Christian Liberty

Galatians 5:1-6

Christ has made us free and do not become entangled with the law. Circumcision is of no benefit to us. We cannot be justified by the law. We through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. In Christ circumcision nor uncircumcision has any use but rather faith working through love.

1) There is only one way to obtain righteousness, which is through Christ, we absolutely cannot change our sinful hearts by trying to keep the law.

2) The only way to experience transformation is through the Spirit, this is all we can do. God will do the rest.

3) Faith in Christ through hope of righteousness working through love.

Christian living is about Christ. In all doctrines and law we should be able to see Christ in it. We should also practice everything with Christ in mind. Christ is the one who changes lives.

We cannot hope to change by ourselves. That we have been trying but failed. Now our hope rest in the Spirit and Christ, we just have to submit to His will and let him work in our lives.

Faith, hope and love comes together in Christ. It is the fulfillment of the law in fuller terms. I need all 3 of these to embrace Christ and his imputed righteousness to me~

Two Covenants

Galatians 4:21-31

You who desire to save themselves by works. Abraham had 2 sons, one by a bondwoman and the other by a freewoman. Those born of bondwoman is through the flesh and freewoman through the promise. These are symbolic. There are 2 covenants, one by Hagar at Mt Sinai in Arabia who is in bondage with her children. The other is the Jerusalem above which is free. We are as Isaac was, children of the promise. Scripture says "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman" Thus, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.

1) We tend to look towards our works to cover for our misdeeds only by grace through faith can we be cleansed with his blood.

2) The bondwoman is by Abraham own human initiative. The freewoman is by the initiative and act of God. The righteousness obtained by one's own effort is just like Ishmael, illegitimate.

3) Just as Hagar was a handmaid of Sarah, so is the law a handmaid of the promise.

4) Just as Sarah barrenness was removed through God's intervention rather than by human effort, so the curse will be removed in a like manner.

5) We are free

Many times we like to believe in salvation by works that we may do as we please and atone for our mistakes. However, that is not possible, because only a perfect sacrifice can atone for sin. A similarly convicted man cannot atone for the one before him. We are saved by grace through faith and we should remember that although the law is important it is not the be all and end all.

We can only be saved through the promise of faith, the law cannot save us it is illegitimate.

However, the law serves the promise. It compliments it so we cannot do away with it.

Everyone saved through Christ is a child of Sarah.

All children of Abraham are free. The gospel is about freedom. Any religion that imparts fear and subservience is not of Christ.

Fears for the church

Galatians 4:8-20

Before you knew God, you served that which by nature are not gods. But after you have known God how is it that you still turn back to your former practices? Paul fears his effort has been wasted. Paul urges them to be like him in living by faith and braving persecutions just as he has become like them by living and eating with them. They received him warmly at first but now they seem to despise truth. This is because of Paul opponents that they try to exclude them from Paul influence that they might be loved instead. Be zealous for good things always. Paul aim for them is total transformation of heart not a mere legalistic adherence to the law. He still has doubts if they were ever truly converted.

1) We should not return to who we were before we knew Christ.

2) Let us live by faith and be prepared for persecutions come what may.

3) We should love the good things always.

4) Total transformation is necessary.

It is easy to go back to our old self but we should keep a constant connection with God that we will remember to go back to him.

Living the life of a true Christian is the call for all especially in the last days. Let us prepare now while we are not in perilous times.

It is easy to love that which is not upright or good for deceitfulness is found in the human heart. Let us tune our hearts to God's voice that we may learn to love truth and shun evil.

Mere following the law is not good enough. It is change in the outward appearance but not the heart. Transformation of character is necessary :)

Sons and Heirs

Galatians 3:26-4:7

We are sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ. If we have been baptised into Christ, race, status, gender does not matter because we are all one in Christ Jesus. We are Abraham seed, heirs of the promise. In God's time, he sent His son who was fully human (not forgetting that he is still fully divine) and under the law to redeem those who were under the law that we might receive adoption as sons. And since we are sons God sends His Spirit into our hearts to call our "Abba Father". Thus, we are no longer a slave but a son and a heir of God through Christ.

1) Our differences should not cause disharmony among us but rather we should unite under the banner of Christ.

2) Christ redeemed us from being slaves under the law to sons of God.

3) Abba is used to express a sense of endearment and deep respect. If we are sons of God, we would address God in that manner just as Christ did.

