We Reap What We Sow; Where are You Sowing?

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We close our our study of Go! The Epistle to the Galatians ends with chapter six. Here are today's reflections and ponderings:

Even with all the negativity Paul encountered with this church, he speaks of restoration as being important to him. Paul writes that those caught in sin, or in this case, guilty of being involved in or promoting this movement towards observances of the Law, could be restored. Paul does urge caution to those helping restore the guilty back in, for Paul fears one could just as easily be dragged into the "sin" from which a person is being rescued. Paul does urge all to be supportive of others in whatever we may be facing or carrying as a load in our lives. We should not take a haughty attitude about ourselves. We should test ourselves without comparing ourselves to somebody else. As we learn, we should share with others those things that we are learning, even with the one teaching us.

We should know that God cannot be fooled or mocked. One reaps what one sows. If we sow in the field of human pleasure, we will sow things from that same field, which usually is a field of destruction. If we sow in the spiritual field, we will reap eternal life. We should never grow weary of sowing in the spiritual realm, for Paul believes a great harvest is coming if we do not give up. We have an opportunity to do good for all, especially those who belong to the family of believers. We are guilty sometimes of doing more for those outside our own families, and neglect our own; Paul says, sometimes the greatest need may be inside the family of believers.

Paul hand wrote this first of his major letters, and closes it with yet another warning against the movement that had poisoned the Galatian church. There is no need for circumcision among Christian believers, he writes. Paul understands this to simply be a ploy for those wanting to escape persecution for believing in the cross of Jesus. Paul writes that he knows that even those circumcised do not keep the law, but seek only to win converts for boasting purposes.

What a beautiful closing: "Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation." How true. We can do whatever we believe is necessary to show on the outside our faithfulness; but what really matters is if we're a new creation in Jesus Christ; that will give us away!

Paul closes with his blessings for peace and mercy upon all who read or heard this letter's content; as well as requesting he not be troubled, for he bore the marks of Jesus upon his body. Some have wondered and written about Paul having the stigmata, a real and physical manifestation of wounds in the hands and feet; but we do not know for sure. I believe that surely Paul bore the marks of his faithfulness to Jesus from the stonings, beatings, and other physical attacks done upon his body by those who hated him. Yet, he closes this letter with his blessings of grace and peace.

GO AND GROW PRAYER: Loving God, may the marks of Jesus' love, service, compassion, teaching sharing, and obedience be upon me this day and all days. May I truly be one who seeks to serve You in all things, evidence of my being a new creature in You. In Jesus' strong name I pray, amen.

A Spirit-Fille and Sprit-Led Life

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This morning we shall look at chapter 5 of Go! (Galatians).

Paul continues to offer a counter-attack on what poisoned the faithful in Galatia. Someone or some persons, managed to convince the Christians in Galatia to surrender first to Judaism and its Law, including circumcision for the men, and the covering of heads, etc. for women;and Paul says this move is a stupid one. To surrender the grace of God to become followers of the law is to become "burdened again by a yoke of slavery." The agitator or agitators, who pushed for the observances of the law, were arguing for demonstrations of visible signs of faithfulness. Paul counters that "the only things that counts is faith expressing itself through love." (v. 6b).

Paul knew the Galatians to be on the right track, running the good race of faith, but this one person(s) poisoned the thinking of the faithful, causing only confusion. Paul's repeated strain is that true faith is finding true and eternal freedom in Christ. The only calling of believers, even today, is to "serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Paul next lists a powerful part of this chapter as he describes life lived in the Spirit versus a life driven by the flesh. Paul shares a list of those things that ruin a person because they follow only the desires of the flesh rather than the guidance of the Spirit. Paul's beautiful list of the fruit of the Spirit is one we should know and live: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against these is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature in our lives to receive new freedom and blessings in serving God.

GO AND GROW PRAYER: Awesome God, thank You for freedom found in Jesus Christ. May we never grow tired of serving You and Yours. May we seek to bless others by receiving and sharing the fruit of the Spirit. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Slave or Free?

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We are still in Go!, Galatians. This morning I read chapter 4, and these are the reflections from that passage:

Paul continues to stress his belief that those who had failed prey to the new teachings of observing and living under the law, are now slaves to the law, when indeed, they, because of the grace in Christ Jesus, should be living as free people. Those living under the law, Paul argues, are missing out on everything. Those under the law are not free, living as slaves and missing out on the inheritance that is theirs, as the real children of God, the ones saved by grace.

