Galatians 5 v 1 - 6

The Galatians had a choice, as we all do. Do we attempt to get to a position of acceptance by God through trying to do everything right, that is obedience to the Law (and make sure that you don't do the slightest thing incorrectly) or do we accept the Way of grace which Jesus Christ has opened up through His death on the cross? We may think that these are just old Jew/Gentile arguments, no longer relevant to us free-thinkers of the Western world in this magnificent technological age, but there are still many millions of people who think they understand that, as long as they don't do anything terribly wrong-obeying the Ten Commandments laid down by God to Moses over three thousand years ago-then they will receive eternal life. You, I, every single person, is at a crossroads, and there are two choices-the Way of trying to do the best we can or the way of falling on our knees before the crucified Christ and crying out, 'Lord, be merciful to me a sinner!'. There is only one course which sends us home justified before God. I know you have lovely, good friends who are so much more generous and self-giving than you are! Pray for them each day, so that they, like the Roman centurion, Cornelius-another lovely man-will turn to Jesus Christ and be made whole. No other way. Jesus Christ, through His death on the cross, has opened up this new way for all who will come to Him. That means your well-behaved friends as well as the criminal justly crucified alongside Jesus for his heinous acts. It is faith working through love which is the only thing that matters. Not a cold-hearted, make sure that you never get anything wrong, kind of faith; but, a warm-hearted, make mistakes-say you are sorry, get on with loving kind of faith. I quoted Mother Teresa to someone yesterday: ''Love until it hurts, then there will be no more hurt, only love'' and she demonstrated that by sitting with the dying homeless of Kolkata.