Galatians 6: 11-18
See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.
Here we are at the conclusion of this Epistle to the Galatians. Paul is winding up this letter with a summary of the main issue facing these new Christians. And he is not using a secretary for this last part, but writing it himself, and using very large letters, as though his eyesight is not what it used to be. Here is another indication (as we saw in 4:15) that Paul's "thorn in the flesh" may have had something to do with his eyes.
Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the Cross of Christ.
These men from Jerusalem are a real problem for these believers, and Paul has spent this whole letter refuting them. He says here that they are only teaching this to save their own skins from persecution. This is selfish, not loving.
For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.
They want you to be bound to obeying the whole Law, but they haven't even been able to do this themselves! They only want to assert power over you to elevate themselves.
But may it never be that I would boast, except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Paul focuses only on the Cross of Christ, the pivot of his life, and the nexus of human civilization. Never will he ever boast over people who responded to the Gospel under his ministry.
through which the World has been crucified to me, and I to the World.
Since Paul considered himself to be crucified with Christ, as Jesus took his death in execution, then he is dead to the World, and the World is dead to him, it holds no power of attraction for him at all.
For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Circumcision is done in the flesh body, and our flesh will be overtaken by spirit when mortality is swallowed up by immortality, and corruptibility is overtaken by the incorruptible. Nothing material or flesh will make any difference then, we will be made completely new.
And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
All those who live their lives according to the Gospel that Jesus has finished and completed all the work of Salvation for us, will receive God's peace and mercy, who are the spiritual Israel of God, rather than the Israel of Abraham in the flesh.
From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.
The "brand-marks" are the scars he received in his service to the Lord. This is a word that also means the identification mark of a slave as belonging to his owner. Paul considered Christ his Master.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
And Paul concludes this letter with the blessing of Christ, as members in one family of God.
This whole letter was written because Paul had heard about these false teachers coming to them in order to corrupt their faith. He delineates several lines of reasoning to show that Jesus did all the work of Redemption, because we cannot do anything to get God's favor. We already have it, as shown by the Father sending the Son to be our Savior.
The issue of that day and time was circumcision, but the principle applies to anything we think we might have to do before we can become Christians.
God loves us just as we are, where we are, right now. There is nothing we need to do to get ready to be saved, other than seeking God with our whole heart. Even if we don't realize that it is God we're looking for.
I didn't know that I was seeking God when I was looking for the Truth. I didn't realize that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; but when God honored my searching and came to me that day, that's when I knew that Jesus is the Truth I had been looking for.
And I have never looked back. I know that there is nothing I can do to make God love me less or more--He just Loves me! No one ever Loved me like God does, and I love Him back. And that makes me want to love who He Loves, other people.
All the things of this World are only temporary, and will one day burn up with the Earth. They are only tools, good for using to promote His Kingdom by growing up His children, and sharing with others so they can come to Him, too.
O my Father, I pray that all of Your children will understand that there is nothing we can do in our flesh that is not corrupted by the sinfulness of our human nature. Teach us to depend on Your Spirit who You have placed in our spirits for the power and ability to accomplish all the things You have planned for us to do to bring glory to Your Name.
Show us how to listen to Your quiet voice deep in our spirit telling us, "This is the path, walk here," every step we take each day. Lead, guide and direct us, as we live our lives every day, each moment another step on that narrow path You have placed our feet on. You have lifted our feet out of the mire onto that Rock of our Salvation, for stability and confidence in You and Your ways.
Keep us all true to Your Truth, Father; don't let us succumb to any other teaching that would add to or subtract from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ. And help us to always do everything we do in the power of Your Spirit, not relying on our own flesh at all.
And send us out into Your fields. Send us out to find Your lost sheep. Send us out as Your Light into the darkness of this World, to shine Your Light into the darkness, bringing light to those who sit in deep darkness.
And fill Your great house, Father, fill every place at Your grand Banquet Table, to feast with You joyfully through all eternity.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, King of Creation, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Are You Building God's Kingdom?
Galatians 6: 6-10
The one who is taught the Word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.
This is why we pay our pastors. And why we purchase Bible study books with money. And whatever we have, we are to share with those who are doing God's work to further His Kingdom. Like offering a guest bedroom to a visiting missionary, or to financially support our brothers and sisters who are on the mission field.
I publish this Bible study for free to the whole world, translatable into almost every other language, so it can be read and understood, at no charge.
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
God set forth in Genesis how every plant would produce a seed that would grow into another plant just like it. And why every living animal will produce offspring just like themselves. Whatever seed we plant, we will reap that, not something else.
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption,
If you are only working to acquire enough money to pay your bills and live a decent life, then you're only going to get things that will be burned up when the Lord returns; wood, hay, and stubble (see I Corinthians 3: 12-15).
but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Sure, you need to pay your bills, but are you doing anything to further the Kingdom? Are you a light in the darkness of this World? What are you planting? How are you building on the Foundation with the gold, silver, and precious stones that will not burn up?
Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
These eternally valuable things are on a different time cycle from the Earthly things we see, and we need to be patient and persistent to keep on carrying on with the things of the Lord like His Word, because the rewards will far surpass everything we can do now, even when we don't see any return yet. Don't quit before Payday!
So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
We have the opportunity to help one another while we live on this Earth in this World. As long as we're breathing, God has a purpose for each one of us, whether we're Christians or heathens. God uses everyone in His Plan.
