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John 7:14 – About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. 

Having quietly slipped by the people and religious leaders, Jesus was now present in the temple. 

Because of the feast, there was a large multitude assembled in and around the temple.  This would have been a very favorable time for Jesus to teach the people about the kingdom of heaven.

Although we don't know exactly what Jesus taught that day, we do know that he most often used ordinary images to explain spiritual truths.  That being the case, it is likely that he taught spiritual truths/principles associated with the Feast of Tabernacles/Booths. 

In particular, he may have included doctrine about mankind being in a spiritual sojourn on earth; if we want to possess the 'Promised Land' of salvation, we need to accept Jesus as the ultimate sacrificial lamb. 

He probably also used the theme of harvest to explain how God will use us to assist in gathering a great harvest of souls for the kingdom of heaven.

John 7:15 – The Jews therefore marveled, saying, "How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?"

The teaching of the religious leaders of that day had been corrupted.  They twisted religion into something that was a burden to the people, instead of a blessing. 

On the other hand, Jesus taught pure, life-giving doctrines with simple clarity, straightforward reasoning and, no doubt, elegance of expression.  His living words were a joy to the people.

At the same time, his teaching astonished the rulers of the temple.  They couldn't fathom how Jesus had gained such a thorough understanding of the Old Testament scriptures and Jewish traditions, as he had never earned a 'degree' by studying the law with the scribes.  His training from youth had been as a blue collar worker - a carpenter.        

Jesus' understanding of the scriptures should have been a further proof to the religious community that he was the Messiah.  But instead, these men were inflamed with jealously against him. 

John 7:16 – So Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me."

Jesus knows how the minds of the leaders work.  They would reason that if Jesus was not teaching doctrine learned from the Scribes and elders, then he was making up a doctrine of his own.  Obviously, this would be condemned by the Jews as heresy/blasphemy.  It would provide them with a good reason to kill Jesus. 

But Jesus confronts that controversy before they even voice it.  His doctrine didn't come from the scribes, but it didn't come from himself either – it came directly from Father God.  In his role as the Messiah, Jesus is a messenger, delivering the word of God to mankind.

Ask yourself this…  Why did God allow Jesus to be raised and trained as a carpenter, instead of having him attend the school of the Scribes? 

Could it be because non-religious training draws even more/greater attention to the source/origin of the gospel?  Jesus was considered uneducated in his day; there is no way he should have possessed more than a common, rudimentary understanding of scripture. 

Yet, he is pouring forth astonishing truth to all the people.  The gospel message is unlike anything they have ever heard.  This bears witness to the fact that his teaching was not his own, nor did it come from any man.  It could only have come directly from Father God to Jesus, who would then reveal it to the world.      

If that is true, then Jesus MUST be the Messiah; God has commissioned him to reveal spiritual truths:

Isaiah 11:1-2 - And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:  And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD…   

Interestingly, Jesus selects a group of uneducated men (fishermen, zealots, tax collectors, etc) to be the apostles.  Later, the religious leaders will be astonished at their teaching and understanding of spiritual truths as well (Acts 4:13).  Again, this is proof that the doctrines being taught are not those of man, but of God. 

John 7:17 – "If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority."

Again, Jesus addresses objections before they are even raised by his adversaries. 

The people who are inclined to reject the teaching of Jesus would probably raise an objection similar to this:  'You claim to be sent from God, but we have no way of knowing that you are here on his behalf.  Why should we believe you are teaching the commands of God?'

Jesus replies that sound judgment flows from a fear or reverence of God.  If the hearts and minds of the Jews are fully set on the performance of God's true will, something within their spirits will confirm that his doctrine is true.  That 'something' is a nudge of confirmation from Holy Spirit, who knows the mind of God (I Corinthians 2:10-13).    

This holds true not just for the Jews of that day, but for 'anyone' - including people alive today.     

This is of great benefit to us as believers.  If we are unsure about the teaching of someone, we can ask Holy Spirit for advice.  He will guide us into all truth (John 16:13) and illuminate our path so that we can confidently remain on the road of righteousness.

John 7:18 – "The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood."

Further proof/confirmation can be found in the outcome of the teaching.

Any teaching which promotes or results in the earthly glory/honor/praise of the speaker while obscuring the glory of God is false.  It has originated from the mind and authority of man and it ought to be firmly rejected by everyone who hears it.  The true children of God will immediately recognize such a teacher as an imposter.  Again, if there is any question, Holy Spirit will reveal the truth you.    

Any teaching which results in the glory of God alone is holy and divine.  In other words, if the natural outcome of the teaching causes the hearer to love the Lord God with all of his heart, soul, mind and strength and to love his neighbor as himself, then it is a true teaching.  It should be followed closely, for it is the command of God. 

In this passage, Jesus is specifically comparing himself with the professional teachers (Scribes, lawyers, Pharisees) of his day.  They were full of pride in their knowledge of the scriptures.  They regarded teaching as a privilege exclusive to their little group and they sought to gain honor and glory from their position. 

By contrast, Jesus sought only the glory of the One who sent him to earth.  He submitted his own will to the will of the Father, and taught only what the Father expressly desired. For this reason, there was no possibility of unrighteousness being found in him.  The people could safely believe all that he revealed to them from the Father.

John 7:19 – "Has not Moses given you the law?  Yet none of you keeps the law.  Why do you seek to kill me?"

It would seem likely that after the statement of Jesus in verse 18, the religious leaders would have made some rebuttal statement, which John has not recorded for us.  We already know they were publicly branding Jesus as a deceiver of the people (John 7:12), and they probably reiterated those false accusations at this time.    

They are basing this calumny on the assumption that Jesus was not an exact observer of the law, because he had healed a man (the paralytic of chapter five) on the Sabbath.  In fact, their hatred and opposition to Jesus really took off after the healing and subsequent teachings of chapter five.   

Their logic goes something like this:  Since Jesus healed on the Sabbath, he is a violator of the law, which automatically makes him a false prophet.  Because he is a false prophet, he is a deceiver of the people.  Both of these accusations carry the death penalty, according to the law (Exodus 31:14, Deuteronomy 13:5).     

But notice, if you will, how the actions of the Jews perfectly prove the words/teaching of Jesus: 

According to Jesus, if any person has an earnest desire to know/accomplish God's will, Holy Spirit will nudge their hearts and confirm that Jesus was giving them sound teaching.  Furthermore, they can be sure his teaching is true because it results in the glory of Father God, not his own personal glory. 

Since the Jews have branded Jesus a deceiver and they want to kill him, we can conclude they do not have the desire to know God's will. 

Instead, they wanted to rely on the law as given by Moses.  This is where we see the final irony – this confrontation takes place during the Feast of Booths/Tabernacles.  Moses mandated that the entirety of the law must be read during this feast as a reminder to the Jews to keep the law (Deuteronomy 31:10).  Tradition says it was customary to read Deuteronomy 1:1-6:3 first.  Within that very section of the law was the command 'Do not kill'.  But right at that very moment, they were plotting to murder Jesus.  This means that in their hearts they were planning to kill Jesus while being present at the feast and professing their commitment to keep the law!

John 7:20 – The crowd answered, "You have a demon!  Who is seeking to kill you?"

It was a common belief among the Jews that when people have lost all common sense and reason, they are being tormented by the devil or they are under demonic influence/possession.  If that is the case, we could say that many people here in the United States have a demon! 

We see a lack of sound judgment and common sense all around us.  Where does it stem from?  It is the direct result of abandoning the righteous laws of God and rebelling against his authority.  Scripture warns that those who do so will eventually lose the ability to determine right from wrong, and they will make decisions which are bad for themselves and others:  

Romans 1:28 - And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

In Romans 1:29-31, Paul goes on to list a great number of symptoms found in those who disregard the laws of God.  Go ahead and look it up for yourself – it is an exact picture of what we see in our nation today.  It is the headline in any and every news story of our time!  I want you to notice one description in particular, found in verse 31:

Romans 1:31 - Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Paul plainly states that those who abandon the righteous laws of God are "without understanding".  In other words, they make foolish decisions, which result in harm and detriment to themselves and others.  

