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The Test

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Galatians 2:4-5 [My precaution was] because of false brethren who had been secretly smuggled in [to the Christian brotherhood]; they had slipped in to spy on our liberty and the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might again bring us into bondage [under the Law of Moses].5 To them we did not yield submission even for a moment, that the truth of the Gospel might continue to be [preserved] for you [in its purity].

How would you know if you were one of the “false brethren?” Jesus offered many parables to demonstrate that there truly is a distinction between those who are born of the Spirit and those who are not. He referred to them as goats, tares, or foolish virgins. But what test could you use to detect those who were spying on your “liberty and freedom in Christ”? Paul in his letter to the Galatian believers, or followers of Jesus, provides us with a few clues.

Galatians 2:20-21 provides us with a litmus test for accurately ascertaining whether there are false brothers and sisters among us and whether or not we may also have been poisoned by their unbelief. It reveals whether or not we have yielded “submission” to those who seek to bring us back in to “bondage.” Galatains 2:20-21 states:  I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 21 [Therefore, I do not treat God’s gracious gift as something of minor importance and defeat its very purpose]; I do not set aside and invalidate and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favor) of God. For if justification (righteousness, acquittal from guilt) comes through [observing the ritual of] the Law, then Christ (the Messiah) died groundlessly and to no purpose and in vain. [His death was then wholly superfluous.]

This passage provides us with foundational truths for all who seek to not be in bondage ever again; those who desire to not be among the false brethren; those who don’t want to be a goat, or tares, or a foolish virgin. Paul states in verse 21 that the false brethren “set aside, invalidate, and nullify the Grace of God.” What is the Grace of God? It’s a noun and a verb. Grace is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. It’s the favor granted to us, by the Father to become one with Him; to be reconciled to Him; to no longer be His enemy; an enemy of HIs righteousness and truth. Yet, Grace is also a verb. It is Glorious Realities As Christ Empowers. In other words, Grace is the empowerment to do God’s will; it’s that thought you have that you should pray, get up early to spend time alone with the Lord, to read the Word, fast, memorize Scripture, go to church, witness to your neighbor, or serve others. Grace is the desire to be righteous, good, seek after God to know Him, or to seek to understand His Word or Truth. Grace is the desire to follow Jesus’ example; to submit and surrender to His teaching, and Truth.

How do false brothers and sisters set aside, invalidate, and nullify God’s Grace? The answer to that question is found in part from the paragraph above, but it is also spelled out for us in verse 20. False brothers and sisters will not seek to be crucified with Jesus but will allow the soul man to manifest and be in charge of their lives. False brothers and sisters seek to smother out the life of Christ in them, not trusting Jesus, leaning wholly on Him. They don’t because they haven’t.

Conversely, if I am living by the Law of Grace – the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus – I will be seeking to live for Grace’s prompting. Who is Grace? Well He is not a she. He is a Person Who makes Jesus and the Word of God known to us. (And He is Amazing!) He is the One Who led you to surrender your life to Jesus. He is the One Who talks to you more than you often know, recognize or acknowledge. He is the One Who reminds you of Scripture, prays through you, calls you to know Jesus. Hebrews 10:29 refers to Him as the Spirit of Grace. Grace is synonymous with the Spirit. Thus, to set aside, invalidate, and nullify God’s Grace is to set aside, invalidate, and nullify the Holy Spirit. As I seek to live according to Grace’s Prompting – the Holy Spirit – I will seek to be sensitive to every inclination, thought, desire, and interest – that is connected to anything of the Word, of His Righteousness, Holiness, or Goodness. I will seek to live for Jesus, and Galatians 2:20. My focus will not be on being crucified with Jesus as much as on living for Him (for crucifixion with Jesus comes through obedience and submission). You see, He died for you, and for me, and the least thing we can do is to live a life of obedience, and submission as a way of saying thank you for all that He has done and is still doing. Oh, and by the way, gratitude, the giving of overflowing thanks, is a characteristic of those who are not one of the false brothers and sisters. Obedience, and submission to the Word of God, and the Spirit of God, is thanksgiving. It is true worship (more than a song).

