Gal 4:19-20

My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,  how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

As Paul is wrapping up this part of the letter, He shares how he is concerned.  Paul is in the pains of childbirth and he wishes his tone could change.  Paul’s desire for the Galatians to live the lives God desires affects Paul to the core.  These verses don’t have great theological truths in them.  These verses show us the desire of one of God’s servants.

Since there is no theological principle, I look at Paul as an example.  His desire is greater than my own.  I wish I had his desire.  When Jesus taught, whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it  (Matt 16:25-26 NIV), Paul lived this teaching.  Paul’s life was not fulfilling some earthly desire…Paul lived his life for the Lord.

Posted on March 18th, 2009 by jschneider
Filed under: Devotions | No Comments »

Gal 4:17-18

Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you [from us], so that you may be zealous for them.  It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you.
NIV

Paul does not hold back when he is writing to the Galatians.  In two sentences he points out the alienation.  Paul desires unity.  A kingdom divided can not stand.  We are working for the good of God.  Let’s band together or at least not shoot at each other. 

One thing that he desires more than unity is truth in the gospel message.  This group is not being a part of the truth in the gospel and so they are alienating themselves.  The message of Christ is simple.  Some of the Galatians were trying to add things to the Gospel.  Leave it like Christ intended it.  Titus reads, divisive people are to be warned twice and then have nothing to do with them.

Paul points out that zeal can be a good thing, provided the purpose is good.  Paul continues with…and to be so always… Paul is not interested in fake people.  Passion and zeal are not things to manufacture for popularity.  If we are passionate about something we will let it shine.  If we are not passionate, get out of the way and let the passionate ones lead.  Passion or no passion God desires genuine people.

Truth in the gospel, division or alienation, motive for zeal and genuine people…Paul attacks all of them in just 2 short verses.  Of coarse the context helps us understand more of Paul’s motives but he says a lot in just a few words.  These are all things that we can all check in our own lives.

Posted on December 2nd, 2008 by jschneider
Filed under: Devotions | No Comments »

Gal 4:15-16

What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.  Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? NIV

How many of us have felt these feelings that Paul is expressing?  Paul is nudging the Galatians back to faith in Christ.  He is speaking the truth to them and they don’t want to hear it.  Paul is nudging not for his own gain but for the Galatians own good.  Many times when we are caught away from the truth of Christ, we don’t want to hear our errors.  We would like to be left alone, left in the ways that seem right to us.  When people come to help us with our lives, it is easier to give them the cold shoulder then to work it out.

The Galatians had it.  They had the truth of Christ in their lives.  It is easy to go back to their old ways but Paul is not going to stand by and watch it.  He is going to say something, even if it means alienation.  He cares more for the Galatians than his own popularity. 

Speaking the truth for someone else’s benefit has two sides to it.  There is one speaking and one receiving.  Paul is a bold man.  He speaks the truth for others benefit not his own.  That is not an easy or fun task but we can learn a lot from Paul.  Motives are important in speaking truth.  They can not be selfish; they need to be for the benefit of the recipients.

Receiving is not easy either, but hopefully we can see the true motives of the friend that is trying to help.  Being offended that someone would try to help us by pointing out our short-comings is prideful.  It is not easy to take but it is sometimes necessary for our own growth in Christ.

Posted on December 1st, 2008 by jschneider
Filed under: Devotions | No Comments »

Gal 4:13-14

As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.  Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.  NIV

Paul is thought to have had several appearance issues that would have made Paul not the best candidate to be a messenger of God.  Paul is thought to be short and bald man that was blind.  In our American culture, tall, dark and handsome are the desired traits.  Paul did not have this going for him and yet he was the messenger that God called to preach to all these different churches.  Paul’s heart was right.

The Galatians heart was right when Paul first preached the Gospel to them.  Paul taught them about the Gospel and the Galatians were open to it.  They treated Paul right.  They did not treat him poorly because of an illness.  They did not discredit him because of appearance issues or health concerns.  They were open to listen.  They were open to hear about the saving grace of Christ. 

Now, however, they are having a hard time keeping in line with this grace.  They are following another teaching.  Paul’s letter is really is a plea to stay true to the faith.  There is no room to go astray.  Christ’s message and gift of grace is for all.  We see in the scriptures that some will not accept it.  Some will choose not to follow it.  However, we cannot stop trying to help people see that gift, and we need to stay true to the truth about who Christ is and what He has done for us.  The Galatians were not and Paul was trying to help them back to the message.

Posted on June 28th, 2007 by jschneider
Filed under: Devotions | No Comments »

Gal 4:12

I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.  NIV

This statement in itself seems arrogant.  However, it seems that the Galatians helped minister to Paul.  When Paul was in need of help, the Galatians helped as Christ would have helped.  Paul became like them.  They showed Paul love where they could.  Living as Christ lived for the sake of others.  And now it seems as though the Galatians are reverting back to their old ways of the law.  Paul is begging them to become like him because he became like them.  And the Galatians example was the example that Christ left for us to follow.