This is a very simple concept.  The laws of God bring life into our lives.  The closer we live to the righteous laws of God, the better decisions we make and the better off we will be.  Our idea of 'common sense' will be in harmony with God's righteousness. 

However, if we abandon the laws of God, we are left with nothing but our own reprobate minds which have been corrupted by sin and death. 

Proverbs 16:25 - There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

The closer we live to our own (aka Satan's) laws, the worse off we will be because this can only result in bringing death into our lives.  Our version of 'common sense' will match Satan's version, and our decisions will bring further death and destruction to ourselves and our nation.

Can this be reversed?  If so, how?

I believe this can be reversed, but it won't be easy.  First of all, there must be a great revival in the land, which awakens the hearts and minds of people to the principles of righteous living found in the word of God.  People need to firmly believe in absolute truth as well as right and wrong as defined by God.  Only then can we make decisions that breathe life into our earthly existence.

Secondly, people must be willing to renew/conform their thoughts, desires and actions to those of God.  The apostle Paul understood this; he encouraged all believers to renew their minds:

Romans 12:2 - And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.     

Thirdly, we who are already in the kingdom of heaven MUST commit to a holy way of living.  For a long time now it has been almost impossible to determine who is in the world and who is in the church, because there isn't much of a difference between the two.  How sad!  If we want to be the salt and light of the world, we must be different from the children of darkness.

As we return our focus to the situation of Jesus at the temple, we again notice that the 'crowd' asks Jesus if he has a devil, because he thinks someone is trying to kill him.  Their comment can be explained in one of two ways:   

• The 'crowd' or common people present in the temple may be truly ignorant of the plot to kill Christ, which is why they deny it.  This is entirely possible because the majority of the people attending the feast live outside of Jerusalem.  In this pre-social media age, news of the assassination plot may not have been widely known.  Therefore, they think Jesus is being paranoid when he says there is a plot to kill him. 

• The religious leaders publicly deny their true intentions and support the idea of Jesus being mentally unstable, in order to cast further doubt upon his ministry.  If they fail in their quest to kill him, the second best outcome is to ruin his credibility among the people, so no one will follow him.

John 7:21 – Jesus answered them, "I did one work, and you all marvel at it." 

In verses 21-24, Jesus gives proof that he is not guilty of breaking the law as they claim. 

Think of him as a lawyer presenting his own defense.  He begins the case by entering the attitude of the Jews into the record.  They 'marvel' at the healing of the paralytic man at the pool of Bethesda (house of Mercy) and Jesus' subsequent command for him to carry his bed. 

Specifically, 'marvel' means surprise and displeasure.  Rather than being grateful to God for his mercy, they were consumed by astonishment that the healing (and the carrying of the bed) were done on the Sabbath.  They considered these actions a violation of the Law of Moses (Leviticus 23:3).    

John 7:22 – "Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath."

The Jews always credit Moses for handing down the law, but not all of the law originated with him.  Specifically, circumcision was instituted long before Moses; it began under the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (the fathers).  Jesus reminds the 'court' that Moses was not appointing circumcision as a new institution, he was merely incorporating it into his collection of laws.

Jesus has been accused of violating the Sabbath.  He now goes on to lay out  the defense's case, beginning with two common examples from the lives of the Jews – circumcision and the Sabbath.

The Jews had been commanded to circumcise their male children on the eighth day of life.  But they had also been commanded not to do any work on the Sabbath.  So what should the people do when the time to circumcise a child fell on the Sabbath?  Which law should prevail?

The reasoning commonly appropriated by all rabbis (including those now opposing Jesus), came from the school of Hillel the Great.  This reasoning concluded that a positive injunction (do this) always took precedence over a negative injunction (don't do this) when the two coincided. 

Circumcision was a positive command (do this on the eighth day), while observing the Sabbath was a negative command (don't do work, etc on the Sabbath).  Therefore, the rabbis concluded that Jewish male children should be circumcised on the eighth day, even if it was the Sabbath.   

Consequently, Jewish males were ALWAYS circumcised on the eighth day of life (Genesis 17:10-11).  Period.  No exceptions.  Again, if the eighth day fell on a Sabbath, this work was still performed, since the law of circumcision was a positive law (do this) and positive laws to precedence over negative laws. 

In other words, because it was commanded by God to circumcise on the eighth day, then doing so could not be a breach or violation of the Sabbath. 

In fact, the opposite was true.  From this (and other instances), it is evident that keeping the Sabbath, even in the strictest sense of the word, still allowed works of necessity and mercy to be done on it; and those who failed to perform such works on that day when given the opportunity were violators of every law founded on the principles of mercy and justice!     

John 7:23 – "If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the Law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man's whole body well?"

Let's reiterate that one more time: Keeping the Sabbath not only allowed works of necessity and mercy to be done on it; those who failed to perform such works on that day when given the opportunity were violators of every law founded on the principles of mercy and justice.

If circumcision is allowed on the Sabbath, then why are the religious leaders so angry that Jesus completely restored a man on that day?  By their own interpretation of the law, Jesus had not only the opportunity but the duty to show mercy to the paralytic that day.

It should also be noted that when the Jews circumcised a child, it was a sign of the covenant between the Jews and the Lord.  It was an assurance that God had not forgotten his people; he still watched over them and planned to bring about his plans for their lives. 

In the same way, the healing of the paralytic showed that God had not forgotten his people.  He saw the damage sin inflicted upon their lives.  He had a plan to completely heal them – body, soul and spirit.  Rather than being angry when this man was healed, the Jews should have been rejoicing that God was moving among them!  

 John 7:24 – "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."

On the surface, it may appear to be a violation of the Sabbath to perform circumcision on that day.  However, if one sets aside prejudice, partiality and pride and looks logically and honestly at the law, they will discover it is NOT a violation.   

Likewise, it may appear to be a violation of the Sabbath to heal a man on that day, but it isn't.  If the religious leaders would set aside their pride and their prejudice against Jesus, and impartially look at the facts, they would certainly arrive at the correct conclusion – healing a man is NOT a violation of the Sabbath.

If Jesus really were in a court room, he would have just won his case!  Having successfully defended himself and his actions, he now gives a word of rebuke to the 'prosecutors' in this case – don't jump to conclusions; impartially examine a situation and render righteous/correct judgment!

What a profound lesson for all of us!  If you have ever been in a situation where someone else judged you unjustly, you know how much that stings/wounds you.  You certainly won't want to do that to anyone else.

So make sure you don't jump to conclusions after hearing or seeing only one side of a situation.  Have the courage to respectfully ask the people involved to tell their side of the story.  Examine their motivations.  If the Jewish leaders had done that to Jesus, they could have avoided a public rebuke by Jesus.  Perhaps, if they laid their pride aside, they could have been convicted by Holy Spirit and accepted Jesus as the Messiah.     

Let me offer you some encouragement:

Sometimes it can be awkward to share the gospel message with people.  If that is the case for you, why not do what Jesus did – he used common examples from daily life which mirrored spiritual truths.

In this case, he used the Feast of Booths to reveal hidden spiritual principles, such as our sojourn on earth or the great end time harvest of souls. 

Think of some everyday conversations you have had recently.  Using these common topics of conversation, can you think of a way to more easily introduce the gospel message?  I bet you can!  Let's try to make that connection more often.

Let me offer you some relief:

The religious leaders of that day were very intimidating.  If you weren't fully educated according to their standards, you had no business being a spiritual teacher or leader in any capacity.  They were reluctant to accept anything Jesus said based on the fact that he was a mere carpenter! 

