Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
5 We have freedom now, because Christ made us free. So stand strong in that freedom. Don’t go back into slavery again. 2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you start following the law by being circumcised, then Christ cannot help you. 3 Again, I warn everyone: If you allow yourselves to be circumcised, then you must follow the whole law. 4 If you try to be made right with God through the law, your life with Christ is finished—you have left God’s grace. 5 I say this because our hope of being right with God comes through faith. And the Spirit helps us feel sure as we wait for that hope. 6 When someone belongs to Christ Jesus, it is not important if they are circumcised or not. The important thing is faith—the kind of faith that works through love.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Many of the apostle Paul’s letters to the early churches describe the difficulties that the 1st century church was struggling with. In his letter to the Galatian churches, Paul rebukes them for getting caught up in rules and regulations.
They were so concerned with following the letter of the law that their legalistic attitudes and their judgmentalism overtook their desire to live by the Gospel and share in the love of Jesus. Paul wrote this letter to sternly say it was not the way of life he taught to them, the way of life in the church was supposed to be.
Living and modelling and teaching a life of obligation and requirements and trying to live into the strict expectations of others is a heavy burden to bear—even if those requirements and those expectations have very good intentions.
The joy of the resurrection life in Christ frees us to live with love for God and neighbor without the burden of legalistic expectations. No one will ever get it right all of the time. But with the Spirit of Christ guiding us, we aim to live our ministries, missions, by grace and love in Jesus’ name, following his example.
Do a biblical study reflect on what it looks like to live in the freedom of Jesus Christ. In this freedom we are released from the effects of sin and death so that we can live as God intends us to: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”
Freedom is difficult to describe. Poets use images to communicate its essence. Freedom is a new butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, and flitting among the flowers in full bloom. It is a wild mountain river roaring over the rocks. It is a bird uncaged. Freedom feels like flying over cities over mountains – no plane.
Many commentators have said the book of Galatians is at its heart “a call to Christian freedom.” And chapter 5 verse 1 is its central theological thesis.
In chapter 1, Paul wrote of the power of Christ’s sacrifice to free the Galatians from evil. In chapter 2, he addressed the false teachers who were trying to enslave the Gentile converts. And in chapter 4, Paul contrasted the sons of the slave woman with the sons of the free.
Try it for yourselves …
For example, using biblegatway.com, do a word search using the word freedom.
Use several different versions and translations and make your observations.
How is the word ‘freedom’ used in both the Old and New biblical Testaments?
How does Jesus model, use, teach, reveal, the word ‘freedom’ in the Gospels?
How does Paul model, use, teach, reveal, the word ‘freedom’ in his letters?
How do Luke, Peter, John, James, Jude incorporate ‘freedom’ in their writings?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 118:24-29 Amplified Bible
24 This [day in which God has saved me] is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25 O Lord, save now, we beseech You; O Lord, we beseech You, send now prosperity and give us success! 26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; We have blessed you from the house of the Lord [you who come into His sanctuary under His guardianship]. 27 The Lord is God, and He has given us light [illuminating us with His grace and freedom and joy]. Bind the festival sacrifices with [a]cords to the horns of the altar. 28 You are my God, and I give thanks to You; [You are] my God, I extol You. 29 O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness endures forever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
8 However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless [a] elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored [b]over you in vain.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
This section speaks of the Galatians turning their backs to God.
Paul is feeling like he wasted his time and effort with them since they have reverted to how they were before they knew God.
Paul seems to not be able to understand how they could so easily go back.
When he was with them to bring them the gospel the first time, they were a blessing to him, but now, not so much as they are causing him great distress.
Paul even goes as far as to compare it to the pains of childbirth as he is waiting for Christ to be formed in them again.
As someone who went through it a few times last year with my heart surgery, my sarcastic side thinks “Really, Paul? What do you truly know about that?”
But my somewhat more logical side can recognize that he is using that language to convey the seriousness of his concern – both in how much he cares for them as if they were his own children, and also how very hurt he is by the turning of their backs on what he taught them.
I imagine that the Galatians were not intentionally turning away from God.
But by not being intentionally focused on God, that was the result.
I know I am guilty of this.
It takes incredible work to keep your mind and life exclusively set on God.
You may not be actively doing things that would displease Him, but by not actively doing things that do please Him, you are still going to be drifting further and further from Him.
Paul’s Concern for the Galatians
Galatians 4:8-9 New International Version
Paul’s Concern for the Galatians
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces[a]? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
While slavery still exists in parts of the world, for the most part slavery has been done away with. It is looked upon as a bad thing.
No one wants to be a slave to anyone for any reason.
Regardless of what the national rules and regulations are, the majority of people in this world are enslaved to sin.
They are bound up in sin that will keep them sinning more and more.
Selfish desires overcome them and causes them to sin.
This is a conscious choice of most people to live that way.
They see it as freedom of choice.
