S - Gal 5:5-8,13-14, 22 (NASB)
1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
...
5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you.
...
13 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. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
...
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
O - Paul in most of his letters to the church's he has planted along the way often times is going back with a letter of correction. You see he spent time at each church plant teaching and building the local church's, but he was also learning many lessons along the way about how quickly a once spirit led, Christ following congregation can slip backwards with even few members begin to lead them away from the truth of the Gospel. This letter to the Galatians is addressing our tendency as a church to slip back into the handcuffs of the law. Paul reiterates the freedom we have in Christ, but the fruit of that freedom is truly the freedom from the law, because we are free to love and in love there is no law needed to bind us. The truth is we tend to rebind ourselves even in new found freedoms, we tend to set up local laws, or reapply old laws with the intent of not getting hurt by someone else's offense.
A - The application for me is in is life and ministry to recognize I am free to love in all circumstances and all situations, because my freedom comes from Christ, and not from my own works. Therefore I have no need to bind myself or others to a rule set that they would need to live up to in order to deserve my love. In those I lead in the church, in ministry we will work toward a common goal of further the Gospel but in doing so we will bump up our flesh tendency to judge. We must return to the truth that Paul teaches, that we have been set free to love, and that is what we should do.
P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's devotion may it be sealed to my heart. I pray Lord that you would continue to lead me in your ways, help me to correct quickly back to your ways when my flesh begins to lead me astray.
No comments:
Post a Comment