A Pernicious Doctrine

A Pernicious Doctrine

Comments on Galatians with an ear to Luther’s commentary

Scripture Text: Galatians 1:1-5 and Ephesians 2:4-14

Series: Comments on Galatians

Today's Scripture Jigsaw

He tried and tried to feel good about himself. He partied with friends. He dabbled in the arts and took leisurely walks through glens and forests. He read religious books. And he volunteered whole days to the needy in his community. But the disquiet grew within him. No matter how hard he tried to stifle it or simply feel at peace within himself, it grew. He tried going to church, as well as meditation and yoga and various religions. But the restlessness increased.

Then he finally understood what some had been trying to say to him his whole life: there is a man who is also God, who paid the price for what troubled him. That God-Man made things right between the troubled heart and its Maker. No amount of work would make things right, no matter how good the works. The only thing that would make things right was the God-Man’s free gift of forgiveness and friendship. This gracious favor from God changed everything in his life.

He tried even harder to do good but now, when he failed to do good or enough of it, he still had peace because he understood his efforts did not and could never provide peace. He also understood that God was still his friend even when he did not measure up. God would continue to be faithful to him even when he was faithless. (2 Timothy 2:13) Peace would never again elude him or be taken away since the supply was continually being refreshed. All he had to do was receive the free gift — not work for it, though work he still did, for the joy of serving and doing good but not for the sake of finding peace. That was now graciously provided.

Friends and family wondered at his change and could not imagine how he had become such a person. He had not been raised that way. They had offered him other brands of peace and considered his heavenly peace no good in this world. They laughed and derided but to no avail; he had experienced God’s wondrous peace and the grace to continue receiving it despite all the detractors—and despite himself.

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