Free Indeed

Galatians 4
4) God sent his Son that He might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the the law.  Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage.  We can be sure that we are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, "Papa, Father."
     Does this privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child - and heir with complete access to the inheritance?

Rule-keepers want to shut us out of the free world of God grace so we will always depend on them for approval and direction, making them feel important.  We are not children of the slave woman - but of the free woman (the promise of God).

Hallelujah!  I am free - free indeed!

The Purpose of Old Testament Rule-Keeping.

Galatians 3
     Our (my) new life in Jesus was not my doing.  I was only responding to God's message to me.  Since I was not smart, or strong, or clever enough to begin His work in me - How could I possibly perfect it? 
     Paul asks; does God, who lavishly provides me with His own Presence, His Holy Spirit, working things I could never do for myself - does he do these things because of my own strenuous moral striving or because I trust Him to do them in me? 
     Like Abraham - who believed God, and that act of belief was turned into a life that was right with God.  So it is with me.  I am a child of faith.  I believe even by faith.  So those who live by faith are blessed along with Abraham.
    Remember, Jean, anyone who tries to live by his own effort, independent of God, is doomed to failure.  No one can sustain a relationship with God that way.  The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him.
    Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you.   Rule-keeping does not naturally evolve into living by faith, but only perpetuates itself in more and more rule-keeping. 
    We are all (Jews and non-Jews) able to receive God's life, His Spirit, in and with us by believing.  Just the way Abraham received it.  Hallelujah!

So what is the purpose of the law of rule-keeping?
Galatians 3:19  "The purpose of the laws, the rules of the Old Testament, was to keep sinful people in the way of salvation until Christ (the descendant of Abraham) came, inheriting the promises and distributing them to us.  Wow!  The original promise is the direct blessing of God, received by faith. 
     The purpose of the law is to make obvious to everyone that we are, in ourselves,  out of right relationship with god, and to show us the futility of making a religious system of getting by by our own efforts, what we can only get by waiting in faith for God to complete his promise. 
     If keeping rules had power to create life in us, we surely would have received it by now.  Until we were mature and ready to respond freely by faith, God carefully surrounded and protected us by the law.
     The law was like a school teacher who protected the children from danger and distraction, making sure the children would get to the place they set out for.

Now you, Jean, have arrived at your destination.  By faith in Christ I am in direct relationship with God.  We are all (Jews and non-Jews) in a common relationship with Jesus.  Also, since you are Christ's family, then you are Abraham's famous "descendant,"  heirs according to the promises!

The Purpose of Life

Galatians 1
Paul shares where his authority comes from - it is directly from Jesus and God the Father.  Paul is commissioned by God.   He greets with words of grace and peace.  Galatians 1:3 (Amplified) "Grace and spiritual blessing be to you and (soul) peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)."

God has rescued him from the evil world through His sacrifice for his sins.  God's plan is that all of us experience that rescue.  He goes on to proclaim that if anyone, no matter who, preaches anything contrary to God's Word he should be cursed.  We must get our message straight from God (through his Word).  No other word will do. 

Paul goes on to say that when he was still in his mother's womb he was chosen and called by God's generosity.  Because God intervened and revealed Jesus, His Son, to Paul, so Paul could joyfully tell the non-Jews about Jesus. 

v12 Paul received the gospel as a direct revelation given by Jesus.
v17 Paul immediately went away into Arabia for three years alone with God.  What was that like?  How special and wonderful of God to take that one-on-one time to love on and prepare Paul for the work ahead of him.  We are, even now, reaping the benefits of Paul's time with God. 

Will people down the road of time reap any benefit from my time with Him?  Am I of any use to God's overall plans?  I have to trust and believe that it is of value to  Him, let alone myself.  It is good that we can't see ahead or even correctly judge what we know and have seen or done. 

God put us all here for a purpose and the main purpose of my life is to glorify Him.  I can't even judge that properly - it is a trust issue.

Live an obedient and honorable life day by day and allow God to be the judge of the effect of my life here on earth.  March 27, 2007.

Christ Lives in Me

Galatians 2:
Paul relates why he went to Jerusalem - he wanted to clarify with the church leaders what God had revealed to him and what he had been teaching to the non-Jews.  Some of the Jews did not like him preaching freedom from the law.  They wanted all to keep the traditional laws, even after coming to Christ - that is mainly circumcision.

v. 13 "We (Jews) know that we have no advantage of birth over 'non-Jewish' sinners.  We know very well that we are not set right with God by rule-keeping, but only through personal faith in Jesus Christ. Paul asks "how do we know?"  Because they tried it.  The Jews had the best system of rules the world has ever seen! 

He is convinced that no human being can ever please God by self-improvement.  He believed in Jesus as the Messiah, so he could be set right before God by trusting in the Messiah, not by trying to be good. 

v. 20 Christ lives in me.  The life you see me living is not mine, but it is lived by faith in the Son of God who lived me and gave himself for me.  I refuse to repudiate God's grace.