4) We are sons and heirs of God

Many times differences causes friction among church members. Help me Lord to overcome the differences with others as we are working towards the same goal, the furtherance of the gospel. Let us learn unity through diversity indeed.

From being under bondage of the law we are now adopted sons of God. How sweet is that indeed! For the goodness of the Lord, I would do well to remember him at the front of my brain and see Christ in every law rather than requirement in every law.

We have the promise to reign with Him eternally! Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus. We represent God in some way just as people look at children as a representation of their parents in some sense. Knowing that, I must remember that my actions portray how God is like and not act according to my sinful desires.

Purpose of the Law

Galatians 3:19-25

The purpose of the law is to keep sin in check until Christ comes can solves the sin problem. Moses was not the only mediator although all revelation comes from God. It was never the purpose of the law to give life if not righteousness would have been possible by the law. The law of Moses condemns all as being under sin that the promise may be fulfilled by trusting in Jesus. Before faith in Jesus became a reality, we were kept in check by the law, placed under a curse until Christ came. Therefore, the law had power to punish as well as to instruct to preserve Israel hope until Christ came. But after Christ came, we are no longer under the civil law which consists of hygienic codes to agricultural law and civil ordinances.

1) The law is relevant for without the law, sin would abound.

2) Christ came to solve our sin problem.

3) The law is not to give life but faith and trust in Christ is.

4) We are no longer under the civil law but are still under the moral law

If there is no law we would not know what is sin. Then lawlessness and sin would be a common place and darkness would reside in man heart.

Sometimes I like to think I can do everything myself. But I have to learn that at times I will not be able to overcome my sin on my own, I need Christ who overcame sin to help me to overcome my sin as well. I need to not put so much pressure on myself but rather give room for God to work.

Through the law we may not gain life everlasting but trust in the one who can will give us. I should not see the law as an end but a means to end. It would lead me to become more Christ like and to have faith and trust in Him because the law is the written form of his character.

There is no more need to observe circumcision, the different festivals, the agricultural laws, the hygiene codes of their time and the civil laws of their time. But it is useful to understand how they point to Christ especially the festivals. I should not forget the moral law has always been there as the book of Romans explain.

The Changeless Promise

Galatians 3:15-18

The covenant between Abraham and God is like a person's legal will where no one can just alter or revoke it. And it is to Abraham and one seed who is Christ. The law which was given 430 years after the covenant cannot change it that was confirmed before God in Christ. The promise should still be in effect for if the deliverance from sin is by the law it is no longer by promise but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

1) God's covenant relationship with us and not contractual. He loves me so much that he is willing to love me, redeem me and bought me with his own blood.

2) Deliverance from sin can only come from faith like Abraham through Christ the seed whom the promise is made to.

3) The law cannot abolish the covenant through the promise given to Abraham.

God's love for me is immense. Now it is up to me to respond to his love.

Faith is the victory. As much as we seem like legalists, it is faith that conquers, faith that saves. That does not do away with the law as we will see tmr.

A covenant is one that one is supposed to uphold through thick and thin even when things don't seem to go well, just like marriage and family. If God gone through so much for me, how much then will I go through for Him?

The Law brings a curse

Galatians 3:10-14

Cursed is everyone who does not do the things which is written in the book of the law. But no one is justified by the law but rather the just shall live by faith. However, the law is not of faith but the man who does them shall live by them. Thus, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law and became the curse from us. This so that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us the Gentiles in Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

1) The just shall live by faith

2) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law

3) If we have faith we can receive the Holy Spirit.

We need to have faith in Jesus our Lord. Faith is something incomprehensible to those without a relationship with God. We need that faith in Jesus and our lives will be a reflection of it.

Christ is my redeemer so that I might live. I'm really thankful for that for I know I could never have fulfilled the requirements of the law on my own. Since Jesus is my redeemer I would like to do my best for Him!

Having doubt will hinder us from receiving the Holy Spirit. After all, if God works through my life and I claim that it is not Him who has, it is pointless for it should be to the glory of God. So doubt hinders the Holy Spirit whereas faith allows us to receive the Holy Spirit. However, a slight doubt is still not good enough, we need to have complete faith which will come as we experience God in our life. One such way would be to build a deeper connection with God through our Morning Watch and prayer journal!