Gálatas 2
John Calvin · Citado em PreceptAustin
Gálatas 2
Calvin - The truth of the gospel denotes its genuine purity, or, which means the same thing, its pure and entire doctrine. For the false apostles did not altogether set aside the gospel, but mixed up with it their own notions, so as to give it a false and disguised aspect, which it always has when we make the smallest departure “from the simplicity that is in Christ.” (2 Cor. 11:3.) Eadie adds "The truth of the gospel” is not simply the true gospel, but truth as a distinctive element of the gospel,-opposed to the false views of its cardinal doctrine which the reactionary Judaists propounded. That truth was, in its negative aspect, the non-obligation of the Mosaic law on Gentile believers,-in its positive aspect, justification by faith." (Galatians 2 Commentary)
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Calvin - To die to the law is to renounce it and to be freed from its dominion, so that we have no confidence in it and it does not hold us captive under the yoke of slavery. (Galatians 2 Commentary) De Haan on the Law - He is speaking of God’s holy, inviolable law, including the Commandments written upon the tables of stone, and says, as far as that law is concerned, I am dead. In the eyes of the law, I don’t even exist any more. The law does not even recognize my existence. So little power, so little application has that law to me. Let me repeat, Paul does not say, “the law is dead.” It is very, very much alive. It still curses, it still condemns the sinner, it still is the ministration of death. It still demands the death of the transgressor. But says Paul: as far as I am concerned the law cannot touch me any more. I am beyond its reach forever, for “I through the law am dead to the law.” Now, what is true of Paul is true of every believer. In Romans 7:4+ we read: "Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God." And again in Romans 6:14+ we read "For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace." (Studies in Galatians) David
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Calvin points out: This shews us how cautiously we ought to guard against giving way to the opinions of men, lest an immoderate desire to please, or an undue dread of giving offence, should turn us aside from the right path.
Gálatas 2
Calvin - To die to the law is to renounce it and to be freed from its dominion, so that we have no confidence in it and it does not hold us captive under the yoke of slavery. (Galatians 2 Commentary) Phil Newton sees a dual meaning in Paul's statement "I have died to the Law" - What does the Law do? Does it save or even have the power to save? By the Law comes the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20). As Paul wrote to the Romans, "I would not have come to know sin except through the Law" (Romans 7:7). The Law exposes the reality of our spiritual condition and enmity with God. We think that we are in fine condition before God, that is until the Law comes to us and exposes our hearts. "And I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died" (Romans 7:9). The Law is wonderful for anyone who is able to keep all that it demands. But for lawbreakers or transgressors, like all of us, the Law condemns us. "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them" (Galatians 3:10). So does the Law give life to us? Absolutely not! It kills us! Actually, it is our sin that is the bigger problem rather than the Law, nevertheless, we would not know the problem of our sin if it was not for the Law. Once we come to understand our enmity with God and our condition as sinners, then we begin to seek refuge in Jesus Christ alone from divine condemnation. This is what Paul meant when he wrote, "For through the Law I died to the Law." It is really a two-fold statement. On the one hand, the Law condemned me as soon as my eyes were opened to understand its demands. "Through the Law I died to the Law," i.e., it condemned me and " I died" (Romans 7:9-11). It gave me no option for life. It had no power to change me or justify me. The Law was powerless to effect change in me because I had no power to obey its demands. On the other hand, I died to the Law by being redeemed from the curse of the Law through the death of Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:13). By my union with Christ in His death, I died to the Law's demands and to its curse. The Law requires death for transgressors, so Jesus Christ died in my place before the demands of the Law. What the Law required, He fulfilled for me. Because I am in union with Christ through faith, then"I died to the Law; I have been crucified with Christ." What a wonderful truth to dwell upon! This is why we are no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1). All of the condemning and killing and cursing power of the Law toward us has been removed by the death of Christ. His death was fully applied to us, so that when we trust in Jesus Christ, we enter into union with Him in His death and resurrection. It was just as if you yourself died to the demands of the Law through the death of Christ. But that is only one part of the matter. That is the negative removed. But we are not justified so that we might live in limbo until Jesus returns. Paul explains by the next clause in verse nineteen. Died (599)(apothnesko from apo = marker of dissociation implying a rupture from a former association, separation, departure, cessation + thnesko = die) literally means to die off (that is, to die and thus be away from this earthly realm). Apothnesko speaks of literal physical death (Ro 6:9+) but figuratively (metaphorically) of a believer's death to sin (Ro 6:2+, Ro 6:7+, Ro 6:8+, Col 3:3+), self, Satan, the law (Ro 7:6+) and the world (Col 2:20+, cp Gal 6:14+ - crucified used instead of died) which was effected when Christ was crucified and when by faith we believed in Him and in God's reckoning (albeit a "mysterious" teaching) were crucified with Him (Ro 6:6+).
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Calvin observes that "For me is very emphatic. It is not enough to regard Christ as having died for the salvation of the world; each man must claim the effect and possession of this grace for himself personally. As Spurgeon exhorts us "Take these blessed words of the apostle, and put them in your mouth, and let them lie there as wafers made with honey, till they melt into your very soul: ‘Who loved me, and gave Himself for me." Campbell - In essence Paul affirmed, “If He loved me enough to give Himself for me, then He loves me enough to live out His life in me.” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary) Gave...up (3860)(paradidomi from para = alongside, beside, to the side of, over to + didomi = to give) conveys the basic meaning of to give over from one's hand to someone or something, especially to give over to the power of another.