So, as God's children, we are to be doing all we can to help our society we live in, to help people wherever they are, however we can. We are to contribute to the community we find ourselves in, to raise the standards for everyone there, so we can all live better lives together. When our neighborhood becomes better, we all benefit (see Jeremiah 29: 7).
And we are to be particularly aware of the needs of our brothers and sisters in God's family. Whether we get along with their personality or not, we are still to love them with Christ's Love for us, seeking their welfare and benefit before our own. It is this love for one another that will show the World that we belong to the God of Love, and they can, too (John 13: 34-35).
O my Father, please help us to understand how to live our lives. Show us how we can take care of our physical, Worldly needs, and also to build Your Kingdom. Teach us how to make Your Kingdom our highest priority, and trust that You will provide us all the material things as well (Luke 12: 31).
You know that this is not easy for us, so You have provided for us Your own Spirit, to strengthen us and lead us to do those things that will bring glory to Your Name, instead of our own. You are worthy of all the credit and praise, not us, for You have already done it all. And we get to enjoy it with You when we let You do the work through us, instead of trying to do it all on our own.
Strengthen us, Father, to really put Your things first in our priorities, and to trust You even when we don't see what is ahead of us on the path on which You have placed our feet. Keep our hand in Yours, Father, to confidently take each step each day straight on that narrow road that leads to Life (Matthew 7: 13-14).
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus Christ is our Lord God Almighty, King of all Creation, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
The one who is taught the Word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.
This is why we pay our pastors. And why we purchase Bible study books with money. And whatever we have, we are to share with those who are doing God's work to further His Kingdom. Like offering a guest bedroom to a visiting missionary, or to financially support our brothers and sisters who are on the mission field.
I publish this Bible study for free to the whole world, translatable into almost every other language, so it can be read and understood, at no charge.
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
God set forth in Genesis how every plant would produce a seed that would grow into another plant just like it. And why every living animal will produce offspring just like themselves. Whatever seed we plant, we will reap that, not something else.
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption,
If you are only working to acquire enough money to pay your bills and live a decent life, then you're only going to get things that will be burned up when the Lord returns; wood, hay, and stubble (see I Corinthians 3: 12-15).
but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Sure, you need to pay your bills, but are you doing anything to further the Kingdom? Are you a light in the darkness of this World? What are you planting? How are you building on the Foundation with the gold, silver, and precious stones that will not burn up?
Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
These eternally valuable things are on a different time cycle from the Earthly things we see, and we need to be patient and persistent to keep on carrying on with the things of the Lord like His Word, because the rewards will far surpass everything we can do now, even when we don't see any return yet. Don't quit before Payday!
So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
We have the opportunity to help one another while we live on this Earth in this World. As long as we're breathing, God has a purpose for each one of us, whether we're Christians or heathens. God uses everyone in His Plan.
So, as God's children, we are to be doing all we can to help our society we live in, to help people wherever they are, however we can. We are to contribute to the community we find ourselves in, to raise the standards for everyone there, so we can all live better lives together. When our neighborhood becomes better, we all benefit (see Jeremiah 29: 7).
And we are to be particularly aware of the needs of our brothers and sisters in God's family. Whether we get along with their personality or not, we are still to love them with Christ's Love for us, seeking their welfare and benefit before our own. It is this love for one another that will show the World that we belong to the God of Love, and they can, too (John 13: 34-35).
O my Father, please help us to understand how to live our lives. Show us how we can take care of our physical, Worldly needs, and also to build Your Kingdom. Teach us how to make Your Kingdom our highest priority, and trust that You will provide us all the material things as well (Luke 12: 31).
You know that this is not easy for us, so You have provided for us Your own Spirit, to strengthen us and lead us to do those things that will bring glory to Your Name, instead of our own. You are worthy of all the credit and praise, not us, for You have already done it all. And we get to enjoy it with You when we let You do the work through us, instead of trying to do it all on our own.
Strengthen us, Father, to really put Your things first in our priorities, and to trust You even when we don't see what is ahead of us on the path on which You have placed our feet. Keep our hand in Yours, Father, to confidently take each step each day straight on that narrow road that leads to Life (Matthew 7: 13-14).
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus Christ is our Lord God Almighty, King of all Creation, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Monday, December 16, 2019
Family Living
Galatians 6: 1-5
Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
Someone who is caught up in any kind of destructive habit needs someone who is more spiritually mature to confront him about it; but the one confronting must do this in a very kind, compassionate, and gentle manner, aware that he himself is also vulnerable to similar temptations.
Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the Law of Christ.
The Law of Christ is to love one another as He has Loved us. So if we're loving our brother, then we will notice when he needs help with some burden that is too heavy for him to handle by himself.
For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
We are all "nobody, trying to tell everybody about a Somebody." Everything we can do is what the Spirit of Christ in us is doing through us. Otherwise, it's not worth anything, if it is of ourselves.
But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.
When we are able to accomplish something for His Kingdom, then we can talk about what the Lord has done through us, without having to compare or be in competition with anyone else.
For each one will bear his own load.
And each person is responsible for his own daily obligations.
These guidelines help us to draw the boundaries among our own obligations, what we can help each other with, and when we're too self-sufficient or getting our nose into someone elses's business.
