January 23, 2014 WHO HINDERED YOU ?
Galatians 5:7: “You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?” This verse serves as a reminder to us that it is possible for us as believers to err from the truth. In Galatians, Paul is addressing the fact that some of the believers had stopped walking in the Spirit and were walking according to the flesh. Obviously, for a believer to walk according to the flesh is contrary to all the desires and plans of God and Paul was encouraging the believers to realize that they were putting themselves back under the law. In the last two verses of chapter four of Galatians, we learn that we are not “children of the bond woman, but of the free woman”; meaning that we are no longer under the law. As Peter Parris once said, referring to these two verses; “we do not have to co-habit with who we use to be.” By the grace of God, we can walk according to the Spirit-we can walk in freedom. By His grace and by His doing, we have been set free of living under the law. In Galatians 5:1 we read: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” To go from this freedom we have in Christ back to living under the law is no small issue and is contrary to the gospel. The particular issue in Galatians had to do with circumcision, which was practiced under the Old Covenant. Even though Jesus fulfilled the Law and set believers free from the Law, some were teaching that circumcision was a requirement even for believers. In verse four, Paul goes on to say: “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” From Paul’s day to our day there have been those who would lead believers back under the law due to their misunderstanding of the New Covenant. It seems that man wants a part or have something he must do in order to earn his salvation as well have this freedom Paul is talking about, thus making him susceptible to this false teaching of keeping the law. Paul makes it clear that if we are trying to keep the law, then we are living according to the flesh and not according to the Spirit. As Paul said, there is a need for believers to “stand firm” in the freedom that we have in Christ. When Christ died on the cross, He fulfilled the law once for all, and we can add nothing to what He accomplished by His death and resurrection. There are countless ways that one can put himself or herself back under the law. As example, one may go to church with the motive of gaining God’s approval, or tithing to gain His approval, or even studying the bible to gain His approval. It is a good thing, and we should attend church, give financially, and study the bible, but we are to do so because these activities come as a result of who we are in Christ. The freedom we have in Christ is absolutely awesome; however, there is a great warning or admonition that comes with this freedom and it is found in verse thirteen: “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love, serve one another.” We are indeed free from the law of the Old Covenant, however, we are not free to do whatever we please because we have been bought with a price and we now belong to Christ. Belonging to Christ sets us free. As new creations-as new people, we are now free to love, to serve, to forgive, and from the heart, walk in all the commandments of our Father. We now live under the law of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 9:21 and Galatians 6:2). There is an ongoing battle between the flesh and the Spirit, but when we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. Let us stand firm, let us live in the freedom that Christ purchased for us and let us fulfill the law of Christ.
Romans 8:2: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
Blessings,
Buddy
Galatians 5:7: “You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?” This verse serves as a reminder to us that it is possible for us as believers to err from the truth. In Galatians, Paul is addressing the fact that some of the believers had stopped walking in the Spirit and were walking according to the flesh. Obviously, for a believer to walk according to the flesh is contrary to all the desires and plans of God and Paul was encouraging the believers to realize that they were putting themselves back under the law. In the last two verses of chapter four of Galatians, we learn that we are not “children of the bond woman, but of the free woman”; meaning that we are no longer under the law. As Peter Parris once said, referring to these two verses; “we do not have to co-habit with who we use to be.” By the grace of God, we can walk according to the Spirit-we can walk in freedom. By His grace and by His doing, we have been set free of living under the law. In Galatians 5:1 we read: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” To go from this freedom we have in Christ back to living under the law is no small issue and is contrary to the gospel. The particular issue in Galatians had to do with circumcision, which was practiced under the Old Covenant. Even though Jesus fulfilled the Law and set believers free from the Law, some were teaching that circumcision was a requirement even for believers. In verse four, Paul goes on to say: “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” From Paul’s day to our day there have been those who would lead believers back under the law due to their misunderstanding of the New Covenant. It seems that man wants a part or have something he must do in order to earn his salvation as well have this freedom Paul is talking about, thus making him susceptible to this false teaching of keeping the law. Paul makes it clear that if we are trying to keep the law, then we are living according to the flesh and not according to the Spirit. As Paul said, there is a need for believers to “stand firm” in the freedom that we have in Christ. When Christ died on the cross, He fulfilled the law once for all, and we can add nothing to what He accomplished by His death and resurrection. There are countless ways that one can put himself or herself back under the law. As example, one may go to church with the motive of gaining God’s approval, or tithing to gain His approval, or even studying the bible to gain His approval. It is a good thing, and we should attend church, give financially, and study the bible, but we are to do so because these activities come as a result of who we are in Christ. The freedom we have in Christ is absolutely awesome; however, there is a great warning or admonition that comes with this freedom and it is found in verse thirteen: “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love, serve one another.” We are indeed free from the law of the Old Covenant, however, we are not free to do whatever we please because we have been bought with a price and we now belong to Christ. Belonging to Christ sets us free. As new creations-as new people, we are now free to love, to serve, to forgive, and from the heart, walk in all the commandments of our Father. We now live under the law of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 9:21 and Galatians 6:2). There is an ongoing battle between the flesh and the Spirit, but when we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. Let us stand firm, let us live in the freedom that Christ purchased for us and let us fulfill the law of Christ.
Romans 8:2: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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