe it’s the desire for academic achievement or the need for others’ approval. Whatever becomes the focus of your life is what enslaves you. That’s the point of today’s verses. The false teachers said their message brought freedom, but it only brought corruption and defeat.

So you have a choice: do you pledge allegiance to self and sin and the consequences that go with it, or do you choose to serve Christ instead? What changes will you make this week to make Christ the ruler of your life?


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The cost.

Posted by phil

Read 2 Peter 2:9-14.

Murders. Robberies. Hit-and-run accidents. Have you ever watched the news and been astonished by the things people do with little thought about the consequences ?

But that I-can-do-what-I-want attitude extends to more than heinous crimes; it’s a part of our everyday lives and daily decisions. We think we can say whatever we want, make morally questionable decisions, and choose to live in opposition to God’s standard with little or no consequences.

There’s a problem with that logic. If you are a Christian, then you have submitted your rights to Christ; He has control of your life. There is a standard by which you have been called to live and choosing to live in opposition to it has consequences.

Scripture clearly outlines those consequences, as seen in today’s harshly worded passage. Paul’s words were aimed at false teachers who thought they could do, say, and teach whatever they wanted. Yet Paul said the consequences of their disobedience would destroy them.

As a believer, you may sometimes choose to live in opposition to God’s standard. That doesn’t mean you lose your salvation, but it also doesn’t mean that God erases the consequences of your sin. When you sin, there are always consequences—sometimes devastating ones.

God has called you to more than that. Count the cost of your choices today and choose obedience. Once Christ has freed you from sin, why would you want to go back to it?


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