1You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, 2in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience. 3We also all once lived among them in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus; 8for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, that no one would boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
11Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “uncircumcision” by that which is called “circumcision” (in the flesh, made by hands), 12that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ. 14For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of separation, 15having abolished in his flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace, 16and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility through it. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near. 18For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God, 20being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; 21in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.
Another "Good News"
Church Building With Cars Outside
The people of Galatia had a problem in flirting with legalism. When you hear the word “legalism,” think “legal” and think of rules. They had joyfully received the gospel when Paul first visited them, and then they just kept picking up “add-ons.” Amazon offers “add-ons” to orders to minimize freight costs. Add-ons are NOT what the purchaser needed initially; they are extra stuff. The Galatians continued to add more and more to the gospel. Over time, the things that were add-ons were mistaken for the original thing—the gospel—that they had received. There will always be those among us who want to add something to the gospel you first heard. They preach a different “good news” than the real good news. Paul warns that there isn’t another gospel. When people do this, they are trouble to you, and they should be cursed. What kinds of things am I talking about?
I remember asking my dad what legalism meant, and he said, “I don’t smoke, and I don’t chew, and I don’t go with girls that do.” Be cautious about things that are preached that make you feel guilty. I'm not telling you to go with girls who chew, but realize that conviction of the Holy Spirit is much different than guilt and shame. For example, I have a friend who grew up in the Pentecostal church in an area of Texas that was what we call “dry”. That means that nothing with alcohol could be bought in that county. He loved to bowl, so when he took his wife out on a date, he took her bowling. A legalistic church leader learned that he had done this and took him aside to say that his actions were outside the church's permitted conduct. When my friend asked why a bowling alley was prohibited, he was told that it was “because liquor is sold in those kinds of places.” When he answered, “But no alcohol is sold there. This is a dry county.” He was told, “Well, it doesn’t matter, you can’t go there anyway.” This was just one of many things that were on a published list of prohibitions by the church. This was an add-on. It was not biblical, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ and the freedom that goes with salvation by grace.
Beware of anyone who wants to pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ in your life. Paul adds that the one preaching it may even appear to be an angel. Don’t fall for it. They are a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Legalism has ONLY two children. If you keep all of the rules, your heart can be filled with pride (the deadliest of sins) at your great success in keeping the rules. If you can’t keep the rules, you will feel defeated. Legalism has just two children: pride or defeat. Remember that God is a liberator. Rule keeping and legalism are dominators. Just follow Jesus and Him alone, and listen to the Holy Spirit as He instructs your steps. That’s the way. Today, stick with Jesus and walk in liberty with Him. Rejoice that you are saved by grace to do good works (Ephesians 2:8,9,10), but works never save you. Rule-keeping to be "righteous" is wood, hay, and stubble.