Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Power of the Gospel
Galatians 4: 12-20So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are His child God has made you also an heir. (Gal 4:7)
Gospel that restores
freedom: Paul preached the gospel to the Galatians and they found a new
freedom in the blood of Christ Jesus.
However, their
purity of faith is soon tainted by the influence of Judaism. These verses show
a serious break down in the relationship between Paul and the believers in
Galatia. Break down is experienced only after a buildup. After the Galatian
Church was established the believers were on fire for the gospel. They received
the gospel and experienced the freedom it brought them. Freedom from cumbersome
ritualistic practices and observances which sapped away their energy and
worship became a mundane chore.
Gospel that restores
broken relation: Paul being fully aware of the joy they Galatians experienced in their first love is now grieved to see
them being influenced by Judaizers. Judaizers were flattering and convincing;
they sought to subject the gentile Galatian Christians through the shackles of
Judaism, which focused on religious rituals (Gal 4: 10, 11). These rituals
diluted the purity of their faith. Paul severely reprimands the Galatians here
and cautions them not to depart form the truth. Galatians take this correction
personally and drift away from Paul. Paul is grieved by this and loves the
Galatians enough and so
tries to restore the severed
relationship. In (v11) he affectionately calls them ‘brothers’ and in (v19) he
goes further to call them "my
children". In this
reference Paul positions himself as a parent who is willing to endure much pain in order to see the child grow and reach full maturity. Paul beseeches to the
Galatians to turn back to their first love that set them free.
Introspection:
·
Does structure consume me in such away that my
Savior has no place in my life?
·
Do patterns of worship take precedence over the
person I desire to worship?
·
Should my worship set me free or do I get
shackled with to do’s and don’ts of worship styles?