Posts that reference the book of Galatians

Jesus Is the Seed of Abraham

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, who is Christ. Galatians 3:16

Jesus is the seed of Abraham
What does that mean?
Thousands of years ago
God made a covenant
He gave land
He claimed a people for His own.
Abraham was the beginning of that line of people.

At first it was just a biological line
But later God revealed
He counted all those who BELIEVED His promises

Jesus is the fulfillment of those promises.
Promises to cover and remove sins.
Promises for a kingdom
For an identity
For blessings.
All in Christ.

Why does it matter?
Abraham had many descendants.
Paul stresses there is only one seed.
The Galatians (and many of us) struggle with grace.
They (and we) wanted to work for their salvation
Rather than working because of it.
They thought they had to do, or be, or become
In order to win God’s favor.

But the promises made to Abraham
And to his Seed
Show we already have God’s favor
In Christ.
In Christ alone.
In His finished work.

What Abraham anticipated
We participate in.
Through Jesus.

God made the promise.
The Spirit sealed the promise
Jesus fulfilled the promise.

We just have to believe.
Like Abraham.

The Spirit Helps in Our Walk

By Paula Wiseman

The Holy Spirit plays an active role in the lives of believers from salvation to glorification. Sometimes, it’s not always evident or clear what that role is. We are taking a closer look at what He does, how He helps us and why Jesus said it was to our advantage that He go away and the Holy Spirit comes (John 15:7). This week we’ll look at how the Holy Spirit helps in our walk.

Our walk is kind of shorthand for saying the way we conduct ourselves on a regular basis. For instance, I study pretty much every day as part of my regular routine. I run as a regular part of my routine. Those kinds of things make up part of your walk. The other part is your character. So your walk is who you are and what you do on the regular. How does the Spirit help in our walk?

Here’s the summary: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).

So if we want to walk in a way that pleases God, that imitates Christ, that fulfills our purpose, we must follow the Spirit’s guidance and direction and not our own. Paul makes it very plain for the Galatians. We walk either following the Spirit or following ourselves. There is no overlap. But walking by the Spirit gives some distinct advantages.

The Spirit strengthens us.

Paul prays for his friends in Ephesus “that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit,” (Ephesians 3:16).
That strengthened inner being stands in contrast to the discouragement Paul mentions in v.13. So if we are walking more in discouragement and frustration rather than peace and power we may be following the flesh and not the Spirit.

The Spirit gifts us.

Take a look at 1 Corinthians 12. “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; … To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. … All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills” (1 Corinthians 12:4, 7, 11). While an in-depth study of spiritual gifts is way more than we can take on in one blog post, notice a few highlights.

To each. Everyone. Every single believer is given an obvious evidence of the Holy Spirit working in them.

For the common good. Not to make ourselves look good or to amass power and influence but to build up the body of Christ

Empowered and apportioned as HE wills. The Spirit determines what is best.
So if we want to walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh, we need to use the gifts the Spirit has given us to accomplish what we can for the kingdom. If we fail to use them or if we use them for the wrong reasons, we are walking by the flesh.

The Spirit fills us.

Here’s more from Paul. “And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). If you have too much to drink and the police pull you over, they will likely charge you with DUI, driving under the influence. All your decisions, judgments and reactions are influenced by the alcohol in your bloodstream. Rather instructs us to live under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Live so that our decisions, our judgment and our reactions are all driven by the Spirit who lives in us. When we do the results are visible.

The Spirit bears fruit in us.

Galatians 5:22-23 gives us a familiar list of traits that are obvious in the life of someone living under the Spirit’s control. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). As our regular routine centers more and more on doing the things the Spirit wants us to do, acting more and more like the Spirit directs us to, we will see more and more love, joy, peace and the others in our lives. We’ll be known for our kindness and patience. We’ll respond more often with gentleness and self-control. Our faith and commitment will deepen.

Why? How?

“Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:24-25). Every day, as believers we have to decide whether we are going to live the way the Spirit directs us to or do what we want. We have crucified the flesh. It has no power beyond what we give it. So the Spirit helps in our walk by giving us direction, strength, and gifts to live a life that bears fruit for the kingdom.

Keep in step with the Spirit. March to the beat of His drum. Dance to His rhythm. Rely on His strength. Utilize the gifts He gave you.

Next week we’ll see how He helps our witness.

Into the Wilderness: Instruction

By Paula

Apply your heart to instruction, And your ears to words of knowledge. Proverbs 23:12

We continue our study of the wilderness in Scripture. We’ve seen it is a place of wandering. But it is also a place of transition. Last week through Jacob’s story we saw that the restoration of relationships can happen in the wilderness. This week we’ll consider the apostle Paul and his time in the wilderness, a time of personal instruction.

Paul was a rising young star among the Pharisees. He had studied with the most respected rabbi of his day, Gamaliel. He was born a Roman citizen, affording him all the political advantages in his society. Of course all of that changed when he met Jesus. We can read about this encounter in Acts chapter 9 (and Paul retells the story in chapters 22 an 26).