We are to take care of our own normal responsibilities, and to notice when someone else is having trouble with their obligations. We are to watch out for one another, and help our brother or sister out of a jam or trouble, realizing that we too can slip into something unseemly. And to consider that everything we do for the Kingdom is done in the power of the Spirit in us.
Let's look at all these things with sober judgment, not going to the right or to the left off of the straight path, and keep our hand in the Lord's hand to lead and guide us every step of the way.
O my Father, You have provided us everything we need, including each other. Show us who we can help, who we can encourage, and who we can ask for help from. We are all one family, Father, help us to see one another as brothers and sisters, loving each other sacrificially.
And may our love for one another show the World how You Love all of us, and are not willing for any to perish. So send us out into Your fields, Father; to sow the precious seed of the Gospel, and to reap the fields that are ripe for harvest.
And fill Your house with Your extensive family, Father, filling each place at Your great Banquet Table, feasting with You forevermore.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, King of Creation, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
Someone who is caught up in any kind of destructive habit needs someone who is more spiritually mature to confront him about it; but the one confronting must do this in a very kind, compassionate, and gentle manner, aware that he himself is also vulnerable to similar temptations.
Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the Law of Christ.
The Law of Christ is to love one another as He has Loved us. So if we're loving our brother, then we will notice when he needs help with some burden that is too heavy for him to handle by himself.
For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
We are all "nobody, trying to tell everybody about a Somebody." Everything we can do is what the Spirit of Christ in us is doing through us. Otherwise, it's not worth anything, if it is of ourselves.
But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.
When we are able to accomplish something for His Kingdom, then we can talk about what the Lord has done through us, without having to compare or be in competition with anyone else.
For each one will bear his own load.
And each person is responsible for his own daily obligations.
These guidelines help us to draw the boundaries among our own obligations, what we can help each other with, and when we're too self-sufficient or getting our nose into someone elses's business.
We are to take care of our own normal responsibilities, and to notice when someone else is having trouble with their obligations. We are to watch out for one another, and help our brother or sister out of a jam or trouble, realizing that we too can slip into something unseemly. And to consider that everything we do for the Kingdom is done in the power of the Spirit in us.
Let's look at all these things with sober judgment, not going to the right or to the left off of the straight path, and keep our hand in the Lord's hand to lead and guide us every step of the way.
O my Father, You have provided us everything we need, including each other. Show us who we can help, who we can encourage, and who we can ask for help from. We are all one family, Father, help us to see one another as brothers and sisters, loving each other sacrificially.
And may our love for one another show the World how You Love all of us, and are not willing for any to perish. So send us out into Your fields, Father; to sow the precious seed of the Gospel, and to reap the fields that are ripe for harvest.
And fill Your house with Your extensive family, Father, filling each place at Your great Banquet Table, feasting with You forevermore.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, King of Creation, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Manefestation Of Flesh And Spirit
Galatians 5: 13-26
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh,
If we do that, then we are forfeiting our freedom for slavery again.
but through love serve one another.
This is our purpose, that Jesus leaves us here for, instead of taking us directly to Heaven when He saves us.
For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19: 18).
God is Love, and He based all of His Law on love. When we love one another, we won't want to harm or offend each other at all. We will treat other people the same way we would like them to treat us. That will obey and fulfill all the laws and rules and precepts.
Then Jesus told His disciples that He was giving them "a new commandment," that goes further than the original commandment, "that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another" (John 13: 34).
And He repeats this, saying, "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you" (John 15: 12).
Jesus was willing to go the extra mile, to sacrifice Himself for our benefit; He gave up His glory in Heaven to become one of us, so that He would qualify to die a human death for each of us. This was the Plan from before He created the Universe.
And we are to "have the mind of Christ" to love one another sacrificially, just as He has already loved us. We are to be like Him.
But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
We certainly don't want to be destroyed by one another, as what would happen when we don't love one another. Let's not attack each other, but sacrificially serve one another instead.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
When we are sensitive to the Spirit's leading, then He gives us the power and ability to not give in to any of our fleshly desires, preferring His gifts and enablements instead.
For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
Our bodies are damaged and defective, and often we experience desires to indulge it, because this is where we live.
But God's Spirit in us gives us new desires and abilities, and we need to learn to enjoy His good things, instead of the fleshly things we have previously enjoyed.
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
The Law laid out specific rules and parameters that we were bound to adhere to, but the Law that God wrote into our hearts by His Spirit are not hard boundaries, but soft, fluid paths to show us love and compassion and mercy to share with one another.
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident,
Now we're going to see some of the things that God hates for us to indulge in, because they are so damaging to us and our sensibilities; and opposite to the way He designed us.
which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
These all pertain to our bodily functions as to how we treat our own and others' bodies.
idolatry, sorcery,
These relate to what we prioritize in our thinking (idolatry), and where we desire to obtain the power to do what we want to do (sorcery), from demons instead of God.
These next deal with our relationships with one another:
enmities (being an enemy), strife (competition), jealousy (unwilling to give up what you possess), outbursts of anger (lack of self-control), disputes (arguments), dissensions (strong quarrels), factions (opposing political parties),
envying (wanting to possess what someone else owns for yourself),
And our behavior:
drunkenness (too much to drink, not moderate), carousing (rowdy partying), and things like these,
Everything that is related to all of these areas of thinking and behavior are all what our sinful flesh desires.
of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
People who live lifestyles like these are not learning how to behave in God's Kingdom, and will not fit in there at all.