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Calvin comments, "While his opponents were falsely claiming the support of the apostles and doing their utmost to harass Paul, how careless he would have been to pass over the decree circulated among them all which undermined their position" [quoted by L. Morris, Galatians, 65]. Third, there is no mention of a meeting with the apostles and elders, along with the Jerusalem church in the Galatians narrative. That would have added to Paul's support since the Jerusalem Council was an open meeting and the Judaizers were claiming the support of "headquarters." Finally, Paul indicates that he went up to Jerusalem to deal with the gospel message "because of a revelation," rather than by the appointment of the Antioch church to deal with the Judaizer problem (Acts 15:2). Surely, if he had in mind the Acts 15 Jerusalem Council, he could have added that he had the backing of the church at Antioch in approaching the Jerusalem church with the problem of the legalistic teaching. I go into detail on this because it shows us how serious-minded the early disciples were about the contents of the gospel message. If Paul went to the trouble of traveling to Jerusalem to privately discuss the gospel, then traveled another time, probably 2-3 years later, in an official capacity on behalf of the Gentile church, then we see that the first century church was embroiled in great controversy early-on. The Church made up of Gentiles and Jews could not be divided on the issue of the gospel. For it is only one gospel that saves all who come in faith to Jesus Christ. (Galatians 2:1-10 Affirming the Gospel Message) MORE IN DEPTH STUDY: If you would like to delve into discussion of the problems regarding dating (and other issues) of Galatians here are some journal articles: Joe Morgado Jr., "Paul in Jerusalem: A Comparison of His Visits in Acts and Galatians" Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 37.1 (March 1994): 55-68. F. F. Bruce, "Galatian Problems. 1. Autobiographical Data," Bulletin of the John Rylands Library Manchester 51.2 (Spring 1969): 292-309. F. F. Bruce, "Galatian Problems. 2. North or South Galatians?" Bulletin of the John Rylands Library Manchester 52.2 (Spring 1970): 243-266. F. F. Bruce, "Galatian Problems. 3. The ‘Other’ Gospel," Bulletin of the John Rylands Library Manchester 53.2 (Spring 1971): 253-271. F. F. Bruce, "Galatian Problems. 4. The Date of the Epistle," Bulletin of the John Rylands Library Manchester 54.2 (Spring 1972): 250-267. F. F. Bruce, "Galatian Problems. 5. Galatians and Christian Origins," Bulletin of the John Rylands Library Manchester 55.2 (Spring 1973): 264-284. Ronald Y. K. Fung, "A note on Galatians 2:3-8," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 25.1 (March 1982): 49-52. Martin Hengel "Paul in Arabia," Bulletin for Biblical Research 12.1 (2002): 47-66. Walter Russell- Who Were Paul's Opponents in Galatia? Robert H. Stein, "Relationship of Galatians 2:1-10 and Acts 15:1-35: two neglected arguments," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 17.4 (Fall 1974): 239-242. Timothy Wiarda, "Plot and Character in Galatians 1-2," Tyndale Bulletin 55.2 (2004): 231-252. DEVOTIONALS RELATED TO BARNABAS SON OF ENCOURAGEMENT Vance Havner - Barnabas was the Friend of the Suspected. When the Christians were fearful of Paul, the new convert, Barnabas recommended him to the brethren. When Antioch was moved under the preaching of the gospel, Barnabas was sent to investigate and make sure it was authentic. When Paul was for dropping John Mark as a companion, Barnabas took him and he turned out all right after all. There is a lot of suspicion among the brethren these days and we need more than one Barnabas. Barnabas took him (Saul/Paul) and brought him to the apostles. —Acts 9:27 A new believer recently attended our worship service. He had long, multicolored, spiked hair. He dressed in dark clothes and had multiple piercings and tattoos. Some gaped; others just gave him that “It’s good to see you in church, but please don’t sit next to me” smile. Yet there were some during the greeting time who went out of their way to welcome and accept him. They were bridge builders. Barnabas was that bridge builder for Saul (also called Paul). When Saul arrived in Jerusalem 3 years after his conversion, many disciples were afraid of him and doubted his transformation (Acts 9:26). He didn’t receive a warm welcome from the Jerusalem church greeters for good reason. Saul had a terrible reputation for persecuting Christians! But Barnabas, a Jewish convert, believed God’s work of grace in Saul’s life and became a bridge between him and the apostles (Acts 9:27). Saul needed someone to come alongside him to encourage and teach him, and to introduce him to other believers. Barnabas was that bridge. As a result, Saul was brought into deeper fellowship with the disciples in Jerusalem and was able to preach the gospel there freely and boldly. New believers need a Barnabas in their lives. We are to be a bridge in the lives of others. By Kevin M. Williams Oh, I would be to others A cheering ray of light, Inspiring them with courage To climb some newfound height! —Bosch Be a bridge of encouragement to someone today. (Barnabas) was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. —Acts 11:24 During Major Gen. Mark Graham’s 2 years as commander of Fort Carson, Colorado, he became known and loved for the way he treated others. One US Army colleague said: “I have never come across another general officer who was so compassionate and so concerned about the well-being of soldiers and their families.” After losing one son to suicide and another who was killed in action, Mark and his wife, Carol, dedicated themselves to helping soldiers and their families cope with service-related stress, depression, and loss. In the book of Acts, a follower of Christ was well known for his care and concern toward others. His name was Joseph, but in the early church, the apostles called him Barnabas—“son of encouragement.” It was Barnabas who vouched for the newly converted Saul when others doubted the sincerity of his faith (Acts 9:26-27). Later, Barnabas brought Saul from Tarsus to teach the believers in Antioch (Acts 11:25-26). And it was Barnabas who wanted to give John Mark a second chance after his failure on a previous missionary journey (Acts 15:36-38). Compassion is an inner feeling resulting in outward action. It should be our daily uniform of service (Col. 3:12). By God’s grace, may we be known for it. By David C. McCasland Lord, help us be compassionate To people in their grief; Then tell them of the love of Christ, Who’ll bring their souls relief. —Sper True compassion is love in action. By Anne Cetas [Barnabas] encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. —Acts 11:23 When Jean was a teenager, she often walked through a park where she saw mothers sitting on benches and talking. Their toddlers sat on the swings, wanting someone to push them. “I gave them a push,” says Jean. “And you know what happens when you push a kid on a swing? Pretty soon he’s pumping, doing it himself. That’s what my role in life is—I’m there to give others a push.” Encouraging others along in life—that’s a worthy purpose. Joses, a godly man mentioned in the book of Acts, had that gift as well. In the days of the early church, he sold some land and gave the money to the church to use for the less fortunate (Acts 4:36-37). He also traveled with Paul on missionary journeys and preached the gospel (Acts 11:22-26; 13:1-4). You may know Joses as “Barnabas,” which is the name the apostles gave to the “Son of Encouragement.” When the Jerusalem church heard