But let me offer you some relief – God doesn't require a man-made degree in order to use you effectively in his kingdom!  If you have a right relationship with God, he will fill you with his Holy Spirit and give you power to witness, heal, teach and otherwise minister to both believers and non-believers. 

That isn't to say that we shouldn't study and understand the scriptures (II Timothy 2:15).  However, don't let the absence of a degree stop you from being used in ministry!   

Let me offer you some strength:

It is vitally important that we make just judgments in every situation of life.  In order to do so, we must set aside our pride and our personal prejudices.  This can be a difficult thing to do, but unless we look at situations impartially in light of God's truth/law, we have no hope of making right judgments.  Let's try to make it a habit not to jump to conclusions, but to examine every side of an issue before we make a judgment.

  

    

       

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John 1:19-20 – And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." 

As John the Baptist preached his message of repentance, his fame spread from the region of Galilee all the way to Jerusalem.  From the nature of his preaching, people speculated that he was the long awaited Messiah (Luke 3:15). 

In light of this, it would have been the duty of the Sanhedrin, the great ruling council of the Jews, to examine John and determine whether or not he was the Messiah.  It is not unreasonable to assume that they wished/hoped that he was!   

But John is very careful not to take any of the honor or glory that belonged to Christ.  He clearly states, without the slightest hint of ambiguity, that he is NOT the Messiah the Jews are expecting to come. 

John 1:21 – And they asked him, "What then?  Are you Elijah?"  He said, "I am not."  "Are you the Prophet?"  And he answered, "No."

Why would the Jews ask the Baptist if he was Elijah? 

Answer: They were referring back to an Old Testament prophesy.

Malachi 4:5 - Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

The Jews were interpreting this prophesy of Malachi literally.  They expected Elijah himself to rise from the dead, reappear upon earth and herald the coming of the Messiah. 

So, when the Jews ask John if he is Elijah, they mean it in the literal sense and thus he answers them correctly – 'No, I am not'. 

Even though the Jews misunderstood this prophesy, it was still valid.  God did exactly as he said he would.  He sent his people a prophet (John the Baptist) who possessed and exhibited the same bold, powerful character and message of repentance as Elijah had. 

John's ministry pointed people to the true Messiah, preparing them to receive the gospel message from Christ (Luke 1:17, Matthew 3:3).  Thus, he was the 'Elijah who was to come'; he was the fulfillment of Malachi's prophesy.  Jesus himself confirmed this fact (Matthew 11:14, Mark 9:13). 

At this point, John has denied being the Messiah or Elijah raised from the dead.  So who is he?  Still seeking an answer, the religious leaders next ask if he might be 'the Prophet'.  Although it is not certain who the Jews are referring to here, it may have been the prophet Jeremiah (Matthew 16:14) or the unnamed prophet referred to in Deuteronomy 18:15.  In either case, John now denies that he holds the prophetic office.

John 1:22 – So they said to him, "Who are you?  We need to give an answer to those who sent us.  What do you say about yourself?"

So far, John had answered their questions and told them who he was not.  He was not the Messiah, nor Elijah raised from the dead, nor any of the Old Testament prophets.  At this point the religious leaders are out of ideas, so they plainly ask John, 'Who are you?   What account do you give of yourself and your actions?' 

Again, this is not an unreasonable question.  The Sanhedrin was the ruling religious authority.  They did not allow or sanction people to be teachers of the law unless they had been fully trained.  Clearly, John had not been.  So they needed to investigate his situation.  Was he a prophet sent from God?  Was he the Messiah himself?  Or was he a mere man of no authority teaching religious doctrines?  

John 1:23 – He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."

John answers their question by quoting yet another Old Testament scripture/prophesy (His answer is taken from a portion of Isaiah 40:3.)  By doing so, John is showing that the scriptures were fulfilled in him; the foundation of his ministry was built upon divine authority.  John did not need the approval of the Sanhedrin; he was operating from a much higher calling.

When describing himself, John could have pointed out his great authority, given to him by God.  He could have described himself as the one who was specifically chosen for the high honor of heralding the Christ.  He could have used a number of high or lofty titles that brought dignity, respect or honor to himself.  But he doesn't.  Notice that John refers to himself as merely 'the voice'.  A voice cannot exist by itself.  It is dependent upon the person it belongs to.  So John assigns himself a position of humbleness, modesty and dependence upon God.  He himself is nothing; he is simply the voice of God.

What is the true purpose of a voice?  Isn't it to communicate?  Your voice can send a message or sound an alarm.  It can also teach or encourage.  This shows how John sees himself.  He is a vessel that the voice or message of repentance flows through.  That voice sounds an alarm that people are dead in their sins.  It encourages them to repent and prepare the way for the Messiah who is soon to come. 

According to scripture, this voice 'cries in the wilderness'.  Why is it described that way? 

The word 'cry' signifies earnestness and importunity.  John brings a sense of urgency with his message.  Sin is not a laughing matter.  It is not something to overlook or sweep under a rug.  It is something that must be dealt with immediately and completely, without delay; it must take place right now!  If the people were to find the true Messiah, they must prepare for his coming NOW.

'Wilderness' is often used to describe a place of barrenness or waste, a neglected or uncultivated region.  Spiritually speaking, man is in a wilderness of sin; as long as he is apart from God he experiences spiritual barrenness.  His life is disorderly or neglected and he is dead in trespasses and sin.  The connotation is that John's voice cried out to people in their sinful, spiritually barren state and called them to a state of life and fruitfulness in Christ through repentance. 

It is also worth noting that a wilderness is often entirely uninhabited or very sparsely populated.  This was the kind of area where John preached.  In such a situation, you could not help but clearly hear his voice crying out. 

What about us?  In our busy modern lives, can we hear the voice of God calling to us?   If not, it might be time to retreat to a place of solitude, apart from the demands of the secular world for a time, so we can more clearly discern what God is saying to us.    

John 1:24-25 – (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.)  They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

Did you notice that it was not the Sadducees or the priests/Levites who questioned the Baptist, but the Pharisees?  This makes sense because the Pharisees, more than any other sect of Judaism, were zealous for the Jewish religious rites.  They would never allow a rite to be added to Jewish worship except by the authority of the Messiah or a prophet.

In this case, it should be noted that Baptism was not a new rite in the Jewish religion.  When a Gentile wished to become a Jewish proselyte he was not accepted until he had been both baptized and circumcised.  These baptisms were never performed except by the express permission of the Sanhedrin.  In addition, Jews NEVER baptized other Jews because it was unnecessary - they were born into the covenant; they didn't need to be added in again. 

So in the opinion of the Sanhedrin (particularly the Pharisees), John the Baptist was misusing the rite of baptism.  He was twisting it into something it should not be; he was using it in a new way.  The only way this would be allowable was if John was a prophet, or Elijah or the Messiah.    

But as we know, John has already plainly and forcefully denied being the Messiah.  He has denied being an incarnation of Elijah (in the sense the religious leaders understood it).  Likewise, he does not claim to be a new prophet who would have authority from God to make this change.  Therefore the Pharisees demand an explanation of why John felt his actions were acceptable. 

For those of us living some 2000 years later, the answer seems obvious.  Jews as well as Gentiles must become proselytes to the new dispensation of the gospel, which Jesus was about to introduce.  But this was not clearly evident to the Pharisees of that day.  

John 1:26  – John answered them, "I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know,

John freely admits that he uses water baptism for a new purpose – to reveal the nature and necessity of repentance.  But neither the water nor the Baptizer has any power to cleanse from sin.  They can only prepare the hearts and minds of the people to turn towards the Messiah, who was even now among them.

John probably turned the world of the Pharisees upside down with his statement.  Think about it - he was not the Messiah, but the Messiah had come.  He had already been born and grown to adulthood.  He was standing by, ready to be revealed.  Although the religious leaders couldn't pick him out of the crowd, he was there. 

