Month: May 2024

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Hoodwinked or Free?

Galatians 5 When Christ was preparing the disciples for his departure, He told them that He would not leave them as orphans but He would send them the Helper, the Holy Spirit. to be with them always. The Holy Spirit would teach them the all things and bring to their remembrance everything Jesus had taught them. In addition, as Paul notes, He would come and fill us with the fruit that manifests the true family nature. Paul is wondering how this truth has been lost to these new believers.Today we wonder too when we see those who have been corrupted by the false legalizers who demand this or that. They deny the Christ who died to free us from the bondage of the Law. They come into our fellowship  and  insist that we must obey the OT rituals in order to be saved. Paul reminds them that because of that they have been hoodwinked

Where are you today beloved? Have you been hoodwinked by those who say they are Christians but they deny the Christ or are you demonstrating to them and to others the Fruit that only the Spirit can give? Does your life mirror that of Christ? Do we love as Christ loved? Are we gentle, kind and forgiving? What does our life show to others? 

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Freedom or Slavery?

In Debt or Free?

Gal 4 In several cultures there is a rite of passage by having ceremonies and lavish parties. I can remember our granddaughter had her quinceañera when she turned 15. It is both a religious and a social event and much went into the planning of this. For the Jewish boys it is the Bar Mitzvah and for girls the same is called Bat Mitzvah. How about you? Was it your baptism or joining the church?  Paul wants the Galatians to recall that they once were classified as merely slaves with no rights or privileges, but one day they would receive their inheritance when they reached the proper age.

Paul is recalling these events to remind the Galatians that they too were slaves of sin, but now they are free and have the rights of inheritance set aside for those who have chosen Christ and believed in Him. He thus asked them if would like to return to their former state or live now in the freedom given to sons and daughters?  That is a good question to us. Stay a minute in this chapter and review what God has given to you as His blessing and live as free men and women. 

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Bewitched or Hoodwinked?

Gal 3 How’s your Christian walk today? Are you walking by faith or the Law with its rules and regulations? 

This chapter is Paul’s “ouch” chapter to this church that he founded. Just as there was a TV show with that title; bewitched has the meaning of being led astray and that is Paul’s question to these Galatians. Sometimes we need a wake up call to really see where we have strayed and so Paul is using that as he is calling them back to the faith. He asks them several questions to alert them to where they are failing. He pointedly asked them if they received the Spirit by faith or by works. He asks them if their suffering was in vain or did it have a purpose?

Paul wanted these believers to rethink and return to their simple faith for which Christ died. The question is did they listen to Paul’s warnings? Do you listen when the Holy Spirit questions your walk? 

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Salvation by Grace or Rules?

Galatians 2 Where have you met others who insist that you must do this or that to be an acceptable Christian, like the lady in our former church that insisted that women must wear hats, gloves and dresses to be a “true Christian.,” She, like these who infiltrated the Jerusalem church are called legalizers by definition because of their insistence that salvation must be accompanied by an outward sign. 

It is into this that Paul mentions two other men, Barnabas and Titus, who are Gentiles by birth. Both have special places in the heart of Paul and are used by God to help him in various matters. They are trustworthy men and God has noted their faithfulness. They are accepted by the church without the rite of circumcision, because as Paul notes, that rite is of the Law and not by grace. It is a rite God set for the Jews but not for the Gentiles. The Galatian church needed this reassurance that they too would be acceptable without this rite. 

Where have you met others who insist that you must do this or that to be an acceptable Christian? Today do not allow others, the “busy-bodies,” to take your salvation gift away by some outward antiquated rules that God did not require.

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Whom do you fear?

fear is a snare

Galatians 1 Are you a people pleaser or a God pleaser? Do you fear the condemnation of men? Whose affirmation do you seek? A people pleaser seeks the affirmation from others rather than from God. That was the charge Paul is making to the Galatians, and in turn he is asking us that same question. Will you stand apart from the crowd or will you stand firm for the cause of Christ? How were you called to salvation but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ who offered himself as bounty for our sin, once for all. 

The Galatians were being charged by some who brought to them a gospel contrary to what Paul had taught them. He was incensed by this intrusion into their new found liberty in Christ. He blatantly said these should be condemned to hell, which are pretty strong words. Why would he be so strong in his condemnation? It is because the price for our salvation was great and should be prized above all else because it freed us from the bondage of sin. 

So the question is asked again: are you a people pleaser or a God pleaser? Pray and ask God to reveal to you about this matter.

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