It is hardly debatable that we need Christ to redeem and save us. As royal ambassadors representing Father God, the devil can’t do anything to alter the fact that our passports have been issued by the Kingdom of God. However, he figures he can do something about the way we navigate life.

If we buy the devil’s temptation to rely upon the flesh at the expense of the Spirit, and determine to circumnavigate grace via legalistic standards, in effect we declare Christ’s daily work through us as needless and irrelevant. This is what Paul—under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit—is jumping-up-and-down passionate about in Galatians.

As with any point our Heavenly Father makes in His Word, the wise and logical question is: What is this saying to me?

The Bible is much more than rows of black print on white paper wrapped up in a nice cover. Among other things, the Bible is the Word of God. It is a record of God’s intervention in history and His plan of redemption, justification, and sanctification. It is a compilation of testimonies from chosen authors writing under His inspiration to recount His work, words, and will.

The Bible is real people writing the words of the Living God to us. It inspires our courage and rouses our determination to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the message placed within its pages by our Father.

The passion of Paul’s letter to the Galatians persists, intensity boils from the script, and the question remains: What is this saying to me?

As you ponder your answer, here are some thoughts to consider: Walking after the flesh is not an alternative approach or simply a bad idea. It is a temptation from the enemy of God and the hater of your soul designed to discount the work of Christ at the cross.

Clinging to anything that falls short of the grace of God—which is legalism—is a blatant attempt by the enemy to nullify the work of God in Christ at the cross.

By choosing to walk after the flesh, or implement legalistic thought and practice, we collaborate with the enemy against the most profound, significant act of Divine power, love, and courage: grace.

This is more than a bad plan—this mixing of legalism and grace. It is hypocrisy and an outright denial of our new, spiritual heritage.