Paul's letter continues to encourage the Galatians to turn away from the false teaching they have received. There is a lot of talk of circumcision here. Why? Way back in Genesis, God made a promise to Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. One of those descendants would bring salvation to the world. As a sign of Abraham's trust in this promise & in God, he was told to circumcise every male in his household. This act of circumcision continued in the Jewish faith - an outward sign of an inward belief.
But the promise has been kept. Abraham's descendants increased to millions & a nation was formed. Unfortunately, the outward act became more important to many Jews than the inward belief. Their world became all about outward signs & following rules, but their hearts were far away from God. The second part of the promise then came true - the savior, Messiah - Jesus Christ was born. He died on the cross to free us from sins & to reconcile us with God. To reconcile is to make right. To reconcile with God, you must stop living for outward signs and start living with an inward belief.
How do you know where you fall? Paul tells us that our outward actions and emotions will reveal what lies beneath.
If you are not reconciled with God your life will be full of: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, etc.
If you are reconciled with God your life will be full of: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, etc.
So look at your actions. Do they line up with what you say you believe? Is there a problem area you need to spend more time in prayer about? Seek a life that is full of inner peace and faith & it will be reflected in your outward life.
No comments:
Post a Comment