Gospel Freedom in Galatians
Background: What was the key issue in the early church? Race. Culture. Issues that are still with us today. The church at its inception on Pentecost was essentially 100% Jewish and the Apostles and the church in Jerusalem seemed content to keep it that way. Then God called a Pharisee named Saul to salvation and set him aside as an Apostle to the Gentiles. Over the next 30 years, the church became primarily Gentile with a Jewish minority, and many Jews fought it.
Galatians was Paul's first letter, written at the end of his first missionary journey when Gentiles began to come to Christ in droves. A group, sometimes called Judaizers and sometimes the circumcision party, opposed the inclusion of Gentiles in the church. If they were to be part of the church, they needed to become Jewish - follow the law and Jewish rituals. Paul fought them tooth and nail his entire ministry. The gospel was for the whole world.
Galatians is a powerful argument for a gospel free from the works of the law.
As often as time allows, the reader is encouraged to read the entire book - it will not take more than a few minutes. Each day we will work our way through the book passage by passage.
Today's Reading: Galatians 1-6 Focus Passage - Galatians 4:12-14
I beg you, brothers and sisters: Become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have not wronged me; 13 you know that previously I preached the gospel to you because of a weakness of the flesh. 14 You did not despise or reject me though my physical condition was a trial for you. On the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus himself.
Through the Bible Readings: Ezekiel 23-24, Titus 3, Psalm 119:145–152, Proverbs27:12–13
If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.
Devotional: Gospel Angels
This passage is a mystery. It tells a story, but we have no idea of the details. Paul reminds his hearers that when he first came to them, he was in some kind of bad physical condition that made him unappealing, He certainly did not win anyone to Christ with his good looks and charisma. It was not the preacher who saved them, certainly, but it was not his attractiveness, his coolness, his winning personality, or any such thing that brought the Galatians to Christ. It was the powerful message of Christ's saving act - his death and resurrection.
Paul was their "angel." No, he was not claiming to be some white-robed, glowing figure with a halo (our mythology of angels is all too often inaccurate). Paul used the Greek word which we translate angel, but which means messenger. Angels were God's messengers, sent to announce his actions and to declare his glory. Here, Paul was the messenger of God to the Galatian region.
The power of the Gospel is not in the "angel" - the messenger who proclaims the truth. We are all flawed like Paul was. Yes, it is important that we maintain a walk that does not compromise our testimony. Our lives must demonstrate Christ if our words about him are to be effective. Even so, our effectiveness is not rooted in us but in Christ.
In our churches, we put so much emphasis on external things. Preachers have to be hip and charismatic (in the personality sense). Our facilities have to be cutting edge - modern and attractive. We have professionally developed programs for every age, every grade, every problem we have. None of these things is sin. Programs can be useful and having good facilities is a blessing from God.
The problem is that we sometimes put the emphasis on our programming, our motivation and promotion, as if the gospel rests on what we do. The message of the gospel is the power of God for the salvation of all the lost - from every tribe and language on earth. If we have great music and sermons from a masterful orator, great. If we have modern facilities and top-notch programs, thank God. But we must remember that the power is in Chirst and in the message.
We are the angels. He is the Savior.
Father, thank you for using us as your messengers to announce the glory of your salvation. Help me to be faithful in that privilege.
Think and Pray:
Are you faithfully living as an "angel" - announcing the message of Jesus Christ to a world who needs him?
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