Insightful Musings on the New Testament
by
Ray Sparre, NU class of '67

Ray has a wealth of experience as a Husband, Father, Pastor, Missionary, and student of the Word. He believes and practices his faith where the rubber meets the road. You'll find his writings to be practical, insightful, and grounded in a truly Christ-centered world view.

Below are links to a printable daily Bible reading guide which Ray is following, and an archive of all his daily devotional writings for 2010.

|  Daily Reading Guide  |  2010 Devotion Archives  |
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3 September 2010
Passage: Galatians 4:21-5:15
Focus: “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Galatians 5:6.
            I cannot imagine a more concise statement of Biblical priority than this. Paul cuts right through all the fat, froth, fraud, frivolity, futility, and formalism.  I think we would be wise to use this standard as a kind of measuring stick for everything we see, do, and desire.  Use it in assessing the authenticity and value of ministries and “revivals” that emerge around us.  Use it for judging church programs that can consume so much time and energy.  And use it in determining the value of your own pursuits and ambitions.  “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”
            It helps me to think of the whole matter this way:  LOVE is a COMMAND, but the Gospel is a CONDITION—it’s a conditional OPPORTUNITY that allows and equips one to fulfill the COMMAND.  You can’t fulfill the COMMAND without embracing the CONDITION.  So the Gospel is not a COMMAND to do right (to LOVE), but offers the CONDITION or FREEDOM to do right (to LOVE). Look again at the last 3 verses of our reading.
            “You, my brothers, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love.  The entire law is summed up in a single command:  ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”
            Repeat it again after me:  “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”  Say it again. Again.  Again.  Don’t forget it!
 
            “We do not need to possess a faith; we need a faith that possesses us.”