But the fruit of the Spirit
This is the other side of the coin, the opposite of all the fleshly stuff we've been discussing.
is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control;
These nine virtues cover everything that we need to inculcate into our thinking processes and lifestyles. God's ways are so simple, yet not easy. We cannot possibly live this way without His Spirit living in us to give us the power and ability.
against such things there is no law.
There has never been nor will there ever be any kind of law anywhere that would rule against being happy or peaceful or patient or any of the other qualities listed here. Everyone everywhere is looking for these. Only God can teach them to us, by His Spirit living in us.
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
We who have realized that we are the criminals who deserve execution by crucifixion, and have let Jesus take our death for us, have by that act crucified our bodily desires and compulsions, and have received His Spirit who is teaching us God's ways of thinking and acting.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Now that our spirits are alive, having God's Spirit coming in giving them life, now we can also live our lives with a Godly lifestyle, as His Spirit leads us to do. A complete 180 turn-around.
So let's continue on the road He put our feet on when He turned us around, and not even want to go back to those worldly, fleshly ways.
Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
So let's not think we're someone special, because we're just as special as every other of God's children. We didn't create any of the good ways He has taught us, or designed any of the good things He empowers us to do, so we have nothing to boast about in ourselves; or to challenge someone else to be like us when we're all gifted differently. And when we envy someone else's gift, then we're not appreciating them or developing our own gifts that we are responsible for before God.
O my Father, thank You so much for rescuing us from all those manifestations of the flesh, that work to destroy us. You are not willing for any to perish, but for all of us to come to the knowledge of repentance, realizing how much You Love us all!
Father, show Your children that You have given them the power and ability to turn from all the manifestations of their flesh, and to turn around to build Your fruit of Your Spirit in them. In all of us, Father.
Teach us to be Your Light in the darkness of our World, and to not hide our light, but allow it to display Your ways, how much better they are than the World's ways. Your ways bring us good health--physically, mentally, psychologically, spiritually; and prosperity in every way--relationally, socially, financially, spiritually.
O Father, You are our Source of Life, of joy, of everything good, and beneficial, and enjoyable. You designed the Universe to be the environment for this Earth, so we could build our World upon it. And when we cooperate with the way You designed it to operate, then we prosper in the World. But when we turn from Your ways, deciding that we know better than You, then we lose the good times and come into times of trouble and strife. (See the continuous cycles in the Book of Judges!)
My dear Father, You have Loved me more than I can ever possibly comprehend in my little mind! I don't understand how You do all that You do, but I thank You and praise You for Your greatness, and goodness, and compassion, and grace to me.
Send me out, Father; send out all Your children into Your fields, that are fertile for the sowing of Seed, and the fields ripe for harvest. Fill Your great house with all Your big family, every place at Your grand Banquet Table occupied, to feast with You everlastingly.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, King of Creation, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever, Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh,
If we do that, then we are forfeiting our freedom for slavery again.
but through love serve one another.
This is our purpose, that Jesus leaves us here for, instead of taking us directly to Heaven when He saves us.
For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19: 18).
God is Love, and He based all of His Law on love. When we love one another, we won't want to harm or offend each other at all. We will treat other people the same way we would like them to treat us. That will obey and fulfill all the laws and rules and precepts.
Then Jesus told His disciples that He was giving them "a new commandment," that goes further than the original commandment, "that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another" (John 13: 34).
And He repeats this, saying, "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you" (John 15: 12).
Jesus was willing to go the extra mile, to sacrifice Himself for our benefit; He gave up His glory in Heaven to become one of us, so that He would qualify to die a human death for each of us. This was the Plan from before He created the Universe.
And we are to "have the mind of Christ" to love one another sacrificially, just as He has already loved us. We are to be like Him.
But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
We certainly don't want to be destroyed by one another, as what would happen when we don't love one another. Let's not attack each other, but sacrificially serve one another instead.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
When we are sensitive to the Spirit's leading, then He gives us the power and ability to not give in to any of our fleshly desires, preferring His gifts and enablements instead.
For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
Our bodies are damaged and defective, and often we experience desires to indulge it, because this is where we live.
But God's Spirit in us gives us new desires and abilities, and we need to learn to enjoy His good things, instead of the fleshly things we have previously enjoyed.
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
The Law laid out specific rules and parameters that we were bound to adhere to, but the Law that God wrote into our hearts by His Spirit are not hard boundaries, but soft, fluid paths to show us love and compassion and mercy to share with one another.
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident,
Now we're going to see some of the things that God hates for us to indulge in, because they are so damaging to us and our sensibilities; and opposite to the way He designed us.
which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
These all pertain to our bodily functions as to how we treat our own and others' bodies.
idolatry, sorcery,
These relate to what we prioritize in our thinking (idolatry), and where we desire to obtain the power to do what we want to do (sorcery), from demons instead of God.