In some ways, this is a sad commentary on the religious leaders.  They, of all people, should have had their hearts and minds trained to look for the Messiah.  In theory, they should have recognized him well before any of the common people.  But they did not. 

Can we stop and examine ourselves for just a minute?  Scripture tells us that where two or three believers are gathered together, Jesus is present.

Matthew 18:20 – For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. 

Yet, how often do we gather in church to participate in religious rites and ceremonies, but we fail to recognize the Spirit at work among us?  Are we sensitive to the presence of Jesus in our midst, or are we as blind as the Pharisees?  

Furthermore, when we see him, how will we react?  Will we be as the religious leaders, telling Holy Spirit how he can and cannot move in our midst?  Will we attempt to restrain him or resist him or even rebuke him, if he does something that does not meet our expectations?

Or will we be as the true disciples, surrendering to the power and anointing of the Spirit, willing to be part of something new and/or unexpected, even if we don't quite understand it fully? 

If we really want the Spirit to move in our midst as we claim, then we have to give him authority to move as he pleases, and we must submit.  This was a major issue for the religious leaders back in Jesus' day.  They did not want to surrender their authority to Jesus; because they did not submit to him, they missed all that God had in store for them.  Let's not be like that!

John 1:27-28 - even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."  These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

John turns the focus from himself and his ministry to the object that he is there to reveal – Jesus the Christ. 

The latchet of a sandal was the string or thong by which it was fastened to the feet.  To unloose them was the role of a servant.  By his statement, John indicates that he was unworthy to perform even the lowest menial task for the Messiah. 

This is a true demonstration of John's humility.  John was well known and loved among the people.  Thousands came to be baptized and hear him preach.  He had followers of his own.  He was highly respected even among the political leaders of the day. 

The religious leaders were jealous of the crowds that John attracted, but John doesn't care.  His only desire is to tell everyone that there is one in their midst who was far superior to him; one who is worthy to receive all praise and glory for he is the promised Messiah.

John 1:29 – The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

A day or at least a night has passed since John spoke to the Pharisees.  They have had a chance to consider his answers.  But before they can ask any further questions or take any action, they find John pointing out Jesus of Nazareth and likening him to a lamb.

  What does the scripture tell us about lambs?

• During the Passover feast, a lamb was killed and eaten by the Jews to commemorate their deliverance form Egypt (Exodus 12:3-11). 
• Every morning and every evening a lamb was offered in the temple as part of the daily worship and sacrifice (Exodus 29:38-39).  
• It was prophesied that the Messiah would be like a lamb led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7). 

But Jesus was not just an ordinary sacrificial lamb.  He was the Lamb of God; a sacrifice appointed by God to take away the sin of the world, and reconcile men to God! 

The significance of the word 'world' was certainly not lost on the already astonished Jews.  In the daily temple sacrifices, only the sins of the Jews were laid upon the sacrificial lambs.  But the Lamb of God was different – he would take away the sins of both Jews and Gentiles.

Isaiah 53:6 – All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Another interesting point is that John the Baptist uses the present tense in describing the removing of sin – Jesus 'takes away' sin.  Because it is in the present tense, it denotes a continuous act.  Every day, multiple times a day if necessary, Jesus takes away our sin by his blood.  He removes the guilt and punishment of sin from every believer.  He also frees us from the power and dominion that our sin held over us.   

John 1:30 – "This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.'"

This is actually the third time John's audience heard these words.  They were spoken in verse 15 and (partly) in verse 27.  Here, as before, John makes note that he was born on earth before Jesus, yet Jesus was far superior to him in every way.  Jesus was divine, existing long before his incarnation.

John 1:31 – "I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water that he might be revealed to Israel."

What are we to make of the phrase 'I myself did not know him'? 

First, let's consider some background.  John the Baptist was a relative of Jesus.  John's mother Elizabeth and Jesus' mother Mary were cousins (Luke 1:36).  John and Jesus were about the same age with John being just a few months older. 

It is possible that John and Jesus knew each other before John Baptized him.  If that was the case, then when John declares 'I myself did not know him', he must be referring to the fact that, although he was acquainted with Jesus as a devout and holy man, he did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.  John may have suspected that to be the case, but he had to wait until God identified him with a sign from heaven.

But scholars favor the second scenario – that John and Jesus had never met.  Could this be possible, considering they were related?  Yes, it could.  In those days, there was much less travel; it was expensive and often dangerous.  There were no phones, no internet and no zoom.  There were no cars or buses.  John hung out in the wilderness region of Hebron, wearing camel's hair and eating locusts, while Jesus was raised in Nazareth.  So it is entirely possible that the two were not acquainted and that John did not know Jesus by sight.

Why does it matter anyway?

If a friendship or even an acquaintance existed between John and Jesus, the religious leaders may have been suspicious of a plot between the two to name Jesus as the Messiah.  They would certainly refuse to accept John's testimony about Jesus.

But, if John doesn't know Jesus, then his ministry can only be based on a word/command that he received straight from God himself.  This means John's message has divine authority.  It did not come by his own design (or a conspiracy between he and Jesus), but by inspiration of Holy Spirit and the command of God.  And if God is speaking through John, then the Messiah has truly come!

John 1:32-33 – And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.  I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'"

The Messiah is the one on whom the Spirit of God descends and rests.  This was not John's idea; this was the true sign of the Messiah that God had revealed to him.  The visible sign of the Spirit descending on Jesus served several purposes. 

• First, it was a confirmation for John.  He did not need to fear making a mistake by endorsing the wrong person as the Messiah.  Because John could be absolutely certain that Jesus was the Christ, it gave him great boldness in his witness.   

• Second, it publicly identified the Messiah to the world.  While the crowds looked on, Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, descended from heaven and rested upon Jesus.  John emphatically points this out to the people.  Thus, God himself announces and endorses the Messiah.  There is no need for an agreement or approval from the religious leaders.   

• Third, the anointing of the Spirit prepared/equipped Jesus for his mission and ministry.  As you recall, Jesus he did not embark upon the wilderness temptation until he had been anointed by the Spirit (Matthew 3:13-4:1).  Scripture tells us that God gave Jesus the Spirit without measure (John 3:34). 

 Let's pause for a minute here.  Jesus was not the only one with an assignment from heaven.  God also has something for each one of us to accomplish in this life.  And he empowers us to complete that assignment in the same way – through Holy Spirit!

What is the nature of your current relationship with the Spirit?  Do you fellowship with him each day?  Can you hear him speaking to you?  Do you turn to him for guidance and revelation?  Do you allow him to fill you with boldness and power?  Have you accepted a heavenly prayer language from him?  Has he given you a gift for the edification of the body of Christ? 

Jesus had a divine nature, but even he did not try to complete his assignment without the assistance of Holy Spirit.  How much more do you and I need him?

John 1:34 – "And I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God."

Once the Spirit descended upon Christ, the heavenly sign was completed and John the Baptist was fully convinced that Jesus was the Christ.  He was just as fully convinced that Jesus was the divine Son of God who existed before the foundations of the world.  Because he was convinced, he couldn't help but bear witness or testify to this truth. 

As we mentioned in our introduction, the apostle John provides seven different witnesses in his gospel that all testify to the divinity of Jesus.  John the Baptist is the first of the seven.

 Let me offer you some encouragement, relief and strength:

In this chapter, the apostle John gives us the witness of John the Baptist that Jesus was the divine Son of God.  But not everyone was happy to hear the good news. 

As we saw from this brief account, multitudes of common people were excited about Jesus.  When convicted of sin, they repented and readied themselves for the coming of the Messiah.

On the other hand, the religious leaders were not excited.  They wanted to keep their status in society and their religious authority/power.  They never even considered the fact that they were sinners.  In their pride and arrogance, they set themselves up against the Messiah.

So… although both groups heard the same message, some embraced it while others rejected it.  This is a pattern we find all throughout the scriptures. 