Every believer is taken out of that type of lifestyle.
They are removed from the bondage and slavery of sin when Jesus had died and rose from the dead.
He placed the powers of this world under His feet.
They are no longer a slave to those forces.
Yet, there are many believers who turn back to those weak and miserable forces and allow themselves to be enslaved again.
This is done when a believer turns back to an old way of living or begins to live like the world again.
He allows sin back into his life by choice on a regular basis.
He refuses to turn away from sin. Lying, stealing, cheating, cursing, hating, porn, violence, hatred all become a part of his life again, a way of living.
This is allowing the dark powers of this world to rule again in his life.
If you have accepted Jesus into your life and what He has done for you, you are known by God and also know God. He has set you free from the power of sin. He has pulled you out of that enslaved life of sin. Do not allow yourself to go back.
Take a look at your life on a regular basis and see you or what is enslaving you.
Who or what has control over your life?
God should be the only one who has control over your life. Do not allow the things and sin of this world to enslave you again and have control over you.
Turn away from the sin of this world and back to God.
“But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.”
1 Corinthians 8:1-3 The Message
Freedom with Responsibility
8 1-3 The question keeps coming up regarding meat that has been offered up to an idol: Should you attend meals where such meat is served, or not? We sometimes tend to think we know all we need to know to answer these kinds of questions—but sometimes our humble hearts can help us more than our proud minds. We never really know enough until we recognize that God alone knows it all.
While we absolutely serve an all-knowing, omnipotent, omnipresent God, there is a truly stark difference between God’s knowledge of everything and allowing ourselves to be known by him.
To be known by God is a two-way street.
It’s a conscious decision to open our hearts to this all-knowing God that we might experience him in even the deepest, most secret places of our lives.
Galatians 4:8-11 says,
Galatians 4:8-11 The Message
8-11 Earlier, before you knew God personally, you were enslaved to so-called gods that had nothing of the divine about them. But now that you know the real God—or rather since God knows you—how can you possibly subject yourselves again to those tin gods? For that is exactly what you do when you are intimidated into scrupulously observing all the traditions, taboos, and superstitions associated with special days and seasons and years. I am afraid that all my hard work among you has gone up in a puff of smoke!
Being known by God is the birthplace of freedom.
When we allow our Creator and Savior to truly know us he brings with him all his power, love, and deliverance.
Only when we allow him to know the wounds of our past do we truly position ourselves to receive his healing.
Only when we discover that he cries, mourns, laughs, and celebrates with us will our hearts be finally founded on the reality of true relationship with him.
Your God doesn’t just want to teach you, lead you, empower you, or use you—he wants to know you.
You don’t have to go through this life on your own.
You don’t have to process decisions, pains, relationships, doubts on your own.
You can be known by your Creator and know Him.
Unhindered relationship with your perfect, loving Father can be your source.
Psalm 139:23-24 The Message
23-24 Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life.
It is entirely possible to go through this life as a believer without letting God fully know you.
As tragic as it may be, many Christians do it every day.
We live as if God is distant from us.
We live as if we don’t have full access to his heart, will, love, and presence in the Holy Spirit.
We live as if all Christ came to do was give us a “get out of Hell free card” rather than restore us to right relationship with the Father.
And when you fully live fully known by God you will experience a love more sure, more real, and more transcendent than any love you’ve experienced.
Dear Reader; I pray today you will know what Jesus has done for you; that you will know the freedom you have in Jesus; that you will give to God full control of your life; and that you will fully choose to turn from sin to God every time.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Take time as you enter into guided prayer to truly let God know you.
Open up the secret places of your heart.
Tell him about your insecurities, fears, doubts, and wounds. May you find a deeper level of intimacy with your loving Father than you thought possible.
Guided Prayer:
1. Meditate on the importance of being known by God.
“Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?” Galatians 4:8-9
“But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.” 1 Corinthians 8:3
2. Are you living your life known?
Or are you hiding pieces of your life from your heavenly Father?
3. Tell God about anything in your life that’s stayed in the dark.
Bring it to the light with him. Allow him to fully know you. And experience powerful freedom as he reveals the depths of his love for you.
“The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.” Proverbs 20:27
Ephesians 5:8 says, “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
You can live with confidence and joy today.
When you are fully known by God and still fully accepted and loved, your heart is unshakable.
God will not reject you.
He has loved you at your worst.
Trust in him today and experience life in the light of his presence.
Psalm 139 The Message
139 1-6 God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too— your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful— I can’t take it all in!
7-12 Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me in a minute— you’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.
13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.
17-22 Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful! God, I’ll never comprehend them! I couldn’t even begin to count them— any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you! And please, God, do away with wickedness for good! And you murderers—out of here!— all the men and women who belittle you, God, infatuated with cheap god-imitations. See how I hate those who hate you, God, see how I loathe all this godless arrogance; I hate it with pure, unadulterated hatred. Your enemies are my enemies!
23-24 Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 