NT Fire Starters – Day 260: Galatians 3:15-25

READ: Galatians 3:15-25

THINK: One of the first things a person must do in order to get help in dealing with a personal problem or addiction is to recognize and admit the problem and the need for help. The biggest problem that plagues every human who ever lives is something that we would never recognize on our own. It is part of our human nature that was corrupted ever since the first people chose to defy God and introduce sin into the human race. Thankfully, God has exposed our shortcoming and our need for His help as the only hope of breaking our sin addiction. He does so in large part through His perfect law, which makes it obvious that we cannot measure up to God’s standard on our own. Working with the conscience that God places within each of us, His law reveals sin for what it is and points us to Jesus. He is the only one to perfectly fulfill God’s law and is the only one worthy to pay the penalty for our offenses against God. Once we accept what Christ did for us and entrust our lives to Him, we can be forgiven of our sin, freed from it’s penalty and fulfilled through a personal relationship with God.

RESPOND: What is the covenant promise that God established with people through His Son, Jesus? What does faith have to do with receiving this promise? (See 3:14 note.) What is God’s “law” (see 3:19 note) and what is its primary purpose? Does God’s law in any way contradict His promises? (See verse 21.) How does God’s law relate to His promise of spiritual salvation through faith in Christ? How does the law point us to Christ and reveal the need to put our faith in Him? (See 3:24 note.)

PRAY: Express gratitude to God for His promise of spiritual salvation through faith in Christ. Thank Him for His righteous laws and standards that exposed your sin and revealed your need for spiritual rescue and a personal relationship with Christ.

ACT: Think of an area of your life in which you’ve been challenged by your time in God’s Word recently. In what way is it pointing you to Jesus? Is it challenging questionable behavior? Is it inspiring you to depend more fully on God? Is it stretching you in regard to a particular character trait? Respond by taking action or making changes so that Jesus is honored and you become a little more like Him today.