“O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, that you should not obey the Truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth, crucified among you?” Galatians 3:1

The Galatians came to Christ by trusting in Who He is and what He has done.  They truly believed the penalty of their sin was paid in full by Jesus Christ when He died on Calvary’s Cross…and rightfully so.  WHOSOEVER shall believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified shall be Saved.

However, the problem with the Galatians, just as it is the modern church, came when they attempted to live for God by their own abilities after their Salvation.  Their faith was in the Cross of Christ for Salvation but their Sanctification came by their own abilities which cannot be done.  Going into legalism for Sanctification was and is a vain attempt to keep in conjunction with Christ’s Holiness and Righteousness which cannot work.

Those foolish Galatians were deceived by the Judaizers after their Salvation.  Led into spiritual adultery by turning again to beggarly elements in order to gain righteousness may have been viewed as progression by the Judaizers but was in fact ignorance.  What often appears to the carnal eye as progression is truly ignorance to God’s Word because the carnal mind is at enmity with God and cannot discern spiritual things (Romans 8:7, 1 Corinthians 2:14).

Today we have many foolish Christians.  Next week many will be running around with ashes on their heads, others donning their prayer clothes and yamakus; while another sect will be seeking their 40 days of purpose, 21 days of fast, 40 days of lent and the list goes on and on…legalism is not new folks.

The Holy Spirit through Paul calls these Christians fools for turning back to symbols and sacraments once they have come to the saving knowledge of Christ Jesus.  What the Lord gave to Moses (the Mosaic Law) was not nor is a means to live in conjunction with Christ but was given to show us our need for Christ.

Mankind cannot fulfill the Law.  The Mosaic Law is holy, just and good and it’s  penalty is death if not completely fulfilled.  God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to fulfill the Law (of which He did perfectly) AND to pay our penalty of death.  Death having died, our death was paid and sin’s power broken.  The Law was and is fulfilled; the penalty paid for whosoever will believe and the believing sinner is freely afforded Christ’s Righteousness and Holiness through faith.  The Holy Spirit, Who now lives in our heart permanently, continues to draw us nearer and nearer unto Holiness and Righteousness.  Whether we heed this calling of progressive Sanctification and proceed by Grace through faith in the Cross of Christ, is a decision we make daily…not once.  Whether we foolishly turn to symbolisms and sacrements which appeal to the lusts of the flesh or consciously decide to deny those beggarly elements, look to the Cross of Christ and receive by Grace our cross…our blessings which are so abundantly given and follow Christ Jesus is a decision we make daily. Running this race set before us with patience we will decide this day in Whom we have believed and be determined to know nothing else.

As the old things pass away and all things become new, we are conformed into His image.  Jesus is not merely an example for us to strive toward and live in conjunction with but He is alive and His Spirit is doing a work on the inside of us THIS SIDE of Glory.  Corruption has not yet put on incorruption.  We are not yet perfected no matter the sanctimonious ceremonies.   There is a circumcision of our hearts made without hands that only the Spirit of God can do and He can only do this circumcision as we are looking unto the Cross of Christ, not Him and not our methods.

^“28 Now we, Brethren, as Isaac was, are the Children of Promise.

²⁹ But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

³⁰ Nevertheless what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” Galatians 4:28-30

Cast out the bondwoman. Be determined to know nothing else among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

-Donna Clark Warren

The laying on of hands is very Scriptural.  The Bible says those who believe “...shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17-18).   However, when the professing “deliverance” preacher lays hands on the bound; those who are in bondage to sin, to “deliver” them from their sin, the laying on of hands is completely unscriptural.

“And you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.” John 8:32

It is the Truth, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, that makes us free…not a man laying hands on us; not manifestations, “glory” clouds, gold dust or angel feathers but the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Who HE is and what HE has done.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

The Gospel is for Believers as well, not just the lost.  The power of sin is broken when we know the Truth.  Jesus Christ IS the Way, the Truth and the Life.  This is not just some mantra that we Christians recite in hopes to one day believe but is a reality today.  When the BELIEVER gets a hold of the fact that the finished work of Christ Jesus on Calvary’s Cross BROKE the power of sin in their lives, they will KNOW the Truth,  reckon themselves alive unto God in Christ Jesus and be FREE.  Dead unto the sin that so easily besets us and alive unto God!

^“Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:11

God’s people are bound because they don’t know the reality of this Truth; the double cure of the Cross of Christ which paid the penalty of sin for the believing sinner and broke the power of sin for the Believer.   Too many ministries are fleecing the flock with the lie that they can deliver from the power of sin.  If such were so, the Cross of Christ was in vain. God forbid NO! Think about this.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach Deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19

If we don’t preach Deliverance to the captives, how will they be delivered?  Knowing the Truth sets the captives free.  Jesus Christ IS the Way, the Truth and the Life…be determined to know nothing else among you.

“How then shall they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14

Go and tell them the Truth.