Paul wonders what has happened to the Galatians who once welcome Paul "as an angel of God," and treated him "as if I were Christ Jesus Himself." They now regard Paul as an enemy. They have gone from being loving people, who would have "torn out their eyes to share them with me," to being these who are suspicious of him and his teachings. Paul believes they prefer the lie, to the truth that he has shared.

The Galatians are now convinced they should live in observance of the law, which, Paul believes, is only alienating them from the true way. Paul uses the example of Hagar and Sarah as a means of illustrating how much they are missing by living as those who observe the law and not living under God's grace. Hagar, he knows, was the mother of the slave child, and represents Jerusalem of old; while Sarah and her child is the "Jerusalem from above," free and living in the fullness of life offered by God through Jesus Christ.

GO AND GROW PRAYER: Awesome God, may we not becomes slaves to rituals, observances, and traditions that beyond structure offer no power for our faith. Help us to know and claim that our power to live comes from You and Your Holy Spirit that shares with us grace as our strength for the living of these days. In Jesus we pray, amen.

ONE IN CHRIST

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My readings in Galatians continued today through the entire third chapter/ Here now, my reflections.

Paul is asking, in effect, the question, should we hold fast to faith or to the law? He asks this because he is riled up because somehow the Christian believers in Galatia have been convinced, or "bewitched" by someone, to follow just the law. What this has meant to them is the've come to hold just to the do's and don't's of the law, observing the traditions and practices of the Jewish faith and forgetting the tenets of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul reminds them that through Jesus, they have received the blessing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit. They have seen and experienced miracles and signs that do not come by keeping of the law.

He reminds them of Abraham, father of the faith, whose belief and faith in God resulted in the covenant, which Paul sees as a foretaste of the gospel, and quotes God from the Genesis 17 passage: "All nations will be blessed through you," Paul further adding that all who have faith share in this blessing along with Abraham, the father of faith.

Paul believes that those who just hold to observing the law, are cursed. For Paul, it is more important to know that the "righteous shall live by faith." Jesus Christ, Paul believes, redeemed us from the law by becoming himself a curse, in accordance to the verse from Deut. "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." But Paul knows this curse brought us the blessing of Abraham to all people, for by faith we receive the promise of the Spirit.

The promise of the covenant made with Abraham remains in effect for us; God's grace shown to Abraham continues on to those who believe in Christ Jesus. Paul argues that the law has served its purpose in helping humankind come to understand its sinfulness; but through Christ has found forgiveness and freedom from that sin. Jesus' message is all about freedom from sin and fullness of life. Now that faith has come, believers are no longer subject to the law.

Paul declares that we are all sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Through baptism we have clothed ourselves with Christ, and therefore, there are no distinctions necessary between all people. Paul said, no longer are there Jews and Greeks; slaves or free; male or female - we are all one in Christ Jesus. If we believe in Christ, then we are children of Abraham and co-heirs to what God promised him.

GO AND GROW PRAYER: Loving God, make us all one in Christ. May we receive from You fullness and freedom in life. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.

Paul's Posse

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My readings in Galatians continued beginning with chapter 2, very one to the end of the chapter. A reminder that this letter from Paul is the first of the four in "Go Eat Peaches & Cream" to help us easier find Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians.

Paul returns back to Jerusalem with a posse, Barnabas and Titus. It has been fourteen years since his last visit and it seems they arrived to be present at the council at Jerusalem (See Acts 15). Paul wants to share how the gospel he has been sharing with the Gentiles has been a fruitful one. Their arrival is met by some Judaizers who want Titus, the Gentile in the posse, to be circumcised to conform to their beliefs on the Law. Paul and others were able to convince them that this was not necessary, and Paul shares how salvation comes by faith, which is enough for God - not the external demands of circumcision. Peter recognizes that God is truly at work in Paul's ministry to the Gentiles; and Paul recognizes how God is at work in Peter's ministry to the Jews. Paul later meets up with James and John, who along with Peter, extend "the right hand of fellowship" to Paul and all recognized the grace of God upon their work. They agree they will continue with their respective works, all they ask of Paul and his work, is to continue to remember the poor, of which Paul says he is eager to do.

Peter later comes to Antioch to visit Paul. His arrival to a Gentile city makes Peter act more like a Jew, and when some from James' crew come to visit, Peter further withdraws from Gentiles and further into his Jewish observations of daily life. This leads Paul to confront Peter with the truth: "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?" Again, Paul's faith is to stress justification by faith and not works or observing the Law. He writes, "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God for if righteousness could be gained through the Law Christ died for nothing."