that people in Antioch were coming to know Jesus as Savior, they sent Barnabas because “he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24). He “encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord” (Acts 11:23). We too can give others a “push” of encouragement in their walk with the Lord. Lord, I would be to others A cheering ray of light, Inspiring them with courage To climb some new-found height! —Bosch A little spark of encouragement can ignite great endeavors. Acts 15:37 READ: Acts 15:36-41 And Barnabas was desirous of taking John, called Mark, along with them also. - Acts 15:37 IN a moment of teenage carelessness, a sixteen-year-old girl wrecked her mother's car. She was uninjured, so she called home to tell her parents, fully expecting an angry reaction. Instead, her father asked only about her physical and emotional condition. When he arrived at the accident scene, he checked to make sure she was unhurt before turning his attention to the mangled auto being towed away. When it was time to go home, he handed her the keys to his car and got in on the passenger side. No angry tirade from this father! Just a lot of love and an overwhelming vote of confidence. "Words can't describe what my father's Godlike act did for my self-esteem that day," the young woman commented years later. The major impact of that event was not metal against metal; it was spirit against spirit. The daughter saw in her father the character of the God he loved. When someone fails due to weakness, carelessness, or even sin, the hardest thing to do is to show forgiveness and Christlike love. It is easier to give the person a piece of our mind than a vote of confidence. We don't know why Mark deserted Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15). But we do know that he later wanted another chance to serve with them. And Barnabas gave it to him. When God forgave us through His Son Jesus, we were given another chance—one we didn't deserve. That's the ultimate vote of confidence—and one we should not only accept for ourselves, but also give to others. —H V Lugt Lord, may I be as quick to give second chances to others as I am to accept them for myself. Amen Helping With Hurdles - Acts 15:36-41 Two are better than one....For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. —Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” - Acts 15:36 When my daughter Debbie was a little girl, she took ballet lessons. One dance exercise involved jumping over a rolled-up gym mat. Debbie’s first attempt resulted in her bouncing off this hurdle. For a moment she sat on the floor stunned, and then she began to cry. Immediately, I darted out to help her up and spoke soothing words to her. Then, holding her hand, I ran with her until she successfully jumped over the rolled-up mat. Debbie needed my encouragement to clear that hurdle. While working with Paul on his first missionary journey, John Mark faced a major hurdle of his own: Things got tough on the trip, and he quit. When Barnabas tried to re-enlist Mark for Paul’s second journey, it created conflict. Barnabas wanted to give him a second chance, but Paul saw him as a liability. Ultimately, they parted ways, and Barnabas took Mark with him on his journey (Acts 15:36-39). The Bible is silent about John Mark’s response when Barnabas helped him over his ministry hurdle. However, he must have proven himself, because Paul later wrote that John Mark “is useful to me for ministry” (2 Ti 4:11+). When we see a believer struggling with an apparent failure, we should provide help. Can you think of someone who needs your help to clear a hurdle? By Dennis Fisher Lord, I want to show the kindness of Your heart today. Please show me who I can help and in what way. I want my words and deeds to convey Your love. Amen. Kindness picks others up when troubles weigh them down Are You Ready? Acts 13:1-5 By Dave Branon As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work.” —Acts 13:2 Three months before a planned missions trip, a friend and I were talking about the upcoming event. He said to me, “If anyone can’t go, I’d be willing to step in and join you.” This was not going to be an easy 8 days, for we would be painting, repairing, and fixing stuff in the July heat of Jamaica. Yet my friend seemed eager to go. About 6 weeks before we were scheduled to leave, there was an opening. I e-mailed my friend—whom I hadn’t seen in the interim—and asked if he was still interested. He immediately responded, “Sure! And I got a passport just in case you asked.” He had made sure he was ready—just in case he got the call to go. My friend’s preparation reminds me of what happened back in the first century at Antioch. Paul and Barnabas were among a number of people getting themselves ready spiritually for whatever God might ask them to do, or wherever He might send them. They didn’t prepare by getting a passport, but they “ministered to the Lord and fasted” (Acts 13:2). And when the Holy Spirit said, “Separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work” (v.2), they were all set for the journey. Are you preparing for what God might want you to do? When the Spirit says, “Go,” will you be ready? Keep your tools ready—God will find work for you. Failure - Acts 15:36-41 But Paul insisted that they should not take [him] (Acts 15:38). Get Mark, ... for he is useful to me (2 Timothy 4:11). Although we can never undo a failure, we can learn from the experience and profit by it. A baseball pitcher who loses a game because he throws a fastball right where the batter wants it may come back four days later and hurl a shutout. He'll never erase the lost game from his record, but his failure can teach him valuable lessons that will help him to chalk up more wins than losses. In Acts we read that John Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas when they started their first missionary journey (Acts 13:5), but he soon departed from them (Acts 13:13). While he was at home, he apparently regretted what he had done, so he asked to be included the next time his older friends set out. Barnabas wanted to give him another chance, but Paul didn't, so they parted company and formed two teams—Barnabas taking Mark, and Paul taking Silas. Young Mark couldn't erase his first failure, but he must have learned from it because he became a respected Christian leader of his clay. Further-more, God used him to write one of the four gospels; and Paul, in his second prison epistle to Timothy, asked for Mark, saying, "He is useful to me for ministry." It doesn't do any good to brood about what went wrong. Wishing we could do something over is an exercise in futility. Each day is new. With God's help we can succeed, if we learn from yesterday's failure. Christians live in "the land of beginning again." —H.V. Lugt. Failure doesn't mean you'll never succeed;it will just take longer The Call Of Barnabas and Saul - Acts 13:1-12 - James Smith After a missionary in China had been showing them the folly of idols, and had preached Jesus to them, one old man said-"Stop and tell us, for we cannot find the door." How sad to think of the multitudes who are groping in the dark for the door of eternal life and cannot find it. How shall they hear without a preacher, and how shall they preach except they be sent. The Holy Ghost is very desirous to thrust out labourers; pray ye Him. The young Church at Antioch had grown in number and power. Among the notable converts was Manaen, who had been a companion of that Herod who ordered the death of John the Baptist, and who mocked the Lord Jesus Christ, "setting Him at naught." But by the grace of God he was plucked as a brand out of the fire. As the members of this Church "served and fasted," the Holy Spirit met their real need by pressing home to their hearts this message of definite direction, "Separate Me Barnabas and Saul." Perhaps they had been waiting on the Lord for special guidance, as to how they might further the cause of Christ when this unmistakable call came- 1. It was a Divine Call. "The Holy Ghost said," etc. (Acts 13:2). They were as surely "called of God" as was Aaron. As all fitness for this service must come from Him, so also must the call. The Holy Ghost will never choose a man possessed by the spirit of the world as an ambassador of the Kingdom of Christ. 