You may find this to be true in your own life and ministry.  As you step out to do what God has called you to do, those you minister to will be forever grateful.  These people will be a tremendous encouragement to you in your ministry. 

But there will also be those who dismiss both your ministry and your message.  They may even actively oppose you, as the religious leaders of John's day did.  So let me offer you some relief for that situation – you will never be accepted 100% of the time by 100% of the people.  The key is to keep your eyes on Jesus and do the work he called you to do; he will take care of your detractors.

Ministry is never easy.  God often calls us to do something that seems impossible.  If we could speak to John the Baptist today, I think he would confirm that!  So you're going to need strength, determination, wisdom, finances, open doors and a multitude of other things in order to fulfill your mission.  But that is not problem – God has provided his precious Holy Spirit to guarantee our victory, if we will only depend upon him, just as Jesus did!   

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John 1:14 – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Word became flesh:  John has devoted the opening segment of his gospel to proving that Jesus the Messiah is one with God the Father and God the Spirit; he is divine.

He now goes on to show that the Word/Speech was also human; the God of all creation allowed himself to be born in a human body.  By the power of Holy Spirit, he was birthed through the body of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:30-35, Matthew 1:23).  This was predicted extensively in the scriptures – Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 53, etc.

Here again, we find that John makes a statement that is so simple anyone can understand it, and yet so profound, even the most mature believer could meditate on it for years (and the scholars could write millions of words about it)!

Why does John use the term 'flesh'?  Do you find that odd?  Why wouldn't he say the Word was made 'man'?

The answer is that the term 'man' implies a body that houses a sinful, corrupt human nature.  But Jesus was neither corrupt nor sinful.  His divine nature was not transformed into human nature when he became a man.  Instead, as we have noted above, he remained divine but fused that divinity with a soul and a body when he walked the earth.  If you wish to study this concept further, please look around for other sources.  As mentioned above, scholars have written thousands of pages to try and explain the mystery of this divine truth. 

Rather than trying to fully explain this concept, let's just appreciate it… the God of the universe, the one who created all things, left the glory and splendor of heaven and permitted himself to be limited by a body of flesh, for the purpose of restoring fellowship with mankind!      

And dwelt among us:  The literal interpretation used here would be 'tabernacled' among us.  Think back to what you learned in the Old Testament.  The Israelites constructed a temporary dwelling place for God, called the tabernacle.  At times, God's glory and presence (his Shechinah glory) was manifested in that place (Exodus 40:34-35, I Kings 8:10-11, Ezekiel 10:4).  John uses this expression to describe the incarnation – the manifest presence of God condescended to dwell in a tabernacle or temple of flesh.   

What else do we know about the tabernacle?

It was a temporary structure.  'Tabernacle' is never used to signify a lasting structure or habitation.  In the same way, the body of flesh that Jesus dwelt in was only a temporary residence for his eternal divinity. 

The Old Testament feast of tabernacles or feast of booths was a celebration held in temporary structures.  This points to the fact that during his time on earth, Jesus celebrated or enjoyed fellowship with his disciples.  He lived, ate, worked, and conversed with them for several years.  During this time, he provided the fullest proof of his divinity (the working of miracles) but yet the clearest proof of his humanity.

And we have seen his glory:  Though he was housed in a body of flesh, the divine nature and glory of Christ were evident to anyone who looked for them.  His divine glory was evident at the transfiguration, in the miracles her performed, in his suffering during at the Garden of Gethsemane and the cross, and in his resurrection and ascension.  This glory was further proof that God had come in human form.    

Glory as of the only Son from the Father:  In our culture, Jesus would be referred to as an 'only child'.  This means that he is the only true son of God the Father (we are the adopted sons and daughters of God, born again through the Spirit).  He is the only person born of a woman whose human nature did not come by the ordinary means of birth.  Instead, he carried the divine nature given to him by his true Father – God.  As such, he is above every man, angel or other created being (Hebrews 1:1-5).  His glory and majesty are equal to God, because he IS God.  

Full of grace and truth:  This phrase is a very rich and full; we could meditate on just this one aspect of Christ all day long!  

Grace refers to the love and mercy of God which he exhibited by sending a redeemer to save us.  Truth refers to the revelation and fulfillment of the plan of salvation.  Until the time that Christ was incarnated, the promise of redemption/salvation was just that – a promise; a future reality that millions and millions of people looked for.  Jesus was the fulfillment of the promise made under the old dispensation of the law.

John 1:15 – (John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'")

The event described in this verse probably occurred at the time when Jesus made his first appearance among those who came to be baptized by John the Baptist.  As we mentioned in our introduction, many scholars believe that John the apostle was a follower of John the Baptist before he met Christ.  Therefore, he could be relating an event that he himself saw.

This quote from John the Baptist could be paraphrased this way: "It is proper that Jesus should be honored and respected above me, because he is a person superior in nature to me (he is divine).  Though he was born (in the flesh) after me, he actually existed before me (because he is both divine and eternal)."

John 1:16 – For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

Back in verse 14 the apostle John said that Jesus was full of grace and truth.  He now points out that every believer receives from that abundance.

Think of it this way:  Suppose you were starving, you went into a restaurant, and you were seated at an enormous empty table that would seat 10 people.  A server came up and gave you a menu.  But before you could even see all of the choices, the manager showed up with a platter overflowing with a huge steak. 

You are happy and thankful beyond words!  But after only two or three bites of meat, the manager returns with a plate of potatoes.  Then he brings salad.  Then bread and butter.  Then two different kinds of vegetables.  Then some coleslaw.  Then a plate of different fruits.  Next thing you know, the table is completely full.  Every kind of food you could ever want is on that table. There is an abundance - more than you could ever eat. 

Or what about this:  You are in your garage, trying to restore your broken down old car.  But you are missing the tools you need, so you call the local parts store.  The manager sends a truck to your house and delivers a torque wrench.  You are delighted.  But before you can even open the hood of the car, he also places a set of screwdrivers on your workbench.  As you are considering the screwdrivers, he adds a socket set.  And some ramps.  And a hammer.  And a cordless drill.  And an air compressor.  Before you know it, your garage is full.  Every kind of tool you could ever want or need is in your garage.

These are examples of 'grace upon grace'.  In both scenarios, Jesus is the manager.  He has complete authority over the vast fountain of resources that God (the owner) possesses.  

Now, let me ask you this:  Does the phrase 'grace upon grace' sound stingy to you?  Of course not!  The phrase includes an element of abundance – it isn't just a single instance of grace, it is layer after layer after layer of added grace.  It includes things that you don't even know that you need yet! 

By definition grace is divine favor; it is a gift from God that we do not deserve or earn by works.  It is also true that the fullness of the supply is constant – God never runs out.  Yet, some Christians live without an abundance of grace.  They don't seem to have all that they need.  Why is that?  It is because the power to receive grace increases with use or diminishes with neglect, depending on what we do with it:     

Matthew 13:12 - For whosoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever has not, from him shall be taken away even what he has.

Grace upon grace begins with salvation, but also includes wisdom, love, the ability to live a holy life, provision, protection, power, open doors, the ability to forgive, creativity, strength, peace, sanctification and many, many other things.  It encompasses anything and everything that you need as a child of God.

What do you need?  A plate of provision?  A funnel of forgiveness?  The oil of joy?  Ask the Lord for it, then begin to use what is already at your disposal, no matter how small it seems.  In due time, you will find grace upon grace.  You will come into what you need.    

The expression 'grace upon grace' also implies superiority.  The grace given to Christians under the gospel is superior and more abundant than that given under the Law.  So let's rejoice and be glad that we live in the gospel dispensation.  And let's exercise the grace we have, that we may obtain more!  

John 1:17 – For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Here John calls attention to the difference between Moses and Christ.

