OceanSide church of Christ

Read devotionals for March 2025

April 1, 2025

Galatians 5:2, 3 – Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

Thought: Circumcision made a man a man a member of the Old Covenant. If a person was under the Old Covenant, he was “a debtor to the whole law,” that is, he was obliged to keep the entirety of the Law of Moses. The Lamb of God was not part of that law. The blood of the Lamb was not part of that law. Thus, if a person accepted circumcision, Christ profited him nothing. Returning to the law was a turning from the Christ and a return to bondage.

James 2:10-11

April 2, 2025

Galatians 5:4 – Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

Thought: The Galatians had been saved by the grace of God through their obedience to the teachings of the apostle Paul. Sadly, the false teachers were influencing them to adhere to the Law of Moses. If they did this, Christ was of no effect unto them. In other words, the benefits of Christ’s death were not available to them. If they sought to be justified by the law, they would fall from the grace of God. Paul did not teach the impossibility of apostasy.

Hebrews 6:4-6

April 3, 2025

Galatians 5:5 – For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

Thought: Every word in this verse holds deep meaning. It was the Spirit of God that revealed the righteousness of God in the gospel. This righteousness was obtained by an obedient faith. When a person was made righteous, he could claim “the hope of righteousness. This hope involved such things as the Second Coming of Christ, the resurrection, heaven, and eternal life. Notice that Paul says the righteous wait for that hope.

Ephesians 4:4

April 4, 2025

Galatians 5:6 – For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Thought: Here, Paul clearly teaches that we are under the New Covenant and not the Old. Circumcision was no longer binding in order to be in a right relationship with God. “For in Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision.” Circumcision was now a matter of option. Timothy and Titus were examples. “In Christ,” what matters is “faith which worketh by love.” Christians have an obedient faith that springs from a heart of love.

Romans 2:28-29

April 5, 2025

Galatians 5:7, 8 – Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.

Thought: The Galatians had yielded to the false doctrines of the Judaizing teachers. Sadly, this caused them to be disobedient to the truth. This upset Paul because there was a time when they ran well, that is, they ran the Christian race in harmony with truth. Their deviation from the faith came not of him that called them. Does this refer to Paul or to God? Paul was an agent of God. Neither God nor Paul taught them the error they were embracing.

Hebrews 12:1

April 6, 2025

Galatians 5:9 – A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

Thought: Paul sets forth a spiritual lesson using a universal truth. In order to make dough rise, only a small amount of leaven was necessary. A little would permeate the entire batch. In like manner, just a small amount of false teaching can quickly infect an entire congregation of the Lord’s people. In fact, it can leaven an entire region of congregations. This is why it is essential to oppose false doctrine immediately with strength and great zeal.

1 Corinthians 5:6-7

April 7, 2025

Galatians 5:10 – And I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

Thought: Paul knew the hearts of the Galatians. He expressed his confidence in them, a confidence that knew they would not leave the truth and embrace Judaism. Paul set forth his arguments and knew the Galatians would accept them. Paul also affirmed that those who were troubling these Christians would bear their judgment. They would be held accountable for their crusade to harm the church. It didn’t matter who they were.

2 Thessalonians 3:4

April 8, 2025

Galatians 5:11 -And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offense of the cross ceased.

Thought: Some had accused Paul of advancing circumcision. Perhaps those who made the charge pointed an example such as Timothy whom Paul had circumcised. Paul confronted the charge with a question: “Why do I yet suffer persecution?” If he sided with the false teachers, then why did they continue to persecute him? Too, if Paul adhered to the circumcision and the Law, then he no longer had to preach about the offense of the cross.

Galatians 3:13

April 9, 2025

Galatians 5:12 – I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

Thought: Paul wanted the false teachers “cut off” from the Galatians. The words “cut off” are the same word that would be used in the definition of circumcision. Thus, Paul is playing on words. This word play, however, is a serious desire for the apostle. He had labored long and hard among these individuals to bring them the truth. He had suffered on their behalf as well. If the false teachers were cut off, they would no longer cause Paul’s labors to be in vain.