These next deal with our relationships with one another:
enmities (being an enemy), strife (competition), jealousy (unwilling to give up what you possess), outbursts of anger (lack of self-control), disputes (arguments), dissensions (strong quarrels), factions (opposing political parties),
envying (wanting to possess what someone else owns for yourself),
And our behavior:
drunkenness (too much to drink, not moderate), carousing (rowdy partying), and things like these,
Everything that is related to all of these areas of thinking and behavior are all what our sinful flesh desires.
of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
People who live lifestyles like these are not learning how to behave in God's Kingdom, and will not fit in there at all.
But the fruit of the Spirit
This is the other side of the coin, the opposite of all the fleshly stuff we've been discussing.
is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control;
These nine virtues cover everything that we need to inculcate into our thinking processes and lifestyles. God's ways are so simple, yet not easy. We cannot possibly live this way without His Spirit living in us to give us the power and ability.
against such things there is no law.
There has never been nor will there ever be any kind of law anywhere that would rule against being happy or peaceful or patient or any of the other qualities listed here. Everyone everywhere is looking for these. Only God can teach them to us, by His Spirit living in us.
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
We who have realized that we are the criminals who deserve execution by crucifixion, and have let Jesus take our death for us, have by that act crucified our bodily desires and compulsions, and have received His Spirit who is teaching us God's ways of thinking and acting.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Now that our spirits are alive, having God's Spirit coming in giving them life, now we can also live our lives with a Godly lifestyle, as His Spirit leads us to do. A complete 180 turn-around.
So let's continue on the road He put our feet on when He turned us around, and not even want to go back to those worldly, fleshly ways.
Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
So let's not think we're someone special, because we're just as special as every other of God's children. We didn't create any of the good ways He has taught us, or designed any of the good things He empowers us to do, so we have nothing to boast about in ourselves; or to challenge someone else to be like us when we're all gifted differently. And when we envy someone else's gift, then we're not appreciating them or developing our own gifts that we are responsible for before God.
O my Father, thank You so much for rescuing us from all those manifestations of the flesh, that work to destroy us. You are not willing for any to perish, but for all of us to come to the knowledge of repentance, realizing how much You Love us all!
Father, show Your children that You have given them the power and ability to turn from all the manifestations of their flesh, and to turn around to build Your fruit of Your Spirit in them. In all of us, Father.
Teach us to be Your Light in the darkness of our World, and to not hide our light, but allow it to display Your ways, how much better they are than the World's ways. Your ways bring us good health--physically, mentally, psychologically, spiritually; and prosperity in every way--relationally, socially, financially, spiritually.
O Father, You are our Source of Life, of joy, of everything good, and beneficial, and enjoyable. You designed the Universe to be the environment for this Earth, so we could build our World upon it. And when we cooperate with the way You designed it to operate, then we prosper in the World. But when we turn from Your ways, deciding that we know better than You, then we lose the good times and come into times of trouble and strife. (See the continuous cycles in the Book of Judges!)
My dear Father, You have Loved me more than I can ever possibly comprehend in my little mind! I don't understand how You do all that You do, but I thank You and praise You for Your greatness, and goodness, and compassion, and grace to me.
Send me out, Father; send out all Your children into Your fields, that are fertile for the sowing of Seed, and the fields ripe for harvest. Fill Your great house with all Your big family, every place at Your grand Banquet Table occupied, to feast with You everlastingly.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, King of Creation, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever, Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Who Is Leading Astray?
Galatians 5: 7-12
You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the Truth?
They had been doing so well, following what Paul had taught them. But now someone has come in and turned them away from the sufficiency of the Cross, telling them that they need to do something, too.
This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you.
This opinion is not according to the Lord who called them to Salvation.
A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.
Just one wrong idea can spread through the whole congregation.
I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view;
Paul knows that the Lord can keep them from falling away, by taking on any view contrary to trusting Jesus Christ to have done all the work of Redemption.
but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.
Paul doesn't know who this person is, but no matter what rank of authority he seems to have, he's leading these new Christians away from the pure simplicity of the Gospel that they had believed.
Jesus said that, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matthew 18: 6). This horrific punishment is not as bad as the judgment this person is calling down upon himself for leading these "little ones," new believers, astray.
But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted?
They're saying that their message is the same as Paul's, yet they still talk him down.
Then the stumbling block of the Cross has been abolished.
And if circumcision is necessary, then there didn't need to be a Cross involved at all, and there would be no problems of admitting that we deserve that kind of execution. That's a real "stumbling stone" if there ever was one.
I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.
Now Paul's getting personal! He says that since they are advocating that you cut yourselves, then they should cut themselves, too, all the way!
He is very upset that these teachers that came from Jerusalem would try to corrupt the beautiful simplicity of the Gospel in order to gain followers for themselves. Paul never promoted himself, he always taught what the Lord had taught him one-on-one when He saved him.
Paul never even went to Jerusalem to confer with the other Apostles before he went out preaching everywhere, he wanted to be sure he was teaching only God's pure Truth.
And he is still focused on the purity and simplicity of the Cross of Christ, and His Resurrection. Jesus has accomplished and finished all the work of our rescue, without any input from us--at all.
O my Father, Your Love is so incredible! It is so rich and full and all-encompassing. It is pure and wide and deep. It is so much more that I can ever comprehend, I just can't wrap my mind around its immensity--I'm too small!
Father, You have done everything possible, and even what is impossible, to rescue us from destruction. To Redeem us out of the slave-market and adopt us into Your own family as Your children.
