Galatians 5:1-26 – Living by the Spirit

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Paul makes it sound easy to live by the Spirit, doesn’t he? We’re given a lot of wisdom in this passage; we could reflect for days. Especially if you’re finding it harder to fight off the messages you hear from friends that are contrary to the teachings of the Bible. These verses can really convict you to stand firm and not lose heart. Choosing the Holy Spirit is always the correct choice.

Again, Paul makes strong arguments for faith in Jesus. He gives concrete examples to his readers of what going down the wrong path looks like. His list of ways our sinful nature can trip us up got my attention. We’re all guilty. It’s way too easy to give in to our sinful nature because that’s what “feels” right. Clearly, our feelings often deceive us. The Holy Spirit never will. Continue reading “Galatians 5:1-26 – Living by the Spirit”

Galatians 4:8-31 – Correction or Consolation?

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Paul illustrates in this letter how easy it is to fall back into old habits and ways, despite having once chosen to follow Jesus. While temptations will come, Paul wants to stress the importance of not falling away. It seems like he’s taking responsibility because it is happening to someone he introduced to Jesus in the first place.

Paul didn’t want all his hard work to be for nothing, but beyond that, he didn’t want those people to become “slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world.” Weak and useless is a great way to describe what many people rely on for their “spirituality,” or belief system. We see all kinds of those temptations around us even today when people rely on the moon, the universe, or other “new age” trappings. Continue reading “Galatians 4:8-31 – Correction or Consolation?”

Galatians 3:21-4:7 – Children of God

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I like how Paul explains the law in familial terms, being in God’s family. If you’re a parent, or know some parents, you know their kids’ safety is always a primary concern and often a prayer request. When we think of the law as God’s protectiveness over his people while they waited for Jesus’ redemptive love, that’s a powerful mind shift for many.

I’ve never thought of God’s law as a “guardian” before. But what a great image! Just like an overprotective parent has rules that seem impossible to follow, so does the law. Just like children misbehave and test the boundaries, people through the ages have shown their disobedience to God. The Bible is full of examples where God’s children rebelled, followed false gods, and ignored and forgot the law. Does that sound familiar? Continue reading “Galatians 3:21-4:7 – Children of God”

Galatians 3:1-20 – Law vs. Faith

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What a lesson Paul is teaching us here! The age-old issue of how obeying the law and faith in Jesus co-exist is explained plainly. First, were you also surprised at how direct Paul was with his audience? He did not sugarcoat his message for fear of hurting anyone’s feelings and called the Galatians out as “foolish.” Paul’s observations of the people’s response to their faith troubled him greatly.

We can benefit from their foolishness. Paul’s explanation clears up a lot about the law and our faith. How often have you ventured out on your own, trusting your human effort alone to get something done, particularly kingdom work? I’m guilty. There is no way for us to be perfect or achieve perfection, so that shouldn’t be our goal. Becoming more like Jesus will move us toward being more perfect, for Jesus was the only perfect one. Continue reading “Galatians 3:1-20 – Law vs. Faith”

Galatians 2:1-21 – Live for God

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Paul’s “voice” is different than Luke’s in the Book of Acts. When we read the letters of Paul alongside the account of his life as told by Luke, it’s powerful. I was a bit astounded when Paul admits it was fourteen years between his visits to Jerusalem. That puts his ministry into perspective from a timeline perspective. Do you remember what you were doing fourteen years ago?

I appreciated how Paul also shared his heart with his audience in Galatia. Even though Paul is seen as a great faith leader, he wanted the affirmation that what he was doing was okay with the “authorities.” Have you ever sought such approval with a leader you respect to make sure you’re “on the same page,” or doing things “right”? Continue reading “Galatians 2:1-21 – Live for God”

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