2. It was a Personal Call. "Barnabas and Saul." There was no room for questioning as to whom the Lord meant, neither was there any occasion for envy or jealousy. The Holy Spirit divideth to every man severally as He will (1 Co 12:11). Not everyone that saith Lord, Lord, is fit for the service of God. "No man taketh this honour unto Himself but he that is called of God" (Heb 5:4). 3. It was a Call to Separation. "Separate Me," etc. Barnabas and Saul were to be separated unto the Holy Ghost, that He might breathe the will of God through them, as He had done with the holy men of God in old time (2 Pe 1:21). To be used of the Holy Spirit we must be separated from the world, and entirely yielded unto Him, as vessels meet for His use. But we are not to suppose that those who remained in Antioch were not separated unto God. We can live the separated life anywhere by living for His glory. 4. It was a Call to Work. "For the work whereunto I have called them." Only those who are new creatures in Christ Jesus can have a hand in the work of this "new creation." We are not called to ease and idleness, but to be "workers together with Him," who hath called us into this holy calling. Have we entered into this work whereunto God, the Spirit, hath called us? Or are we idlers in His vineyard? 5. It was a Call which met the Approval of the Brethren. "They sent them away" (Acts 13:3), but not without "fasting and prayer." It would be a great blessing to the Church and the world to-day if the Church was anything like so willing to recognise, and send forth, those who have been called of the Holy Ghost to do the work of an evangelist. By their fruit ye shall know them. These holy men were "solemnly ordained," not with dinners and toasts! but with "fastings and prayer." There were no "hip, hip, hurrahs!" but there was a solemn doing of the will of God. Many modern ordinations are a scandal to the cause of Jesus Christ. 6. It was a Call, Followed by Mighty Deeds. How can we believe that we are called and empowered by God if "signs and wonders" worthy of God are not being done through us in His name? (Acts 13:5-12). Two wonders were wrought here by Barnabas and Saul (a) The overcoming of the sorcerer. This "child of the devil" and "enemy of all righteousness" was smitten with temporary blindness. The works of the devil were destroyed. (b) The conversion of the deputy (Acts 13:12). The salvation of the governor of the island, and the silencing of Elymas, the enemy of God, were surely works worthy of the Holy Ghost, unto whom Barnabas and Saul had been separated. - James Smith Acts - scroll down to Acts 13 TODAY IN THE WORD Acts 13 - Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. - Acts 13:2 After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, the American government, fearing an invasion of Alaska, built a supply road all the way to the territory. The Alaska Highway ran through the Canadian Rockies and Yukon Territory, some of the roughest and most remote land on the continent. Yet in only about six months an enormous force of 16,000 engineers, surveyors, soldiers, and construction workers accomplished the job, carving a 1,422-mile-highway out of the wilderness. This incredible engineering feat began with a single shovelful of dirt, just as any long journey must begin with a single step. That's how Paul's first missions trip began—with a single step. A step forward to say, “Yes, Lord.” He had served on the leadership team in Antioch, which may be where he met Luke (tradition says Luke was from Antioch). The time had come for the church there to take its own next step in obeying the Great Commission, so at the right time the Holy Spirit moved and called Paul and Barnabas specifically to go. One key point here is the community context for missions and purpose. Barnabas and Paul didn't take a strategy to the church and ask them to rubber-stamp it. Rather, God revealed His will to the church during a time of worship and fasting (v. 2). Fasting is done in order to hear God's voice more clearly, and He honored that desire. By laying hands on the two missionaries, the church identified with them, taking corporate responsibility for sending them out. Paul and Barnabas found their purpose in the context of the body of Christ. If you're wondering about your own purpose, this would be an excellent place to start. A second key point to notice is the historic shift in ministry focus from Jews to Gentiles (vv. 45-48). By quoting Isaiah 49:6 in verse 47, Paul showed an awareness that God's love is for all peoples as well as of his own specific calling to preach to the Gentiles. The good news must be proclaimed “first for the Jew,” but must just as surely be shared and declared globally (Rom. 1:16-17). TODAY ALONG THE WAY Are you familiar with the missionaries your church supports? How are missionaries chosen and commissioned? In what ways are they accountable to your church for reporting back about their ministry? Who in your church stays in touch with and prays for these missionaries? If you haven't been personally involved, prayerfully consider if God leads you to take steps to get to know these missionaries better, whether through serving on the missions committee, writing letters, or faithfully praying for their work The contention became so sharp that they (Paul and Barnabas) parted from one another. —Acts 15:39 In May 1884, two young parents disagreed about what middle name to give their newborn son. The mom preferred Solomon; the dad, Shippe—both family names. Because John and Martha couldn’t agree, they compromised on “S.” Thus Harry S. Truman would become the only US president with an initial for a middle name. Over 120 years later, we still know about this conflict—but we also know that a reasonable resolution was reached. In the New Testament, we read about another disagreement that has lived on in history. This one was between two missionaries: Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15). Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them on a trip to check on some churches they had helped previously (Acts 15:37). But Paul did not trust Mark because of an earlier incident (Acts 15:38). Paul and Barnabas disagreed so sharply that they parted ways (Acts 15:39). We still read about this argument 2,000 years later. What’s important is not that it lived on in history, but that it didn’t leave permanent relationship scars. Paul apparently reconciled with Barnabas, and in his final days asked for Mark to be with him because “he is useful to me for ministry” (2 Ti 4:11+). Arguments happen. But let’s make sure they are resolved. Grudges are a burden too heavy to carry.By Dave Branon Arguments can lead to grudges, Which, if left, will cause a rift; But if we bring resolution, Our relationships won’t drift. —Sper A grudge is one thing that doesn’t get better when it’s nursed. Galatians 2:1-5 TODAY IN THE WORD We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. - Galatians 2:5 George Washington courageously served as commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. He was a fierce patriot and was unanimously elected as America’s first president. Washington served reluctantly in our nation’s highest office, especially upon entering his second term. He refused a third term. His commitment to American freedom was unflagging, but he longed at the end of his life to retire from public service and return to the pastoral countryside of Mount Vernon. Everyone who fights for freedom usually does so at great personal cost. Freedoms are won by hard-fought battles, and the spiritual freedoms afforded by the gospel of Jesus had to be fiercely protected by Paul. The freedom to which Paul refers in the opening verses of Galatians 2 is the freedom to belong as a full-fledged member to the family of God exclusively because of the death of Jesus Christ of our behalf. The false teachers rejected this “free” gospel. They preached that Gentile Christians must participate in the Jewish rite of circumcision in order to receive full membership status in the divine covenant. No doubt they turned to the Hebrew Scriptures as evidence. This false teaching had been circulating prior to the present situation in Galatia. Paul records here details about his second trip to Jerusalem, some fourteen years after his conversion, and well before this letter to the Galatians. Paul and Barnabas, along with Titus and presumably some other disciples, had gone to deliver an offering on behalf of the Gentile churches for those affected by a recent famine (cf. Acts 11:27-30). Titus was a Gentile, and despite those who had already been arguing for the necessity of circumcision, Paul records that Titus was not compelled by the leaders in Jerusalem to be circumcised. He was apparently received and fully embraced as a brother in Jesus Christ. This matter of whether or not circumcision was necessary for believers was not a minor issue for Paul. It posed a critical threat to the integrity of the Christian gospel and the freedoms Jesus meant for His followers to enjoy. APPLY THE WORD The followers of Jesus in the first-century had a sense of the “Jewishness” of the Christian gospel. We might not debate circumcision as necessary to follow Christ but we still wrestle with a “free” gospel. Every generation faces the temptation to add requirements to the gospel, creating lists of who is “in” and “out.” As we study this letter, may our hearts be open to the Holy Spirit’s instruction about how the gospel frees us from the burdens we might place on ourselves or others. Galatians 2:1-5 TODAY IN THE WORD Despite only three months of formal schooling and increasing deafness throughout his life, inventor Thomas Edison earned his place in history by creating numerous practical applications for electricity. Known as the "Wizard of Menlo Park," Edison built such inventions as the microphone, record player and light bulb. He also improved the dynamo and designed the world's first central electric power station in New York City. Just as electricity was at the center of Edison's career and achievements, the gospel was at the center of Paul's identity and ministry. This is made abundantly clear in his opposition to legalism and in the incident described in today's reading. Paul's contacts with the apostles after his conversion had been few and brief. Finally, ""fourteen years later"" (Gal 2:1), probably meaning since his conversion, he has some sort of official confrontation with church leaders in Jerusalem. Titus is mentioned in Gal 2:1 because of a controversial issue which he represented. He was an uncircumcised Gentile Christian. People were asking: Should Titus be forced to submit to circumcision as part of the legal obligation for all Christian men? Paul and Barnabas spoke to the mother church in a general way in public addresses. They also discussed the issue with church leaders privately and in greater detail explained the gospel Paul had been preaching among the Gentiles (Gal 2:2). He was trying to convince the church leaders of the validity of his position: that Gentiles were not under law. If he failed to do so, his past work, as well as present and future work, would be hindered. APPLY THE WORD - Paul was above all committed to the truth of the gospel. In fact, he was so zealous for evangelism that he said: ""I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel"" (1 Cor. 9:22-23). Galatians 2:1-10 TODAY IN THE WORD James, Peter and John....recognized the grace given to me. - Galatians 2:9 A predominantly white church and a historically African-American church in Durham, North Carolina, meet together for Easter services every year. Though the worship styles differ, those who attend the joint service always remark how blessed they are by sharing in praise with people from different ethnic backgrounds. Yesterday we saw Paul claiming that the gospel he preached was legitimated by Jesus and not in need of approval from any earthly authority. In our text for today he emphasizes the fact that the ministry he has undertaken is in full unity with the other apostles. It was important to Paul and to the other apostles that Paul’s ministry stood in continuity with the ministry of the Jerusalem church. We may rightfully ask why this might be the case. Clearly Paul did not feel any need to have the authority of his ministry validated by other people. Jesus, the highest authority, had commissioned him. He needed no other confirmation. But Paul likely saw the need, perhaps through the revelation he received (Gal 2:2), to meet with the other apostles in order to ensure that the Gentile churches he had planted remain in full unity with the Jewish churches. There are some significant lessons for us from this passage regarding the nature of unity in the church. First, we see that unity does not mean lack of diversity. The fact that Jew and Gentile were united by the gospel–without either one being forced to unite on the terms of the other–means that church can encompass all manner of diversity so long as the unifying factor is the gospel message. Second, the basis of the apostles’ judgment points the way toward balancing unity and diversity in the church. The apostles recognized the presence of God’s grace at work in Paul’s ministry. That is, they confirmed that the gospel he preached was consistent with the message they proclaimed (Gal 2:2, 7); and, they saw that God was using Paul effectively among the Gentiles (Gal 2:8). As we today seek to maintain both unity and diversity in the church, we would do well to look for God’s grace at work. APPLY THE WORD - When we praise God for an eternity in heaven, we will be surrounded by believers from every tribe and nation. Yet too often when we worship we are surrounded by people who look just like us. DEVOTIONALS RELATED TO See also more Devotionals and Illustrations Related to Galatians 2:20 The story is told that when Augustine was still without God and without hope, the Holy Spirit convicted him on the basis of Paul’s words in Romans 13:14 (see note), “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” Augustine acknowledged his sinfulness, accepted Jesus as his Savior, and became a different person. His entire outlook on life began to change because of his new nature. One day he had to attend to some business in his old haunts in Rome. As he walked along, a former companion saw him and began calling, “Augustine, Augustine, it is I!” He took one look at the poor, disreputable woman whose company he had formerly enjoyed, and he shuddered. Reminding himself of his new position in Christ, he quickly turned and ran from her, shouting, “It’s not I! It’s not I!” Augustine had found the secret of Paul’s words: “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Gal. 