Father, You have washed us pristine clean, as though we'd never sinned--even though we're still in these flesh bodies and we "miss the mark" every day! You see us as Perfect, so You placed Your own Spirit of Life into our spirits, making them alive. And Your Spirit in us teaches us, and leads us, and guides us. By Him You are re-molding us into the very image of Your Son, growing us up as Your Royal princes and princesses, to prepare us to help You rule all the Universes You plan to create.
O Father, please protect us from any teaching that would take us away from the beautiful simplicity and purity of Your Plan for each of us. Keep our feet firmly on the Rock, not slipping into any kind of deception at all.
Dear Father, continue to lead us confidently in the narrow path that is hedged in, so that our every step is following You, our hand in Yours, as we travel each day toward that final victory.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, King of Creation, to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever, Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the Truth?
They had been doing so well, following what Paul had taught them. But now someone has come in and turned them away from the sufficiency of the Cross, telling them that they need to do something, too.
This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you.
This opinion is not according to the Lord who called them to Salvation.
A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.
Just one wrong idea can spread through the whole congregation.
I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view;
Paul knows that the Lord can keep them from falling away, by taking on any view contrary to trusting Jesus Christ to have done all the work of Redemption.
but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.
Paul doesn't know who this person is, but no matter what rank of authority he seems to have, he's leading these new Christians away from the pure simplicity of the Gospel that they had believed.
Jesus said that, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matthew 18: 6). This horrific punishment is not as bad as the judgment this person is calling down upon himself for leading these "little ones," new believers, astray.
But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted?
They're saying that their message is the same as Paul's, yet they still talk him down.
Then the stumbling block of the Cross has been abolished.
And if circumcision is necessary, then there didn't need to be a Cross involved at all, and there would be no problems of admitting that we deserve that kind of execution. That's a real "stumbling stone" if there ever was one.
I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.
Now Paul's getting personal! He says that since they are advocating that you cut yourselves, then they should cut themselves, too, all the way!
He is very upset that these teachers that came from Jerusalem would try to corrupt the beautiful simplicity of the Gospel in order to gain followers for themselves. Paul never promoted himself, he always taught what the Lord had taught him one-on-one when He saved him.
Paul never even went to Jerusalem to confer with the other Apostles before he went out preaching everywhere, he wanted to be sure he was teaching only God's pure Truth.
And he is still focused on the purity and simplicity of the Cross of Christ, and His Resurrection. Jesus has accomplished and finished all the work of our rescue, without any input from us--at all.
O my Father, Your Love is so incredible! It is so rich and full and all-encompassing. It is pure and wide and deep. It is so much more that I can ever comprehend, I just can't wrap my mind around its immensity--I'm too small!
Father, You have done everything possible, and even what is impossible, to rescue us from destruction. To Redeem us out of the slave-market and adopt us into Your own family as Your children.
Father, You have washed us pristine clean, as though we'd never sinned--even though we're still in these flesh bodies and we "miss the mark" every day! You see us as Perfect, so You placed Your own Spirit of Life into our spirits, making them alive. And Your Spirit in us teaches us, and leads us, and guides us. By Him You are re-molding us into the very image of Your Son, growing us up as Your Royal princes and princesses, to prepare us to help You rule all the Universes You plan to create.
O Father, please protect us from any teaching that would take us away from the beautiful simplicity and purity of Your Plan for each of us. Keep our feet firmly on the Rock, not slipping into any kind of deception at all.
Dear Father, continue to lead us confidently in the narrow path that is hedged in, so that our every step is following You, our hand in Yours, as we travel each day toward that final victory.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, King of Creation, to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever, Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Friday, December 13, 2019
Who Does The Work?
Galatians 5: 2-7
Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.
Paul is still teaching about the physical sign God gave His chosen people to distinguish them from every other people group. They are receiving this rite as a way to try to get God's favor. But Christ has already favored us, dying for us.
And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.
To enter into this realm of belief this way obligates one to continue being bound by all the rules and statutes of the Law.
You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by Law; you have fallen from Grace.
They have refused Grace, and cut themselves off from Christ in trying to be good enough; Christ has already made us perfect by washing in His Blood, applied to each of us by Grace through faith.
For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of Righteousness.
God has put Christ's Righteousness on us positionally, and we will experience the reality of being His Righteousness when He returns and changes our flesh bodies into spirit bodies. Because of what He has accomplished for us, not for anything we can do for ourselves.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through Love.
Circumcision is done in the flesh, and nothing of the flesh is worth anything in the spiritual realm. So it doesn't make any difference if someone is circumcised, or pierced, or tattooed, that is all in the flesh, which will be transformed, and not flesh any more, but spirit. Because that's how much God Loves us.
You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the Truth?
Paul says they were doing so well following the Lord by faith. Now they've turned back around and are trying to work their way to God again. Who is this that has turned you away from believing that Jesus finished it all already for you?
This whole letter is refuting the teachings of those who came from Jerusalem who are telling them that they have to be Jews first before they can be Christians.
The first Christians were already Jews, but God saved them right where they were. And God also saves Gentiles right where they are, too. There is nothing we need to do to "get ready" to be saved; God loves us just as we are, and saves us right where we already are, no matter where that is.
Whether we've been following the Mosaic Law, or a set of rules laid out by religious authorities, or serving any other god by any other of the many names people use for God, or from atheism or pantheism or any other -ism, God will save you if you just turn around to seek Him.
