We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing. (Galatians 2:15-21, NRSV)
We know that we are not justified by the law.
We can not work our way to heaven, or earn salvation. It is a gift of God.
Apart from the Law, so that no one may boast they are better than any other.
So then why do we act like we are better than other people?
The Jews of Jesus day were saying the Greeks were out because they were not Jews, and they were outsiders.
Are we really any different today? Now some of us are, but we all have moments where we fall into an elitist state, and think we are better than others. We shut outsiders out.
We are called to love as Christ loved us, which means we see no separation between us and others. Christ came to bridge the gap for all of us with God.
So there is no Jew or Greek, Slave or Free, Male and Female, Christian and non-Christian, we are all united and need to look on the other as we look upon ourselves.
aSacredRebel 