-Donna Clark Warren

^“For I through the Law am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God.” Galatians 2:19

Through the Law, Jesus paid the penalty of sin (death, Romans 6:23) for whosoever will believe. Being baptized into His Death (Romans 6:3-5), the believing sinner is dead to the Law that we may live unto God, partake in HIS Divine Nature (2 Peter 1:4) and walk in newness of life. The unbeliever is not afforded the ability to live unto God because of sin.

Due to the fall of man, the sin nature rules and reigns in the unbeliever’s heart. The Law, which was given as a schoolmaster (Galatians 3:24-26), was given to show mankind our need for a Savior but had no power for victory over our sin nature.  At Calvary, Jesus Christ broke the power of sin in the Believer’s life that we might live unto God.  Sin no longer has dominion in our heart because we under Grace (Romans 6:14).

Sadly though, the majority of the church world goes about attempting to live unto God by means of law…any law, not just the Mosaic Law.  These methods of man, sometimes even Scriptural ordinances, are given to the people for victory over the sin that so easily besets us, which then puts us back under law and makes the Grace of God of no effect.  Sin’s dominion returns as it takes occasion by the commandment and deceives the sincere Believer who is desperately fighting for the victory the preacher promised via the latest doctrine.

“For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.” Romans 7:11

Slain and defeated, the Believer’s faith is in danger of destruction…which is the devil’s purpose.  Satan cannot stop the Gospel but he can corrupt the Gospel leading the sheep down a wide path of destruction.

^“20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ live in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.

²¹ I do not frustrate the Grace of God: for if righteousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galatians 2:20-21

We have been given these great and precious promises of God.  Through the Blood of Christ Jesus, we are afforded access to the Throne of God.  Jesus Christ has gone before us and provided all that we need.  Fear not.  We are given the ability to live unto God and partake in HIS Divine Nature through the Cross of Christ. Taste and see that the Lord is good!!  Be determined to know nothing else except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  Do not frustrate the Grace of God, possess the Grace of God by faith of the Son of God Who gave Himself for whosoever will believe upon the Name of the Lord!

-Donna Clark Warren

Regrettably many in the church do not understand the Atonement; the New Covenant made for us by the precious Blood of Christ Jesus.  The word of faith heresy, with Kenneth Copeland leading the pack, proclaims the Cross of Christ was the largest defeat in human history.  They will not talk about the Cross or the Blood.  They erroneously believe there was a battle fought in hell by Jesus that was finally won after 3 days of torment when God said enough.  This is heresy to say the least.  Our Salvation was not won in hell after Jesus Christ was tortured for 3 days.

This may sound silly to some but understand, this is what is being taught in many churches today.  The devil does not have nor has he ever had the keys to hell (Revelation 1:18).  Sin’s penalty of death, which Jesus paid in full, was owed to God, not Satan.  The Old Testament Saints did not sacrifice bulls and goats to Satan to atone for sin but to God.  The sacrifice of bulls and goats was a type and shadow of the Sacrifice Jesus would make on Calvary’s Cross and they could not pay the penalty of sin for mankind.  Due to Adam’s fall we are all born with a sin nature.  Jesus Christ is the only Man, God manifest in the flesh, Who was not born of man but of the Spirit of God with Mary being the chosen one to birth our Lord.  No, Mary was not sinless. She too needed a Savior as she was also born of the seed of man and therefore had a sin nature (Luke 1:47).

Jesus came to die on Calvary’s Cross.  Jesus’ Body, God manifest in the flesh, IS the Blood which paid the penalty of our sin.  The blood of bulls and goats atoned for sin and restored relationship with God but could not pay the penalty of sin (death), which Redeemed us unto God.  Before the Cross of Christ, the Old Testament Saints did not go to the burning side of hell but to a place where they were comforted, “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16:21-23).  When Jesus gave up the Ghost and declared “It is finished”, He then descended unto hell and led captivity captive.

^“8 Wherefore He said, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. ⁹ (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?” Ephesians 4:8-9

Jesus led the Old Testament Saints, those being held in captivity in Abraham’s bosom, and made them His Captives.  On the way, when ascending upon high with HIS Captives, those who believed God and it was accounted unto them as righteousness, Jesus made a show of every demon in hell.

^“14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His Cross, ¹⁵ And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Col. 2:14-15

Understanding this, Who Jesus is and what He did, we understand that death has indeed died when Jesus Christ paid the believing sinner’s penalty on Calvary’s Cross. There is no doubt as to His Resurrection because we know in Whom we have believed…the Son of God manifest in the flesh.  We do not believe the lie of some fight in hell for our Salvation but understand that captivity was led captive by Christ Jesus.  We understand the Kingdom of Heaven suffered great violence with the price that Jesus Christ paid but such violence, and I speak here of the Crucifixion, took Satan’s dominion, which he took from Adam, and made a show openly.

Knowing this, knowing in Whom we have believed, we stand and we see the Salvation of the Lord.  We see old things pass away and all things become new in our own lives.  There is a fruit; a change in us that can only be done upon belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.  We no longer fight a fight that has already been won but now understand where our victory was actually won and purposefully place our faith there to maintain, not gain victory…the Cross of Christ, be determined to know nothing else.

-Donna Clark Warren