Even if you are caught and trapped in deep sin and evil. It doesn't matter to God, He is bigger and stronger and has authority over every other thing or idea or belief system, and will overpower everything that is not of Himself.
He is God! He is the One who thought up and made everything, so we are His imagination, His idea. He is in full control, and does whatever He wants.
And He wants to save people. Everyone who seeks Him honestly and sincerely will find Him, no matter where they're coming from.
O my Father, You made Mankind to be Your own children. You plan to make many more Universes, and You want us to help You govern them. All the varied and different things You will make, and You will set us over them as kings and queens to rule in Your authority.
Nothing can deter You, Your authority is absolute. You are God! There is no other. Only You are the Self-Existent One, You have caused everything else to exist. And You are doing everything You want to do.
You are good, our standard for what is good.
You are righteous, our standard for righteousness.
You are wise, our standard for what is smart or intelligent.
You are our Source for everything.
And You, Father, will draw all Mankind to Yourself for judgment. Those who seek You, You will draw for salvation; and those who reject You, You will draw to your Court for sentencing.
O Father, send out Your children to every corner of this World where people are, so that every living person will be able to hear who You are and how much You Love them. Send out Your workers to sow Your seed of the Gospel in every fertile field, and to reap every field that is ripe and ready for harvest.
Send me, Father, to find some of Your lost sheep, Your wandering lambs who are caught in some thicket of addiction, or some pit of deception. Enable me to lead them by the hand even kicking and screaming into the health and safety and Truth of Your One Fold with One Shepherd.
And fill Your house with all of Your great family, that every place at Your grand Banquet Table will be filled to feast with You forevermore.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim the Lordship of Christ Jesus, the Son, the Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.
Paul is still teaching about the physical sign God gave His chosen people to distinguish them from every other people group. They are receiving this rite as a way to try to get God's favor. But Christ has already favored us, dying for us.
And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.
To enter into this realm of belief this way obligates one to continue being bound by all the rules and statutes of the Law.
You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by Law; you have fallen from Grace.
They have refused Grace, and cut themselves off from Christ in trying to be good enough; Christ has already made us perfect by washing in His Blood, applied to each of us by Grace through faith.
For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of Righteousness.
God has put Christ's Righteousness on us positionally, and we will experience the reality of being His Righteousness when He returns and changes our flesh bodies into spirit bodies. Because of what He has accomplished for us, not for anything we can do for ourselves.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through Love.
Circumcision is done in the flesh, and nothing of the flesh is worth anything in the spiritual realm. So it doesn't make any difference if someone is circumcised, or pierced, or tattooed, that is all in the flesh, which will be transformed, and not flesh any more, but spirit. Because that's how much God Loves us.
You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the Truth?
Paul says they were doing so well following the Lord by faith. Now they've turned back around and are trying to work their way to God again. Who is this that has turned you away from believing that Jesus finished it all already for you?
This whole letter is refuting the teachings of those who came from Jerusalem who are telling them that they have to be Jews first before they can be Christians.
The first Christians were already Jews, but God saved them right where they were. And God also saves Gentiles right where they are, too. There is nothing we need to do to "get ready" to be saved; God loves us just as we are, and saves us right where we already are, no matter where that is.
Whether we've been following the Mosaic Law, or a set of rules laid out by religious authorities, or serving any other god by any other of the many names people use for God, or from atheism or pantheism or any other -ism, God will save you if you just turn around to seek Him.
Even if you are caught and trapped in deep sin and evil. It doesn't matter to God, He is bigger and stronger and has authority over every other thing or idea or belief system, and will overpower everything that is not of Himself.
He is God! He is the One who thought up and made everything, so we are His imagination, His idea. He is in full control, and does whatever He wants.
And He wants to save people. Everyone who seeks Him honestly and sincerely will find Him, no matter where they're coming from.
O my Father, You made Mankind to be Your own children. You plan to make many more Universes, and You want us to help You govern them. All the varied and different things You will make, and You will set us over them as kings and queens to rule in Your authority.
Nothing can deter You, Your authority is absolute. You are God! There is no other. Only You are the Self-Existent One, You have caused everything else to exist. And You are doing everything You want to do.
You are good, our standard for what is good.
You are righteous, our standard for righteousness.
You are wise, our standard for what is smart or intelligent.
You are our Source for everything.
And You, Father, will draw all Mankind to Yourself for judgment. Those who seek You, You will draw for salvation; and those who reject You, You will draw to your Court for sentencing.
O Father, send out Your children to every corner of this World where people are, so that every living person will be able to hear who You are and how much You Love them. Send out Your workers to sow Your seed of the Gospel in every fertile field, and to reap every field that is ripe and ready for harvest.
Send me, Father, to find some of Your lost sheep, Your wandering lambs who are caught in some thicket of addiction, or some pit of deception. Enable me to lead them by the hand even kicking and screaming into the health and safety and Truth of Your One Fold with One Shepherd.
And fill Your house with all of Your great family, that every place at Your grand Banquet Table will be filled to feast with You forevermore.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim the Lordship of Christ Jesus, the Son, the Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Freedom To Be Free
Galatians 5: 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.
We just went through the previous verses in this Epistle, settling the doctrine that the Covenant of Promise and the Covenant of Law are two separate Covenants, that don't cancel each other out.