2:20). The Cross Spells F.I.N.I.S." - To participate in the life of Christ, we must first be identified with Him in His death. "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Ro 6:5+). Those of us who now have eternal life have died in the person of our sinless Substitute, Jesus Christ, just as surely as if we had consciously been present at Calvary. While in principle our crucifixion is thus an accomplished fact, in daily practice it should constantly mean "death" to the self-life! A young man approached an older Christian with this question: “What does it mean as far as this life is concerned to be ‘crucified with Christ’?” The believer replied, “It means three things: (1) a man on a cross is facing in only one direction; (2) he is not going back; and (3) he has no further plans of his own.” Commenting on this, T. S. Randall wrote, “Too many Christians are trying to face in two directions at the same time. They are divided in heart. They want Heaven, but they also love the world. They are like Lot’s wife: running one way, but facing another. Remember, a crucified man is not coming back. The cross spells finis for him; he is not going to return to his old life. Also, a crucified man has no plans of this own. He is through with the vainglory of this life. Its chains are broken and its charms are gone.” If I would crucify the flesh, that Christ in me might reign, I must not spare my shrinking flesh, the crucifixion pain; 'Tis either Christ or selfish I — what shall the answer be? Let self be crucified that Christ, alone, might live in me! —Reich In her book It Only Hurts When I Laugh, Ethel Barrett tells how four outstanding servants of God died to self and sin. George Mueller, when questioned about his spiritual power, responded simply, “One day George Mueller died.” D. L. Moody was visiting New York City when he consciously died to his own ambitions. And evangelist Christmas Evans, putting down on paper his surrender to Christ, began it by writing: “I give my soul and body to Jesus.” It was, in a very real sense, a death to self. John Gregory Mantle wrote, “There is a great difference between realizing, ‘On that Cross He was crucified for me,’ and ‘On that Cross I am crucified with Him.’ The one aspect brings us deliverance from sin’s condemnation, the other from sin’s power.” Vance Havner - CHRIST AND THE CHRISTIAN LIFE The first discovery a Christian needs to make is that he cannot of himself live the Christian life. "Christ liveth in me. . ." (Gal. 2:20). It has been said that living the Christian life is not so much our responsibility but our response to His ability. Paul did not say, "To me to live is Christ first. . . ." It was Christ-period! Christ was first, last, and everything between. Christ is not a way to live, He is our life! He Was Dead But Now Lives - Many years ago I (Dr De Haan) was scheduled to speak at a Bible conference in Pennsylvania. A few days before it was to begin, a member of the conference committee telephoned my office. Someone in Pennsylvania had received a newspaper clipping from a Michigan paper reporting my death. The news had spread all over the area, and the conference representative wanted to verify the report so he could get another speaker in my place. The reason for all the confusion was the death of someone else with the same last name. Some people had jumped to the conclusion that the report was about me. When I arrived at the conference, I found a very curious crowd assembled. I chose Revelation 1:18 for my text and said, “The reports you heard about my death were true. I did die, but I am now here, risen from the dead, and alive forevermore.” While Revelation 1:18 applies first of all to the death and resurrection of Jesus, it reminds me of what has happened to every member of the body of Christ. We were spiritually dead in sins (Eph. 2:1), but we were also spiritually raised (Eph 2:5). Every Christian can say, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). Like The Master It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. —Galatians 2:20 A young boy knocked at the studio door of an Italian artist who had died. When it was opened, he explained, “Please, madam, will you give me the master’s brush?” The boy, who had a passionate longing to be an artist, wished for the great master’s touch. The woman placed the brush in the boy’s hand and invited him to try. He made a supreme effort but soon found he could paint no better with that brush than with his own. The woman then said, “Remember, you cannot paint like the great master unless you have his spirit.” So too, people who have never been born again are doomed to disappointment and failure when they attempt to live in a way that pleases God. Without the indwelling Holy Spirit, they cannot do it. Perhaps you have experienced the new birth and you have Christ’s Spirit living within you, yet you feel so powerless. The reason may be that though you have all of His Spirit, His Spirit does not have all of you. All your ambitions and desires must be submitted to His control. Oh, to be saved from myself, dear Lord! Oh, to be lost in Thee! Oh, that it might be no more I, But Christ who lives in me! —Whiddington Christ is seen most clearly when we remain in the background. Vance Havner - By His Spirit - We cannot of ourselves produce any of the experiences of the Christian life. We cannot regenerate ourselves, for we are born again not of the will of the flesh but of God (John 1:13). We cannot confess Jesus as Lord but by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3). We cannot understand the Bible but by the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 1 John 2:27). We cannot live the Christian life—Christ lives in us (Phil 1:21; Gal. 2:20). The natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:14). We can consent and cooperate, but this is a supernatural work of God from start to finish. - Vance Havner Sermon Sparklers Vance Havner - MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME Abide with us.... Luke 24:29. Christ liveth in me.... Galatians 2:20. I... will sup with him.... Revelation 3:20. Sometimes when we are told in the house of a friend, "Make yourself at home," they are ill at ease and so are we and nobody is "at home." Is Jesus "at home" in your heart or are there doors locked against Him? Is He a welcome guest in your home, indeed the Host at the head of the table? Does He feel "at home" in some of our churches? He was outside the door of lukewarm Laodicea. Blessed is that heart, that home, that church, where the Saviour is not an occasional visitor for special occasions, but a welcome resident who is also President, where it truly can be said, "Jesus lives here"! - All the Days Vance Havner - EN-CHRISTED Christ liveth in me.... Galatians 2:20. Strictly speaking, there is only one Christian life and that is Christ Himself, but He lives it again and again in all who receive Him. The Christian is en-Christed and what possibilities that suggests! We all have received His fullness—His wisdom, His health, His love, His power—all of these are released in us according to His Word, His will, our need, and our faith. We are still personalities, not robots, and, to the extent that we trust and obey, we may have all we need to do His will as long as He wants us to do it. Some want more than is His will and many live with far less than they might have. Make it your prayer and pursuit that Christ may live in you to the fullest extent of His purpose for you.