Remaining in the Truth of the Gospel
October 4, 2026
The book of Galatians addresses a problem that is just as urgent today as it was in the first century: what happens when people start adding to the Gospel? Paul writes with clear authority, grounding his apostleship directly in Jesus Christ, to correct churches that were drifting from the truth. The Gospel is not a message of human effort or religious performance. It is the good news that Jesus gave Himself for our sins to rescue us, and that grace and peace flow from what He has already done. There is no alternative Gospel. The moment anything is added to faith in Christ as a requirement for salvation, the message is corrupted. Staying rooted in the true Gospel requires both knowing it deeply in your head and heart, and belonging to a faithful local church that holds to Scripture. The foundation of the Christian life is not your performance before God, but what Christ has already accomplished for you.
Christ, Life Change, & Common Ground
October 11, 2026
The gospel is not a human invention, and it cannot be improved upon by adding requirements or personal effort. Paul's letter to the Galatians makes this clear through his own dramatic story, from a violent persecutor of Christians to one of the most faithful proclaimers of Jesus Christ. His transformation is proof that no one is too far gone for God's grace. The same gospel that reached Paul is available to anyone who trusts in Jesus, crossing every culture, background, and personal history. It creates a new identity, a new family, and a new mission. And it becomes the common ground that makes honest, loving relationships possible, even in the hardest conversations.
Confrontation & the Clear Gospel
October 18, 2026
In Galatians 2, Paul confronts Peter publicly for withdrawing from Gentile believers out of fear, a subtle act of hypocrisy that threatened the integrity of the gospel. When Christians live inconsistently with what they believe, it sends a message that the gospel has conditions, and that message is false. Justification comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone, not through keeping rules or following religious customs. Because of what Christ accomplished, believers are no longer defined by failure or sin but by His righteousness credited to them. Galatians 2:20 captures this reality: the old self is dead, and Christ now lives in the believer through His Spirit. Grace is not a license to sin more freely. It is the power to live differently. Rest in the truth that your standing before God is already secure, not because of your performance, but because of what Jesus has done in your place.
The Story & Hope of God’s Saving Work in Christ
October 25, 2026
Belonging to God has nothing to do with cleaning yourself up or earning His approval through good behavior. Galatians 3 makes it clear that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone, not through the works of the law. Just as Abraham was declared righteous by faith before circumcision ever entered the picture, the true family of God is defined by faith, not by heritage, ethnicity, or moral performance. The law reveals our inability to meet God's perfect standard, but Christ stepped in and took the curse we deserved. Through His death on the cross, He redeemed us so that the blessing promised to Abraham could reach all people. The Christian life does not begin with grace and then shift to self-effort. The same Spirit who saves us is the same Spirit who grows us. Our standing before God rests entirely on the person and work of Jesus Christ.
The Christian & God’s Law
November 1, 2026
God's law was never meant to be a checklist for earning salvation. It was given to reveal our sin and redirect us to Jesus Christ, the only One who fulfills what the law demands. Like a guardian leading a child to maturity, the law was always meant to be temporary, pointing us forward to faith in Christ. Where the law exposes our slavery to sin, the gospel offers adoption as children of God. The law shows us the gap between who God is and who we are, and Jesus closes that gap completely. Our standing before God is not dependent on our performance but on the faithfulness of Christ. When conviction comes, it is not meant to crush us but to lead us to the One who has already paid for every failure we carry.
Adopted as Sons
November 8, 2026
Union with Christ and adoption into God's family are not abstract theological ideas. They are the foundation of Christian identity and the fuel for daily living. To be baptized into Christ means to be fully affiliated with Him, clothed in His perfect righteousness, and brought into the family of God as an heir of every promise He has ever made. The Holy Spirit lives within every believer, empowering them to cry out to the Father with the intimacy of a child. This adoption is permanent and irrevocable. No failure, no fear, and no difficult season can strip away what God has secured in Christ. You are not defined by your past or your performance. You are defined by Christ, and that truth changes everything.