Think back to what you know about the giving of the Law.  When the children of Israel left Egypt, God brought them to Mt Sinai.  There, the people were to meet him at the mountain.  God showed up in a thick cloud accompanied by darkness, thunder, lightning and an earth quake.  The people had been warned not to even touch the mountain, or they would perish.  Great fear was upon all of the people.   

Moses climbed to the top of the mountain to meet with God.  At that time, God gave him the law to pass on to Israel.  Thus, the law truly did come from God to Israel through Moses. 

The law had value.  It was the covenant between God and Israel; they were his chosen people who enjoyed the highest level of God's favor, protection and communion that was possible at the time.  The Law pointed out sin.  The Law, by its rites and ceremonies, pointed to the future dispensation of grace.  It contained types and shadows of the greater future covenant, when the Messiah would come and make atonement for sin once and for all. 

So while the law did a number of good things, it was still limited.  Its laws and rites were actually a burden to those who had to live by them.  Furthermore, The Law had no power to save or redeem from sin.  I think it can best be described as a precursor to grace – it effectively established that you sinned, and it put you under a sentence of death and condemnation.  Then it pointed to the one who could actually redeem you, the coming Messiah.

Hebrews 10:1 - For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.

By contrast, Jesus the Messiah came to earth bringing or exhibiting both grace and truth. 

He did not come with thunder and earthquakes, striking terror into his followers.  He came meekly and mildly, as a baby born in a manger.  He came as a man; as the Son of God in human form conversing and teaching his disciples by doctrine and example.  The burdens of the law were abolished under the gospel when Jesus made permanent atonement for our sin.  In exchange, we are to perform the reasonable service of loving God and our neighbors.

So while those under the law had the promise of what was to come, those under the gospel can actually experience grace and forgiveness! 

Therefore we can say that Jesus brought truth.  This truth stands in opposition to both pagan beliefs and the law because it is the substance or reality of all those things prefigured by the law.          

John 1:18 – No one has ever seen God; the only God who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

How does the apostle John use the word "seen" in this verse?  He is not denying that Moses (and others) saw manifestations of God at different times (Judges 13:22, Exodus 24:9-10). 

The word 'seen' is used in the sense of knowing or being intimately acquainted with.  John is pointing out that Jesus, the Son of God who existed with God before the world was formed, clearly knew his Father.  Jesus had an intimate knowledge of God which neither Moses nor any other person ever had. 

Since Jesus alone is intimately acquainted with God in this way, he is the only one qualified to reveal the will, nature and purposes of God to mankind.  The fullest revelations of who God is and what he plans to do are revealed in Jesus Christ and the gospel message.  This work is further carried on by both the written word and Holy Spirit.

Let me give you some encouragement:

Do you realize just how much God loves you?  He sent his only Son to die for you!  And Jesus was on board with that plan, despite the fact that he had to pay the price for your sin!  What a wonderful topic of meditation this week as we celebrate the Christmas season!

Let me give you some relief:

As Jesus revealed, there is nothing you can do that he cannot or will not forgive! 

Even though you may have stumbled or fallen, life isn't over yet!  The only way Satan can have victory over you, is if you quit or give up.  So repent, change your ways, and get back in the game (Proverbs 24:16). 

Let me give you some strength:

Do you need a boost in your spiritual walk this week?  Then meditate on the first chapter of the gospel of John.  Let your mind consider all that God has done just for the purpose of making himself know to YOU and fellowshipping with YOU.  You will discover that he you are so precious to him, he was willing to give his very best to reach out to you.  

So in the midst of your Christmas celebrations this week, take some time to stop and consider the grace and truth that Jesus brought to earth all those years ago!   

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

  

  

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Welcome back.  We are in the midst of a very profound and majestic discourse of the divinity of Jesus as written by the apostle John.  In the prior verses, John calls our attention to the fact that Jesus was one with God the Father (and the Spirit) before the universe was ever created. 

The scriptures also tell us that the mystery of man's redemption by the Word incarnate (Jesus the Messiah), was hidden in God before anything was created (Ephesians 3:6-9).  Thus, we can be assured that the Father, Son and Spirit were all agreement regarding not only the necessity, but the process/method of reconciling man to God.  Again, this was all known to the Trinity before they even brought the universe into existence.

Can we stop for a minute and make this personal?  It is one thing to paint this picture in broad strokes and say that the Trinity purposed to save mankind before he was created, but it's much more personal than that.  Truly, the Trinity was in agreement about rescuing YOU from sin and death.  God so intensely loves YOU, that he planned to perfectly and completely redeem YOU before the foundations of the world were laid.  When God looked at time, he saw YOU there.  He saw that he had breathed the breath of life into YOU, but an enemy had you in bondage.  In his great mercy and compassion, he did not leave you to that fate.  He himself, in the person of the Word, came to take sin upon himself.  How great is the love of God toward YOU!  How far are his ways past understanding!

My opinion is that when we get to eternity and we have a chance to see the whole design and scope of the plan of redemption, it will blow our minds!  It is also my opinion that our existence in eternity will be an everlasting witness of the love of God, to any and all other life that God has created.

John 1:5 – The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

We ended our last post by pointing out that Jesus is both life and light.  He illuminates our spiritual darkness and shows us the way to eternal life.

Light is always self-evident – it makes itself known.  Suppose you were in a completely dark forest, so dense and thick that you couldn't even see your hand in front of your face.  That darkness would be overwhelming.  But I guarantee that if a lightening bug passed by, you would see its glow!  Why?  Because even the most minuscule light overcomes the darkness that surrounds it.  This principle is true both in the natural realm and the spiritual realm.  In fact, it has some pretty profound spiritual significance.

Man is in a state of spiritual darkness, which began when sin entered the human race in the Garden of Eden.  But the light of God has shined through that darkness ever since.    

Romans 1:19-20 - …since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Here are just some of the ways in which God has manifested himself or shined his light in our spiritual darkness down through the ages: 

• God created each person with an innate sense that there is a God, and He gives us a desire to find Him. 
• God has given us a conscience that we might know there is right and wrong and therefore an ultimate eternal judge of our actions. 
• God revealed himself through his chosen people, Israel. 
• God's countless miracles attest to his existence.  Creation gives evidence of God's existence.  
• God revealed Himself to us through the 'types and shadows' of the Old Testament. 
• God spoke to man through his prophets. 
• God preserved the sacred scriptures for us, in which we find His promises of the redeemer.    

Ultimately that Redeemer, the Word, the true light, came to earth in fleshly form.  And God used John the Baptist to call our attention to that light.

John 1:6-7 – There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

As you probably already know, John did not perform any miracles.  He never claimed to have dreams or visions.  His calling was simple:  He was a messenger sent from God to us (Malachi 3:1).  His purpose was just as straightforward:  He came to provide a witness and testimony that Jesus was the Messiah – the Word made flesh; the light of the world.

Through John, God began to herald a change that was about to take place.  The astonishing era of grace was about to unfold.  The Messiah had come and through him all of mankind (Jew and Gentile alike) could be forgiven and welcomed into the presence of God, the source of all light. 

This raises a question – If light reveals itself, then why did God send John to bear witness about Jesus?    

The answer is that mankind loves darkness and willfully closes his mind and heart to the light of God.  John was like a kind of spiritual night watchman, who went around town calling out that dawn was breaking; it was time for people to arise, shake off spiritual slumber, and begin to live in the light.

John 1:8 – He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

John preached a message of repentance from sin.  By awakening people to the reality of their sin and depravation, he prepared them to receive the light of the gospel message and come to faith in Christ. 

This should be abundantly clear to each one of us, as we consider our own conversion experience.  At some point, all of us were happy living in sin and darkness.  But one day, someone (a modern-day messenger of God) shared the gospel with us and because of the conviction of Holy Spirit, we became acutely aware of our sin.  That awareness or knowledge of our sin caused us to seek and accept the forgiveness of Christ. 

