Whose Gospel Are You Living?

"Paul, an apostle- not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead..." ~~Galatians 1:1

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." ~~ Galatians 1:6-9 (ESV)1

Whose Gospel are you living? I ask this question because of the many conversations I've had where strict adherence is given to traditional rule even though it is clear in Scripture that, as believers, we are no longer under law.Sisters, I know who I was, and the sin that abounded in my life, before I was born-again. I know the ways that I tried to live up, measure up, to all the spoken and unspoken rules, etc., whereby I might be acceptable in this crazy world in which we live.

Our Lord and Saviour Jesus freely submitted to the justice God required to make atonement for us. Hearing and responding to the heart of God, to come to Him, was the event that set me on the path I continue to walk in grace and truth toward experiencing full freedom from SIN and from the tradition and legalism which regularly stirves to diminish the Gospel. Who are you living for and trying to please? Are you trading the gospel of the grace of Christ for any other thing, any other man-authored substitute for His completed work?

May our hearts quake within us, at any thought of living for the praise or glory of any other than Christ Jesus Himself."Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." ~~Galatians 5:1 (NKJV)"Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you." ~~ Galatians 5:1 (The Message) Selah. Stephanie Paul is Director of Women's Addiction Recovery Ministries at America's KESWICK

1 www.biblegateway.com