GO AND GROW PRAYER: Loving God, live in me. Fill me with Your grace and righteousness. You care not how I look on the outside but how I live on the inside. Let me not forget the poor, for all deserve to know You. This I pray in Christ Jesus my Lord & Savior, amen.

Only One Gospel

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I began reading Paul's letter to the churches in Galatia, known as The Epistle to The Galatians. It is not a very long letter, but contains some important teachings from the Apostle to the believers in those churches. Here now, are my reflections and thoughts on this first chapter:

Paul shares first how he came to be an evangelist for the Lord Jesus Christ. He states openly that he was not sent nor called by men or by a man, but by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and by God the Father. So serious was the tone of this letter, he dispenses with the usual greeting of thanksgiving and begins admonishing these believers for so easily abandoning the true gospel. Paul believes there can be no other gospel, except the one he preaches. What he has heard about these believers is that they are listening to and being perverted by another gospel. Twice he says that those who preach and teach such a gospel are eternally condemned. He does not want there to be any doubt as to where he stands to this gospel being taught.

Paul sees his work as that being necessary to please and serve God, and not humanity; one cannot be a servant of the church if One is a people-pleaser.

The only gospel that should be taught is the one Paul received directly from Jesus Christ; and this after his having been a prosecutor of the faith. Paul does not deny that he was a zealous person seeking to gratify the traditions of his fathers, yet it was God who set him apart for this work, calling him by grace, to preach and teach the truth about Jesus Christ. Paul further adds that after receiving this new faith he did not seek the teaching of the disciples in Jerusalem, but instead went to Arabia and Damascus, returning after three years to Jerusalem where he met Peter and James, the brother of Jesus. There and wherever he went, he was known as "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." And this caused many people to praise God for the turnaround that occurred in his life.

GO AND GROW PRAYER: God of power and might, Creator of all things, through Your resurrection power you can, and do, make all things new, even old hardened hearts. Turn my heart towards You, and make it new, so that I too, may be among those transformed and witnesses that have seen You at work in so many ways. This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.

Cover Me, Lord!

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I concluded my reading in Ephesians, the "Eat" part of Go, Eat Peaches and Cream; and here are my reflections.

Along with the problems of husbands and wives in marriages, the church in Ephesus had problems shared with Paul about parents and children. Paul knew the ideal is to have good parents in the life of every child. And the ideal is for those who have children to be good parents. The reality is that not every father or mother is good all the time, and some parents shouldn't be parents. But Paul reminds us of the Commandment that says we are to honor our father and mother; and this being the first commandment with a promise: "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Paul goes further in saying parents should not exasperate their children, but instead should strive to instruct them in the ways of the Lord.

The next part of the passage is set in the sad context of slavery, with instructions for good behavior between slaves and masters and vice-versa. The takeaway verse would be the one that applies to all people today, for us to work wholeheartedly in all we do, as if we were doing it for the Lord.

The powerful comparison to real armor comes in this chapter; much quoted and preached, The Armor of God speaks true even today. Believed to be inspired by the Roman soldier keeping watch over Paul as he wrote this letter, the words have guided many people for many centuries with its instruction.

We are called to be strong in the Lord. The Lord's power and protection is available to those who call for it, especially as we confront the battles of life, some involving the battles we do against the devil, for Paul saw the devil as a real foe, and a wicked one at that; to win such battles we need the armor of God.

Here are those key verses and areas we should protect: Truth should be the belt that guards our waist and loins, meaning those areas most susceptible to the desires of the flesh. It is God's truth that should guide our thinking as to consequences and outcomes if we do give in. Righteousness should protect our hearts; our love should be pure and righteous for all people as should be our desires of the heart. The gospel of peace covering our feet meaning it should guide us to places where we can share good news. Faith should be the shield that protects us from all attacks of doubt and despair thrown at us by the devil. And the ever present thought and reality of our salvation should protect our minds and guide our thoughts. Our offense against such attacks comes from staying and studying the word of God on which we should rely daily and often. And our prayer life should be as much a part of our lives as our breathing. We should have a prayer life that never ceases and should include, as Paul says, "all prayers and requests, praying for all believers here and everywhere."

EAT TO YOUR FILL PRAYER: Cover me, Lord. Bless me to be a blessing. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.