You would never have sought that forgiveness if you weren't fully convinced that you needed it.  And you didn't know you needed it, until someone told you.  This was why God used John the Baptist to bear witness about the light.  It is the same reason he still uses righteous men and women today to spread the gospel message.    

To avoid any confusion or controversy, the apostle John makes it very clear that John the Baptizer was NOT the actual light.  He was like the star that guided the wise men to the manger.  He is the friend of the bridegroom, not the bridegroom himself.

John 1:9 – The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

Jesus is the true light (John 9:5, II Corinthians 4:4).  He is not a fallible, uncertain or dangerous guide.  He is the perfect, true, reliable anchor of our faith.  He is the rock upon which our salvation stands.  He is the source of all gospel revelation, which banishes spiritual darkness, error and ignorance from our lives. 

John now reveals another staggering truth – no more will divine revelation be restricted to a select group of people.  The light will be diffused upon Jew and Gentile alike; upon people of every tribe, tongue and nation.

Isaiah 49:6 - And he [God] said, It is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation unto the ends of the earth.

God does not exclude anyone from his forgiveness or his kingdom. But there will always be men who choose to exclude themselves from it.  They choose to close their eyes to the truth and reject the light.  They choose to reject/ignore Holy Spirit conviction when it falls upon them, and thus reject the salvation that Jesus provides for them. 

It should be further noted that once we have accepted Christ as savior, Jesus makes us lights as well (Matthew 5:14).  We are to let our lights shine, so that God may be glorified and draw sinners to himself. 

How is your light shining?  Is it bright and bold?  Or has it become a bit dimmed as of late?  This might be a good time to examine yourself and see what you can do to add fuel to your spiritual fire.

John 1:10 – He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

Jesus was always 'in the world'.  As discussed previously, He existed before the creation, He was active in creation and He continues to breathe life into all creation.  If he didn't, everything would collapse and die. 

But what John refers to here is clearly the incarnation of Christ – the time when he took upon himself a body of flesh and dwelt among us for the purpose of redemption. 

During that period of time, the world did not 'know' Jesus.  In other words, the people of that generation either did not understand that he was the Messiah or they refused to acknowledge it.  Regardless of whether their ignorance was accidental or intentional, the end result was the same – mankind crucified him (I Corinthians 2:7-8).  

John 1:11 – He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

Who or what does John refer to when he says Jesus the Messiah came 'to his own'? 

In this case John is referring to the Jewish people or the nation of Israel.  They were God's chosen people, set apart for his purposes.  As you know, God entered into a covenant agreement with Israel.  Part of that covenant declared that God would bless the entire world through them (Genesis 26:4).  That promise was fulfilled when Jesus the Messiah (the Word/Speech) was born through the Jewish lineage (Matthew 1:1-16).  Therefore, the Jews were his own people.  

We have clear evidence in the scriptures that Jesus did exactly what John claims – he ministered or revealed himself almost exclusively to the Jewish nation during his incarnation.

Matthew 15:24 – But he [Jesus] answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

(It was only after the coming of Holy Spirit that Gentiles were admitted into the family of God. See Acts chapter 10).

If any nation of people should have accepted Jesus as Messiah, it was the Jews!  They were God's covenant people.  They had all the promises and prophesies that identified the Messiah.  They lived in expectation of his coming.

Yet, the scriptures supply vast evidence that, in general, the nation of Israel did not receive or accept Jesus as Messiah (Luke 17:25, Acts 4:9-11).  It's almost unbelievable!

However, we should not judge the Jews of that generation too harshly.  Mankind as a whole is a fallen race which loves darkness/wickedness.  Chances are that if we had been the generation that was alive when Jesus came to earth we too would have chosen to crucify him!

Furthermore, the apostle Paul clearly outlines in the book of Romans (see chapter 11), that rejection of the gospel by the Jewish nation is the result of a temporary spiritual blindness, which God used to open up the gospel message to the entire world (the Gentiles). 

Romans 11:11 - I say then, Have they [Israel]] stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.

God has not rejected his people Israel (Romans 11:1-2), even though they rejected him.  At the present time, God's love for Gentiles is creating jealousy in the hearts and minds of the Jews.  One day, at the perfect time, He will bring them back into fellowship with himself. 

John 1:12 – But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

During the incarnation, the vast majority of Jewish religious leaders and common people rejected Jesus as the Messiah.  They rejected the light, truth and spiritual revelation of the gospel message.  That's the bad news.

The good news is that there were some who did believe, and put their faith in Christ.

 And there is more good news – people who formerly rejected him can still be touched by the gospel, if they allow its truth to penetrate their hearts and minds.  As long as a person is living and breathing on planet earth, they can change their mind and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.  So don't ever stop bringing the names of your unsaved loved ones before the throne of Christ!  With God, all things are possible! 

Those who respond to Holy Spirit conviction and repent of their sin are given the right or privilege (your translation may say 'power') to become a child of God. 

This is the highest privilege that can be given to us!  Before we met Christ, we were slaves to sin.  We were under the curse of God.  We were children of the darkness/evil one and the only thing our father could bestow upon us was death and destruction.  

But now that we have placed our faith in Christ, God has adopted us as sons and daughters (Galatians 4:4-6, Ephesians 1:5-6)!  We are no longer slaves to sin; we have freedom in Christ.  We are no longer under the curse, we are blessed by God.  We have God as our Father and we are co-heirs with Jesus in the kingdom of God.

John 1:13 – who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

In John chapter 3, Jesus makes it very clear to Nicodemus that there are two kinds of birth – physical and spiritual. 

The Jews had placed their faith in their natural/physical birth along with the bloody rite of circumcision.  According to their thinking, since they were born Jewish, and since they were circumcised, Abraham was their father and they were automatically included in the family of God (John 8:37-41).  To some degree, this was true under the Law. 

But as we noted in our introduction, John is writing his gospel around 95 AD.   The era of the law has passed.  Men are not admitted to God's family through the law or their lineage or by circumcision.  Spiritual birth can only come by the will of God, and His will is that all men will be redeemed through the blood of Christ.   

Let me offer you some encouragement:

As a child of God, you have full access to the throne of God.  Don't ever stop mentioning the lost before that throne!  Even though you may not see the results right now, God is at work in the lives of those you pray/intercede for.  So no matter what, don't give up!   

Let me offer you some relief:

As a child of God, your past sins have been washed away.  If God does not hold them against you any more, why would you?  Cast off the shame of those old sins; don't let guilt keep you from actively participating in God's kingdom.

Let me offer you some strength:

As a child of God, you are a light or messenger of the gospel, just like John the Baptist.  So let that light shine brightly!  Be confident and secure as you share what God has done for you.  Remember, it's your job to share, but it is Holy Spirit's job to quicken the hearts of those around you who still need to find Christ.   

 

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I Peter 3:13 – Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?

Here the apostle makes mention of a proverb or general truth.

Those who lead upright lives save themselves from a lot of drama, trouble and aggravation.  Those who repay evil with good and strive to treat their neighbors as themselves can generally expect to live a peaceful and tranquil life without interference from the law or evil men. 

Those who cross the line into unrighteousness (as well as those who are always trying to straddle the fence between good and evil), will often find themselves at odds with the law and society. 

We classify this as a general truth rather than a natural law, because many righteous people have found themselves under persecution or distress despite the fact that they are living holy and peaceful lives. 

I Peter 3:14 – But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed.  Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,

As Peter now intimates, holy conduct generally provides an environment of peace and safety, yet the possibility of persecution for righteousness' sake still exists. 

If you find yourself in a situation where you are being persecuted for being righteous or for professing the gospel, take heart – this is an indication that you are blessed by God.

Matthew 5:10 – Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

To suffer for doing good is to follow in the footsteps of Christ himself.  Though he was sinless and did only good things, he was rejected, persecuted and crucified by evil men. 

