the chief lesson from the narrative is that what was being opposed, and was also being confirmed by God with miraculous signs and wonders was the message of his grace. I take it that "the message of grace" in 14:3 and "the good news" in 14:7 are synonymous. The good news = the message of grace.
Read more9 Observations from Acts 13:13-52
Paul says we can now be justified from everything that could not be justified by the Law of Moses. It is a VITAL point. Let anyone who thinks that Christians now relate to God through the Spirit being given to help us obey the Law of Moses take note - there were things that it never justified. It is now fulfilled and superseded by the forgiveness of sins in Jesus. This is the point of all evangelistic preaching. We don't do it to Gentiles in the same way as to Jews, but the goal is the same - turn to Jesus not religion (or anything else) to get your sins forgiven
Read moreConfidence in Christ
As Gordon so wonderfully points out, moral living is a by-product. Not a by-product of moralism preaching, but of knowing Christ. We are sanctified by grace. Its all of Jesus. If we don't get this it is so easy to assume that moral behaviour = faith, rather than moral behaviour flows from faith. Trying to get the outward conformity to moral principle without the inward transformation of the heart by grace is a hopelessly doomed exercise. Our hearts are hard-wired in exactly the opposite direction.
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