Titus 3:10-11

April 10, 2025

Galatians 5:13 – For, brethren, we have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Thought: When some think of liberty, they believe that they are free to do as they please. Liberty, however, does not mean a person is free from all restraints. Paul teaches this principle to the Galatians in this verse. They were called unto liberty, but they were not free to use their liberty to engage in the works of the flesh. When liberty is unbound, it can bring heartache to self and others. True liberty is concerned for others and serves them by love.

2 Peter 2:19

April 11, 2025

Galatians 5:14 -For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Thought: Love is the foundation of a healthy society and a healthy church. If love prevails, all of the other commands fall into place. Love is the soil and water from which other qualities grow that cause relationships to flourish. Sadly, some do not know what love is. To see it in action, all one needs to do is to look upon the cross of Calvary. It is the voluntary sacrifice of oneself for the good of another person. Love encompasses the whole law.

Romans 13:8-10

April 12, 2025

Galatians 5:15 – But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

Thought: Instead of loving one another, there are some churches that are constantly in a feeding frenzy. Their prey is one another. Paul describes their actions as biting and devouring one another. These evil actions are destructive to the church. Eventually, they will consume one another. How many good works have been destroyed because the brethren who engaged in them devoured one another. Sadly, souls were lost instead of being saved.

James 3:14-16

April 13, 2025

Galatians 5:16 -This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Thought: Paul uses interesting language when he commanded us to “walk in the Spirit.” How can a person literally do this? He cannot. Therefore, the command must involve a spiritual application. The Spirit is responsible for the revelation of God’s truth (1 Cor. 2:9-13; 2 Pet. 1:21). We are to live by the truth found in the gospel (Phil. 1:27). When a person does this, he is walking in the Spirit. It is a life contrary to fulfilling the lusts of the flesh.

Romans 8:1-2

April 14, 2025

Galatians 5:17 – For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Thought: This verse reveals that the flesh and the Spirit “are contrary the one to the other.” Satan entices the lusts of the flesh. Our Lord and Savior calls us to a life lived in the Spirit. If a person lives according to the flesh, he cannot live in harmony with the Spirit. If a person lives according to the Spirit, he cannot fulfill the desires of the flesh. The Christian life is about a decision and a commitment. The flesh? Or, the Spirit? That’s the question.

Romans 8:5-8

April 15, 2025

Galatians 5:18 – But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Thought: After reading this verse, the question that all should ask is: “How is one led by the Spirit?” Some believe that He leads through feelings. Others believe that He leads through circumstances. Still others believe that He leads through miraculous communication. The simple truth is that the Spirit leads through the Word of God (See Psa. 119:105; Acts 20:32). This Spirit plainly teaches we are under the New Covenant today and not the law of Moses.

John 16:13

April 16, 2025

Galatians 5:19 – Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness.

Thought: Paul does not simply state that works of the flesh exist. He lists many of them for our consideration. He notes that these are manifest, that is, easily seen in society. Sadly, theye are still being manifested. Adultery involves illicit sexual activity involving those who are married. Fornication is a broad term referring to all types of sexual perversions. Uncleanness involves all types of sensual impurity. Lasciviousness is unbridled lust.

Ephesians 5:3-5

April 17, 2025

Galatians 5:20-21 – Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Thought: Paul lists 17 behaviors that are works of the flesh. These, however, are not all of them. This is revealed in the words, “and such like.” These behaviors should be of great concern to people. Not only are they evil, but they will cause one not to inherit the kingdom of God. Unfortunately, there are some religions that do not believe Paul. They overlook and minimize some of these ungodly practices and still promise individuals a home in heaven.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

April 18, 2025

Galatians 5:22, 23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Thought: Paul contrasts the fruit of the Spirit with the works of the flesh. He lists nine qualities that the Spirit can and will produce in the Christian if he will walk in the Spirit and live in the Spirit. Paul ends verse 22 with the words: “against such there is no law.” These qualities are not only positive, they are also useful and productive to society. Not one nation has ever legislated against their practice. Any society that did would collapse.

Romans 7:4