- All the Days Vance Havner - THE MIRACLE LIFE Christ liveth in me.... Galatians 2:20. The Christian life is not merely a way of life, but Christ Himself living again in all who trust and obey Him. This life is miraculous in origin for it is the gift of God. It is miraculous in operation by the grace of God. It is miraculous in objective, the glory of God. There is so little of the miraculous in the Church today because most of her members are not living miracle lives. We have mostly an Old Adam Improvement Society of merely religious natural men who have never had the initial miracle of the second birth. We have developed a facsimile of the Christian experience without either the origin, operation, or objective of the original and the genuine. If we are what we have always been, we are not Christians. A Christian is a new creation.- All the Days Vance Havner - WHAT TO DO WITH YOURSELF I am crucified with Christ.... Galatians 2:20. The emphasis today is on self-improvement, self-realization, self-satisfaction. All sorts of courses and recipes and secrets abound on self-fulfillment. Even Christianity has become just a better way to have a good time. The Bible does not teach self-development but rather death to self. The Church is not an Old Adam Improvement Society. The only thing we should do with self is consent to its crucifixion and cooperate with God in the process. We do not crucify ourselves, it is the work of the Holy Spirit. We do not become robots. Paul said, "Nevertheless I live... yet not I...." Christ lives in us and, as we allow Him to be Himself in us, there is less of us and more of Him. We are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God.- All the Days Vance Havner - BE THYSELF IN ME Christ liveth in me.... Galatians 2:20. The Christ-indwelt believer may well pray, "Lord Jesus, be Thyself in me, release Thy powers in my life as much as possible." He has no limitations, but we have. Our bodies and minds are restricted and we see through a glass as in a riddle. We want His fullness to the full extent of our capacity. Later, when we have new faculties in another world, we can know and enjoy His presence and power without limit, but we earthbound creatures understand only in part. How much and how fully Christ can be Himself in us at present is an interesting subject. Certain it is that we could know Him better now than we do. How much divine power is possible for these minds and bodies is not measurable except to say as much as we need for our good and His glory. But we are generally far short of the possibilities and subsist on crackers and cheese with tickets to the banquets of His grace. Pray that He may be to you all He can under present conditions! - All the Days Vance Havner - Dead and Alive Gal 2:20 Many years ago I heard a missionary relate an incident that has lingered with me to this day. He told of an African native, a Christian who had a bad temper that often got him into trouble. One day the African heard that the Christian is crucified with Christ. He resolved to make it more real by burning the mark of a cross in the palm of his right hand with a hot iron. He explained it later: "When I get angry and clench my fist, I feel the scar of that cross, and it tells me that I am crucified with my Saviour and dead to sin." A crude way to do it but would that we might remind ourselves as effectively of Galatians 2:20! I remember hearing a beloved minister speak of his conversion, his call and crucifixion. He was sure of the first two, he said, but concerned about the third. He meant that while he accepted the fact of his identification with Christ in death and resurrection, he was not satisfied with the outworking of it in his own experience. Many of us could join him there. We understand something of the fact that Paul declared: "I am crucified with Christ...." We do not crucify ourselves. A man may shoot himself, drown himself, poison himself but he cannot crucify himself. As with all the great experiences of the Christian life, it is the work of the Holy Spirit with our consent and cooperation. The Christian life is not a do-it-yourself job. We cannot regenerate ourselves or confess Christ as Lord or understand the Bible but by the Holy Spirit. The outworking of our crucifixion is by the "reckon," "yield" and "obey" of Romans Six. Baptism sets forth this glorious truth, but how many church members even suspect the meaning of it? To many it is only a rite by which they "join church." Thousands have never been Scripturally baptized, they just got wet in a church baptistry. Many have never been born again, and multitudes have no concept of what it means to be buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life. Some see only part of it. Two girls who had recently become Christians received an invitation to a dance. They wanted to be Scriptural in their refusal so, having learned something of our death to sin, replied, "We're dead and can't come!" But we are not only dead unto sin, we are alive unto God. We are meant to be more than holy corpses. Some Christians impress us with their deadness but give no sign of life. For the Christian it is not a matter of "Dead Or Alive"; he is both dead and alive. He has died with his Saviour to sin and this world, and he has risen with Him to live, by His resurrection power, here on earth the first chapter of an endless life. Our Lord spent only a few hours on the cross but he lives forevermore. Let us not major in dying but in living, for He came that we might have life and that we might have it more abundantly. - It is Toward Evening Vance Havner - Proper Identification Christ liveth in me. Galatians 2:20. We are always intrigued and haunted by the simplicity of first-century Christianity. What would happen if a man started out today to be just a Christian? The idea has inspired books like In His Steps. Well, if a man started out to be "just a Christian" he would probably gather a band of "just Christians" around him, and soon there would be another denomination! Through the centuries believers hungry to recapture the simplicity of the early faith have started out to be just friends or disciples or brethren or some other group. But one always has to watch, lest devotion to a group or movement supersede devotion to Christ Himself. In every Christian Christ lives again. Every true believer is a return to first-century Christianity. The problem is how to maintain the simplicity of being just a Christian, an en-Christed one amid the complexity of the modern religious set-up. What ought to be most evident in us is that Christ lives in us. If our church or group is more evident than our identification with Christ it is too evident. We are here to advertise Him, not "it" or "us" or "them." - Day by Day Vance Havner - Begin Today! "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God." Gal. 2:20 If we must wait until we understand doctrine and have a systematic knowledge of the Bible we may never begin the adventure of faith. One of the strange turns of providence is that he frequently raises up some young and untaught herald and makes the theologians sit at his feet. Moody invaded England and Scotland and learned divines were taught of him. It is all that flesh may not be tempted to glory before him who raises up things which are not to bring to nought things that are. You can live as truly by faith today as ever you will later. You can be filled with the Spirit today as truly as anyone else. More light and experience may come but now is the time to walk by faith and you need feel no inferiority complex in the presence of theologians or let the experienced despise your youth. It is all of God and none of them has anything he did not receive. Pay them all due deference but do not postpone the life abundant until you know more or read more or experience more. Live abundantly today! I