From Acts and Galatians 1, we can piece together what happened next. After preaching the gospel for a short time in Damascus, Paul left for the Arabian desert for three years before he returned to Damascus then headed to Jerusalem. Because neither Luke nor Paul gives us details, that opens the door for a lot of speculation. Some have parsed the original words translated “Arabian desert” and determined that they actually referred to the area of Sinai. That leads them to conclude Paul spent the time in prayer, study and meditation reevaluating his understanding of the Law in light of the gospel. From Paul’s writing in Romans and Galatians, it is clear he had a good handle on that, so that’s a possibility.

Others believe Paul spent the time in the same three-year training program the other apostles got, receiving personal instruction from Jesus Christ Himself. In Galatians 1:16, Paul says he did not consult or confer with any man, any “flesh and blood.” They point to 1 Corinthians 15:8 as corroborating evidence. This is also a possibility.

No matter how exactly that wilderness instruction time came together or worked itself out, Paul benefited from it and we are still benefiting from it. Besides the deep theological truths Paul explained for us, we can learn from his example.

We need instruction – If the great apostle needed to learn and grow, how much more do we need it? For Paul, it was urgent and compelling enough that he set everything else aside while he learned. We need to be humble enough to receive instruction

Further instruction equips us for our calling – In Acts 9:15, Jesus tells us that Paul was called specially to carry the gospel to Gentiles and kings. But he didn’t embark on that mission until after his time in the wilderness.

The Holy Spirit makes the best teacher – This is not to say that we can’t learn from brothers and sisters who are farther along in their walk than we are. I mean, there wouldn’t be much point in these posts if that were the case. But the very best teacher is the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised He would explain things, guide us into all the truth (John 16:13). Sometimes, we need to get rid of the distractions in our lives and get away to the wilderness where we can listen.

If Jesus personally instructed Paul in Arabia, it wasn’t His first time in the wilderness. Next week, we’ll look at Jesus’s own wilderness experience.

What Is Our Salvation Doing For Us?

By Paula

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

When each of the kids was very young, we set up a special account for them at the bank. In exchange for a better interest rate on their deposits– almost double the regular rate–they can’t get any money out until they turn eighteen. Especially starting out, it was hard for them to see the bank account as much more than a black hole.

Sometimes I think we treat our salvation that way, as if it were some glorious thing held in reserve for us until we die. Which it is, but it is so much more. Jesus intended for us to benefit from our relationship with Him now, in the course of our normal everyday lives.

So what is our salvation doing for us?

It gives us unlimited access to the King of the Universe. There is no limit to the prayers we can offer, the requests we can make, the time we can spend in His presence. (Hebrews 4:16)

It gives us the indwelling Holy Spirit. The mind-blowing reality is that God Himself comes to live inside us, taking over the reins of our lives, directing us in ways that never would appeal to us before we became believers. Those acts of kindness we do, those brilliant flashes of insight, those times we step out on faith, the Holy Spirit is behind all those. (John 14:16-17)

It gives us the ability to overcome temptation. Oh, we fall for it plenty of times, but there are so many temptations we resist every single day because our salvation is at work. (Romans 6:16-19)

It gives us a purpose and the power to accomplish it. No more floating along wondering what in the world is going on and why we’re here in the middle of it. God has a unique kingdom work for every one of us, and He promises to provide all the resources we need to carry out that mission. (John 15:16)

It gives us freedom from performance. No more trying to earn God’s favor. We have it. Forever. Pressure is replaced by peace. (Ephesians 1:3-6)

It gives us the status of beloved child. We are immediately adopted into God’s own family. Not servants. Not guests. Family. Beloved family. (Romans 8:15-17)

And on and on… Here’s the thing– when we treat salvation only as a past event or even as a future hope, we miss the great work going on in our lives each and every day. Let’s make the most of it. Like Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:19-20

Redeemed from the Curse

By Paula

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) Galatians 3:13

Redeemed.

It means to buy back a slave’s freedom.
Only we were the slaves.
I was the slave.

Curse.

It’s not just a run of bad luck. It is anathema.
Set apart for destruction by God.
I was set apart for destruction by God.

Become.

Jesus didn’t just pay the price. He didn’t just lift the curse.
He BECAME the curse.
God’s wrath and judgment against sin were poured out on Christ.

For us.
For me.

Redeemed from the curse.

Isn’t there someone I can show the kindness of God to?

By Paula

And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” 2 Samuel 9:3

This was a risky, even ill-advised move on David’s part.
He had replaced Saul’s dynasty and it wasn’t a completely smooth transition.
In fact, it took seven years for David’s rule to be solidified.

But kindness is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)
It is the mark of a follower of Christ. (Colossians 3:12)
It is an act of grace.
It is an imitation of God Himself.
And it is extremely rare these days.

Which makes it all the more remarkable
When we follow David’s lead.
So today, every day, ask yourself

Isn’t there someone I can show the kindness of God to?