Ultimately the false brothers, and sisters reject the Holy Spirit. They can’t recognize, nor respond to His activity in and around their lives because they are blind and insensitive to His Person. False brothers and sisters live their lives according to the gospel of death, the soul, darkness, and all that dehumanizes mankind. They are enemies of God and of Jesus and are actually unconscious of this reality. What’s the Good News? The Good News is that if any of this convicts you that is the Holy Spirit. He convicts of sin, righteousness, and the judgment to come. The Good News is He is revealing these to you to repent of them – change your mind – change your life style and actions – and ask Jesus for forgiveness. He will forgive you in a moment because He has already taken your punishment. So, be washed in the “Water” of His Word and Spirit and be new – because He makes all things new. Are you ready for His new beginnings? He is ready for you to have them. Behold, He makes all things new. Get back up, be washed in His Blood, and overcome the accuser of the brothers through what His Blood and Spirit has accomplished for you. You are His new beginning!

Cramming for the All-Nighter or a Delighter in the Day of the Lord?

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Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]?

Since our heart, or soul, is deceitful above all things it most definitely can deceive us into believing we are believing and trusting in Jesus – when in reality we are really trusting ourselves. Our soul has the potential to deceive us into believing we are worshipping, serving, and obeying Jesus – when in reality we are simply serving ourselves. For this reason we seek God. Not only does Scripture repeatedly exhort us to seek God, it provides us with appointed holy days designed purposefully to readjust our focus (if the Christian believes all the Word of God – including the Law – is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness – see 2 Tim. 3:16-17) to return to the true center of the universe: God Almighty! (Not SELF) Many of us have participated in the month of Elul’ focus on confession, repentance, and seeking God but now the focus narrows as we approach the highest of all holy days: Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur begins on Wednesday, October 1 concluding Thursday October 2, 2025. This is considered the highest of all holy days on God’s Biblical calendar. Why? The fall festival of Sukkot (or Tabernacles). Sukkot is a prophetic signpost alerting Jew and Christian when the Messiah is coming to “tabernacle” with mankind. Our Father, in His mercy and love, provides us with an opportunity to prepare to appear before Him. Monday, September 22, alerted us to the 10 Day countdown (the number ten being a prophetic symbol of judgment) to prepare for Yom Kippur and ultimately, to prepare for Jesus’ Return. Now I did not believe the church was about to be raptured on September 23, 2025. If I had of known when this was about to take place it would put me above Jesus (Who said He didn’t know the day the Father appointed – see Mt. 24:36).

Why does any of this matter? Let me explain it this way. I used to be a horrible student waiting till the last minute to cram for a test. In truth I hadn’t learned a thing. Quite simply I was doing what ever it took to pass the test and continue in my ignorance. Yet Matthew 24:42, 44, 46 states: Watch therefore [give strict attention, be cautious and active], for you do not know in what kind of a day [whether a near or remote one] your Lord is coming….. 44 You also must be ready therefore, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him…. 46 Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is that servant whom, when his master comes, he will find so doing.

In other words don’t be waiting the “night” before to prepare for the test. Live a lifestyle of learning. Jesus provided us with another parable to alert us to what we should be doing: Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.2 Five of them were foolish (thoughtless, without forethought) and five were wise (sensible, intelligent, and prudent).3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them; 4 But the wise took flasks of oil along with them [also] with their lamps. (Matthew 25:1-3)

The oil in this parable is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The Wise virgins didn’t wait till the last minute to prepare for the return of the Bridegroom. They had spent their time collecting extra oil. How do you get more of the Spirit? It’s no coincidence that Jesus spent some of the final days of His earthly ministry in a place called Gethsemane. The Garden of Gethsemane was where Jesus prayed through to the Father’s Will regarding His crucifixion and resurrection. Here Jesus gathered extra Oil from the Spirit for the biggest test of His life. It’s no coincidence that this garden is where olive presses manufactured the oil sed to anoint kings and priests. Jesus wasn’t spending the night before the “test” cramming for extra oil. His entire life had been pressed in surrender to the Father’s Word and Will. Through His submission and obedience He had been gathering the Oil of the Spirit. He was a true “learner” of His Father in every way – not waiting till the last minute to regurgitate information He thought the Teacher wanted to hear. (See Hebrews 5:8-9) Jesus not only mastered the course laid out before Him He received His doctorate in order to teach others His Ways.