have a life with Christ to live, But, ere I live it, must I wait Till learning can clear answer give To this and that book's date?" No! Now is the accepted time! Live today! - Consider Jesus Vance Havner - The Invincible Affirmation "... Christ liveth in me." Gal. 2:20 There is absolutely no way of conquering a man who believes that Christ lives in him and lives accordingly. If Christ has been received by faith, if the life has been committed utterly to him, if he is allowed to fill the person's life with his own, there is nothing that can stand against such a character, even as nothing could stand against Christ in the days of his flesh. Such a man is unconquerable because there is no way of getting at him. He isn't living by his own spirit and what can be done with a dead man? Christ is living in his stead and what can be done with Christ? He who lives by this invincible affirmation is hidden with Christ in God and is untouchable. Take his money but his treasures are laid up in heaven. Take his health but while the outer man decays, the inner man is renewed day by day. Revile his name but he lives by the name of another. You may even kill him but "to die is gain"! What can anything or anybody do with a man like that? "Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword—a formidable combination but they are helpless here! We do not merely conquer, "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Rom. 8:37). Why? Because with Christ God hath freely given us all things. Having "all things" in Christ makes us superior to all things. - Consider Jesus Vance Havner - "Not I, But Christ" "Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." Gal. 2:20 Is it not more often "not Christ but I"? Have you ever come to where you threw down before the Lord all that you are and have and said, "There, Lord, I have failed. Only you can live the Christian life: begin now your life in me; think your thoughts, make your plans, will your will, work your work, have your way." Then, did you dare to believe that he had begun it, did you begin right there to expect him to live in you? Suppose I try to run a store. I know nothing about it, I get the books mixed up, I do not know how to buy or sell, things are in a dreadful mess. I turn the whole business over to another to own and manage and I become only a clerk in the same store I used to run. Mind you, I am as busy as ever but I have changed my responsibility. The care, the upkeep, the management, all that now is the owner's concern; my part is just to be a faithful clerk. This Christ life is simply turning the little shop of life, so woefully perplexing, over to another. Christ becomes owner, manager, overseer; his is the responsibility, the upkeep. Your part is to be a faithful clerk, steward of the grace of God. You are to trust the management to him and obey orders: take off the shelves anything displeasing, add anything he commands. But he is also your elder brother and his love takes out all the worry, fever, and tension. And one day, if you have been faithful over a few things, he will give you a heavenly shop in the city of the King! - Consider Jesus Adrian Rogers - Galatians 2:20 If you want to cross a bridge and you don't know whether it will hold you up, you might be afraid and tremble and try to make yourself believe. You might screw up your own courage and hope you have what it takes to cross it. But what if that bridge before you was made of concrete and steel, with semitrucks going over it every day? When you see that kind of bridge and understand what it can sustain, it's easy for you to cross it. When you see who God is, rather than putting your faith in positive feelings, you just put your faith in God, and your faith will grow. James Smith - Handfuls of Purpose OUR FELLOWSHIP IS WITH HIS SON. 1 John 1:3. 1. With His death, Gal. 2:20. 2. With His life, Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:1-3. 3. With His nature, 2 Peter 1:4. 4. With His Name, Eph. 3:14, 15. 5. With His service, John 17:18. 6. With His sufferings, 1 Peter 4:13. 7. With His glory, Rom. 8:17; John 17:24; Rev. 20:4. James Smith - Handfuls of Purpose WONDERS OF GRACE. Galatians 2:20. There are seven spiritual wonders in this marvellous text. 1. That the Son of God should love a persecutor like Saul. "Who loved me." 2. That the Son of God should be crucified. "Crucified with Christ." 3. That Christ should give Himself for sinners. "Who gave Himself for me." 4. That a man should be crucified in the Christ. "I am crucified with Christ." 5. That a crucified man should still be alive. "Nevertheless I live." 6. That Christ, who was crucified, should be found living in a crucified man. "Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." 7. That a man can live this new life by faith on the Son of God. "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God." James Smith - Handfuls of Purpose THE GOSPEL IN BRIEF. Gal. 2:20. This verse has been called "The Gospel in Brief." Bengel affirmed it to be "The summit and marrow of Christianity." The Christian life is: I. A Dying Life—"I am crucified"—dying daily. II. A Living Life—"I live." III. A Dual Life—"I—Christ." IV. A Faith Life—"By the Faith." James Smith - Handfuls of Purpose "YET NOT I." In the New Testament Paul several times makes use of a corrective—"I, yet not I." Why? Was it a new Christian form of speaking he had not yet got into the habit of using? Hardly. Was it not rather a reminder to himself and others of the great change that had taken place; or better, a declaration that the "I" always remains, only by conversion with a wonderful plus—Christ. In Spiritism there is the extinction of personality—never in Christianity. Though Christ and I are separate personalities, by grace we become one, yet retaining our separate identity. The "I, yet not I": I. Of Living, Gal. 2:20 II. Of Service, 1 Cor. 15:10 III. Of Offence, Mark 14:29 IV. Of Speaking, 1 Cor. 7:10 V. Of Glorying, 2 Cor. 12:5 Peter Kennedy - You Died with Christ "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."—Galatians 2:20 Robert Greene (R. G.) Lee was born in 1886 on a South Carolina farm to poor but religious parents. He sensed God's call to be a preacher early in his life and in spite of many obstacles heeded the call. He was ordained at his boyhood church in 1910 and went on to receive his Ph.D. in International Law in 1919. Dr. Lee became a legend during sixty-plus years of ministry. He preached more than eight thousand sermons, including 1,275 presentations of his historic message, "Payday Someday." During his pastorate at Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis from 1927-1960 over twenty-four thousand people joined the church. He authored more than fifty books of sermons and served several terms as president of both the Tennessee and Southern Baptist Conventions. Lee died at the age of ninety-two. Once during a trip to Israel Dr. Lee visited the site where many believe Jesus Christ was crucified. He told his Arab guide that he wanted to walk to the top of the hill but the guide tried to discourage him. The preacher was determined to climb the hill so the guide accompanied him. When they reached the crest Dr. Lee removed his hat and bowed his head, deeply moved. The guide asked him, "Sir, have you been here before?" Dr. Lee replied, "Yes! Two thousand years ago." Christ lives His life in us today because we died and rose with Him two thousand years ago. Today thank Jesus that His death gave you new life. "And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood! Died He for me who caused His pain? For me who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God, should'st die for me?"—Charles