Finding new life in Jesus Christ is fun and exciting.  There are people who will become followers of Christ and then revert back to their old ways when the fun seems to fizzle out.  Christ is not a fad.  Christ is not the latest thing to be a part of.  Being a Christ follower is a lifestyle.  It is one that will not always be fun.  It is one that is not always popular or easy.  However, there is no other way to live, truly live.  Being strayed to the left or the right is common when we look at Christ as fun and entertaining.  Fixing our eyes on Christ is the only way to live, truly live.  

Christ is who He said He was.  Christ is our firm foundation.  Christ, God, created us.  He created everything that we see.  We have nothing apart from God.  God is the pinnacle of love.  He is the author of mercy and grace.  He only knows good.  He only wants what is best for His people.  He is patient.  These pages can not contain all that God is.  Living for Him, because of Him, under Him, etc is the only way to truly live.  To live a part from God is to deny our creator.

Posted on June 4th, 2007 by jschneider
Filed under: Devotions | No Comments »

Gal 4:8-11  

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.  But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?  You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!  I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.  NIV 

Paul pulls a whole lot of stuff into one paragraph.  He starts out with the pagan days it seems.  The Galatians were enslaved by other things they worshipped that were really nothing.  In the very next sentence Paul seems to be talking about the law that they were subject to.  Now they have Christ and yet they still seem to desire to live under the law.  We see that in the rest of the book.  Paul really seems to get on them for that.  He wraps it up with what seems to be an arrogant statement.  However, I hope that Paul cared so much, even more than the Galatians did themselves, that he pulled out all the stops to see them come back to know God and live under grace. 

How are we similar?  How do we rely on ourselves to work out our own salvation?  Have we allowed Christ to be the one who does the saving?  Are there things that we do to get to heaven or do we rely totally on God?

Posted on June 1st, 2007 by jschneider
Filed under: Devotions | No Comments »

Gal 4:3-7 

So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.  But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.  Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”  So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.  NIV 

So then it seems that we were slaves to the law.  When Jesus came then we were not under the law but redeemed from it.  At that point it seems we became sons of God.  Since we became a son we also became an heir. 

This term Abba Father is a term that a child would use for their earthly father.  To be able to call our heavenly Father, Dad is quite a privilege.  This privilege is something I am thankful for.  I have joy in being a son of God.

Posted on May 31st, 2007 by jschneider
Filed under: Devotions | No Comments »

Gal 3:29-4:2

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.  What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.  He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.  NIV

The promise in Gen 12 was written to Abraham.  If Abraham left the land he was living in to follow God’s leading, then Abraham and his seed (Gen 12:7) receive a promise from God.  Paul understands that seed to be Christ (Gal 3:16).  That promise is fulfilled in Christ.  However, very shortly after Paul said the seed was one, we receive the blessing of being called Abraham’s seed if we belong to Christ.

Then Paul goes into being heirs according to the promise.  An heir can only be family.  We become sons of God when we are in Christ.  But then Paul pulls in that this heir is no different than a slave except that he owns the whole estate.  I don’t fully understand this metaphor and maybe I am not supposed to but the closest I can come is that when we belong to Jesus he becomes our Lord and Savior.  Now the Savior part is covered by the promise and the heir.  Jesus allows us to be apart of the promise when we allow or better put would be, accept Him as our Savior.  When we accept the Savior part we can not leave out the Lord part.  When Paul talks about being no different than a slave, is this the being subject to guardians and trustees?  I think that when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior we become His slaves, or servants seems to be a little more acceptable term for today, but I don’t really know what Paul seems to be saying here.

Posted on May 30th, 2007 by jschneider
Filed under: Devotions | No Comments »

Gal 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  NIV

Initially this looks like God’s EOE (Equal Opportunity Employer).  God does not discriminate.  God does not look at the things that man looks at, God looks at the heart.  But where are we all one?  It is in Christ.

That is where it is at.  We are all one when we are in Christ.  The verses prior say that we are clothed with Christ when we are baptized.  It is not our identity that we are preserving; we are all one when we have the identity of Christ Jesus.  We find our identity or worth or esteem in Christ, not in ourselves.

Pride seems to get in the way of a Christ identity.  I want to be noticed and accepted for being me.  It is not me, but He who lives in me.  My identity should come from Him.  My selfish desire is to be noticed for what I do, instead of what Christ has done through me.  We are all one IN Christ Jesus.

Posted on May 29th, 2007 by jschneider
Filed under: Devotions | No Comments »

Gal 3:25-27

Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.  You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  NIV

To be a child of God means great things to me.  I have 3 kids and they get treated differently than everyone else.  My kids get disciplined more than anyone else’s (from us), but they also reap more of the benefits that we can give.  When it comes to God we may be disciplined more and made to grow.  However, we also reap the benefits that God has as well. 

I know that we also have a different relationship with our kids than we have with others.  We have others that we interact with, but no matter how good of friends we are there are differences with our relationships.  I enjoy the fact that God allows us to be His children.  I enjoy the relationship that we can have with our Heavenly Father.

Posted on May 28th, 2007 by jschneider
Filed under: Devotions | No Comments »