Fighting for What Matters Most — Day 1
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Day 1: The Gospel Worth Fighting For
Devotional
In a world that often encourages us to avoid conflict at all costs, Scripture presents a different perspective. Some battles are not only worth fighting—they're necessary. The early church faced such a moment in Acts 15 when the very foundation of the gospel was threatened by those who insisted salvation required more than faith in Christ. When false teachers began telling Gentile believers they needed circumcision to be saved, Paul and Barnabas recognized this wasn't a minor disagreement about preferences or traditions. This was about the very heart of salvation. They understood that adding anything to Christ's finished work effectively emptied the gospel of its power. This teaches us an important lesson: not every hill is worth dying on, but some hills represent the very ground on which our faith stands. When the clarity of the gospel is at stake—when someone suggests that Jesus alone isn't enough—we must be willing to stand firm. In your own life, where might you be tempted to add requirements to the simple message of grace? Perhaps it's believing your spiritual disciplines make God love you more. Maybe it's judging others based on cultural Christian expectations rather than their faith in Christ. The Jerusalem Council reminds us that the gospel is Jesus plus nothing—and that truth is worth protecting.
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. - Jude 3
Reflection Question
What areas of your life might reveal that you're subtly adding requirements to the gospel of grace, either for yourself or in how you view others?
This is the gospel math that we see in The Bible,
Jesus plus nothing equals everything.
But Jesus plus anything equals nothing.
~Pastor Mike Mura
Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the times I've complicated Your simple message of grace. Help me recognize when I'm adding human requirements to Your perfect gift. Give me courage to stand firm for gospel truth while extending the same grace to others that You've shown to me. Amen.