The Promise came first, to Abraham, that his descendants would number more than the stars, and that his Seed would inherit the Land.
These Promises have not yet been fully fulfilled, so God still will remember His chosen people to elevate them as the head, instead of the tail, among the Nations.
Then, hundreds of years later, God gave the Law to Moses. This was to given them a specific road to walk, a culture and society separate from the rest of the Nations. It laid out all the specifics, like detailed directions to a child in school. When they followed these directions, things went well for them, they prospered. But when they forgot God and started to follow the ways of the World around them, they lost their prosperity and suffered.
So the whole body of Laws was like a road-map to teach God's people how to think like He thinks.
Now that Jesus was born a man, and died as the Lamb of God, fulfilling the sacrificial laws, and rose from the grave with a new Life; now we can be cleansed completely from sin by His Blood so that God could now come live inside our human spirit, making it alive.
And now that we are spiritually alive with God's Spirit living in us, God has written His Law in our hearts, so that we can know how to live. When we love God and make Him our first, highest priority, and love our neighbors as God has Loved us; then we will be fulfilling the purposes for which the Law was given, and we don't need to pay attention to the details. So we are free from the letter of the Law.
It's all based on Love. God is Love, He has Loved us beyond anything we can even imagine, and He wants us to love Him back, and love one another.
Then we will live super-naturally, following the Spirit's leading, and in His power. This is impossible to do without Him. In our flesh, we all have come short of the Glory of God, we can't be perfect. But now we can grow up in Christ, and be mature in the faith.
This freedom is not license, so we will never need to return to the old ways of trying to follow rules and regulations, and try to never make a mistake. We never need to go back under the yoke of the slavery of having to obey lined-out precepts. We are free to love one another and treat each other with the respect and worth God values each of us at.
We don't have to like each other to treat one another with worth and respect; to want what would be good for them, for their benefit. This is real love.
O my Father, thank You for freeing us from every yoke of slavery. Thank You for releasing me from the slavery of addiction when You found me. And thank You for saving all Your children from the power of the yoke of sin over us.
Please help us all to realize we have Your power to overcome sin and the deceiver. Teach us all to not return to any bondage from which we've been freed. We are free, in the liberty of being able to choose to do what is right and righteous, and not slip again into old patterns of sin.
You are making us new, Father, molding us into the very image of our Lord Jesus Christ, growing us up in Your family until we reach the end of our childhood and schooling, and graduate at His coming, to receive spirit bodies in place of these bodies of flesh. Then we will be prepared and ready to help You rule in Your Kingdom!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever, Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
We just went through the previous verses in this Epistle, settling the doctrine that the Covenant of Promise and the Covenant of Law are two separate Covenants, that don't cancel each other out.
The Promise came first, to Abraham, that his descendants would number more than the stars, and that his Seed would inherit the Land.
These Promises have not yet been fully fulfilled, so God still will remember His chosen people to elevate them as the head, instead of the tail, among the Nations.
Then, hundreds of years later, God gave the Law to Moses. This was to given them a specific road to walk, a culture and society separate from the rest of the Nations. It laid out all the specifics, like detailed directions to a child in school. When they followed these directions, things went well for them, they prospered. But when they forgot God and started to follow the ways of the World around them, they lost their prosperity and suffered.
So the whole body of Laws was like a road-map to teach God's people how to think like He thinks.
Now that Jesus was born a man, and died as the Lamb of God, fulfilling the sacrificial laws, and rose from the grave with a new Life; now we can be cleansed completely from sin by His Blood so that God could now come live inside our human spirit, making it alive.
And now that we are spiritually alive with God's Spirit living in us, God has written His Law in our hearts, so that we can know how to live. When we love God and make Him our first, highest priority, and love our neighbors as God has Loved us; then we will be fulfilling the purposes for which the Law was given, and we don't need to pay attention to the details. So we are free from the letter of the Law.
It's all based on Love. God is Love, He has Loved us beyond anything we can even imagine, and He wants us to love Him back, and love one another.
Then we will live super-naturally, following the Spirit's leading, and in His power. This is impossible to do without Him. In our flesh, we all have come short of the Glory of God, we can't be perfect. But now we can grow up in Christ, and be mature in the faith.
This freedom is not license, so we will never need to return to the old ways of trying to follow rules and regulations, and try to never make a mistake. We never need to go back under the yoke of the slavery of having to obey lined-out precepts. We are free to love one another and treat each other with the respect and worth God values each of us at.
We don't have to like each other to treat one another with worth and respect; to want what would be good for them, for their benefit. This is real love.
O my Father, thank You for freeing us from every yoke of slavery. Thank You for releasing me from the slavery of addiction when You found me. And thank You for saving all Your children from the power of the yoke of sin over us.
Please help us all to realize we have Your power to overcome sin and the deceiver. Teach us all to not return to any bondage from which we've been freed. We are free, in the liberty of being able to choose to do what is right and righteous, and not slip again into old patterns of sin.
You are making us new, Father, molding us into the very image of our Lord Jesus Christ, growing us up in Your family until we reach the end of our childhood and schooling, and graduate at His coming, to receive spirit bodies in place of these bodies of flesh. Then we will be prepared and ready to help You rule in Your Kingdom!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever, Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
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