Persecuted Christians are not to adopt any of the wicked customs of their persecutors.  They are to stand firm, trust in God and keep adhering to Christianity.  Though they may be dragged into court, forced to pay fines, imprisoned, banished or even killed, they should not be afraid for God is with them.  He sees all things and he will bless his servants for their suffering; they are promised an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven.  

I Peter 3:15 – but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

Instead of being terrified by evil men, we need to cultivate a healthy respect for God in our hearts.  We do this when we submit to his wisdom and providence, imitate his holiness, give him the glory he is due, trust in his faithfulness, rely upon his power and walk with him daily.

Remember, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  So if you are truly honoring God in your heart, your reverence of him will spill out of your mouth and be displayed in your conduct.  This will bear witness to unbelievers.  When others see that you are different, they will want to know why.

You need to be ready to give an answer to those who ask you about your Christian walk.  This means being able to clearly articulate your testimony or recounting what God has done for you.  Be sure to include what God did in your past, how he sustains you daily, and your future hope of heaven.

So let me ask you this – if you had to give a testimony for Christ right now, could you make a logical statement of your faith in about 3-4 minutes? 

You don't need to include every single detail of your life thus far.  If you try to take an hour to make your point, you will certainly lose your audience. 

Make sure your testimony is coherent.  If you give a fragmented account, switching from topic to topic, the listener will be confused and you will lose their attention.  You might want to consider limiting your testimony to one or two major points, in order to keep it simple.  

Why not try it right now and see how you do?  This will prepare you for your next opportunity to share the gospel.   

I Peter 3:16 – having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

What is conscience?  It is the judgment of the mind respecting right and wrong. 

As we all know from experience, our conscience first comes into play when we are considering a course of action.  We have probably all seen those cartoons where there is an angel whispering in one of our ears, while a devil is speaking to the other!  This actually gives us a pretty good picture of conscience, because it activates whenever we are faced with a choice.   

Once we make our choice and the action is complete, the conscience judges our actions and instantly approves or condemns them. 

However, our conscience is not able, in and of itself, to determine what is right; its job is to prompt us to do our duty.  Our conscience must be trained in right and wrong.  As we study the scriptures we program our conscience with the laws and truth of God. 

If our conscience is programmed with anything other than the word of God (culture, society, our own wisdom, even religion), it becomes an unsafe guide.  Obviously, if our views or the world's views are erroneous, which they probably are, our conscience may think it is okay to do something that is a direct violation of God's law.

Proverbs 16:25 – There is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.  

Why does the apostle mention our conscience in this text?  Peter teaches that not only should you be ready and able to make a clear confession of your faith, your life should match your confession; your conscience should be clear with respect to the way you live.

When we live our lives in holiness and godliness, our properly programmed conscience will bear witness that we are living in accordance with God's will.  Then, when our enemies unjustly speak evil of us, our conduct will bear a true witness about us; their baseless accusations will be apparent. 

I Peter 3:17 – For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.  

Peter reminds us that there are two reasons for affliction.

One reason for suffering is because we have done wrong.  For example, as discussed earlier in this study, God has given civil authority to certain people in order to establish a peaceful society.   If we sin and break the law by robbing a bank, then we should expect to be caught and punished for that crime. 

I have never been to prison, but I can imagine that it would indeed have an element of suffering and tribulation.  If we suffer by our prison experience, how does that glorify God?  Overall, it really doesn't.  If anything, it glorifies civil authority by commending their actions to the citizenship.

However, if we suffer for righteousness it brings about God's glory and our good.  Yes, you read this correctly - suffering may be part of God's will/plan for your life. 

If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you know this to be true.  God never promised his people a problem free, carefree life here on planet earth.  What he did promise was to walk with us every step of the way.  He promised to give us his strength in our weakness.  He promised not to give us more than we could bear.  And He promised to give us life eternal.     

God is more interested in your eternal good than your temporary earthly comfort.  While you are here, Holy Spirit is committed to transforming your life into the image of Jesus. 

In the process of that transformation, changes need to be affected in your character.  And there are some transformations which only affliction can accomplish. 

Peter reminds us that suffering for righteousness can (and does) facilitate desirable qualities and character in the Christian.  This not only benefits the believer, it provides a powerful witness to evil men. 

On the other hand, suffering for sin is mostly just punitive.  It does not necessarily stimulate Christian growth.  It does not glorify our Father; instead it drags his name through the mud.  It also gives evil people another reason to discredit the gospel.

So make sure your suffering is the right kind!

I Peter 3:18 – For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

For Christ also suffered: Those who suffer for righteousness sake can take comfort knowing that they are walking in the footsteps of Jesus.  Although innocent, he was not exempt from trials and suffering.

Once for sins:  Under the law, the blood of goats, lambs and other animals were sacrificed for the sins of the people.  But these sacrifices merely covered over sin; they could not truly atone for it.  Thus, sacrifices of this kind had to be made over, and over, and over, and over... 

But it was only necessary for Jesus to die/sacrifice himself once for our sin because his sacrifice was perfect and his blood has the power to truly cleanse us.

Hebrews 9:12 - Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

The righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God: The death of Christ reconciles us to God and provides us with access to the Father with freedom and boldness (Romans 5:1-2, Ephesians 3:11-12).

Being put to death in the flesh:  The crucifixion eventually caused the death of Jesus' body. 

But made alive in the spirit:  Although Jesus suffered in the flesh, he was 'quickened' or made alive by the Spirit; his own divine energy.      

I Peter 3:19-20 – in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when Gods patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

And now we come to what might very well be the two most difficult verses in Peter's epistle!  There are two main prevailing interpretations of what Peter means here.  As per my usual MO, I plan to relate both interpretations to you, allowing you to decide for yourself what you believe.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you make your decision:   

As with all scripture, we cannot simply pull a verse or two out of a passage and make a doctrine out of it.  Scripture must ALWAYS be understood/interpreted in the context in which it appears.  This principle will greatly assist us in determining the true meaning.

So what has Peter been discussing in this portion of the chapter?  The main focus has been suffering.  Peter has pointed out that there are basically two causes for Christian suffering. 

One cause is punitive in nature.  It is a result of a wrong (sin or crime) committed by the believer.  Peter mentions this briefly in the beginning of his discourse.  Then, he switches gears to discuss the second type of Christian suffering – righteous suffering.

In the case of righteous suffering, the believer has done nothing wrong, however, God allows some unjust suffering in order to shape the character of the believer, or otherwise mature him/her in the faith.

Peter goes on to tell his readers that the ultimate example of righteous suffering was Jesus himself.  Now, the last point Peter made prior to this, was that the body of Jesus died on the cross, but his Spirit was alive.  Jesus raised himself up by the power of his own divine energy.

Interpretation #1

Peter immediately follows with 'in which he went' or your translation may say 'by which he went'.  In either case, he is referring to the Spirit of Jesus. 

So according to interpretation #1, the Spirit of Jesus went and made a proclamation.  Who did he make this announcement to?  This theory says that he proclaimed a message to people who were sometimes disobedient during the longsuffering of God during the days of Noah.  Or in other words, the wicked people of Noah's generation, while they were alive on planet earth.  Notice, no other people are specified in this text.   This is who the Spirit of Jesus was addressing. 

These people/spirits are said to be 'in prison'.  The original word rendered 'prison' actually means 'watch, guard, the act of keeping watch or the guard itself; a place where anyone is watched or guarded as a prison'.  Those who adhere to this interpretation believe 'watched' or 'guarded' would be the best translation.

The text further indicates when they were being watched/guarded – for the 120 years that the ark was being prepared. 

Overall the meaning/interpretation is something along these lines:  The people of Noah's day were disobedient sinners.  Because of their transgressions, God sentenced them to destruction.  But first, the Spirit of Jesus delivered messages of repentance through his servant Noah to the people of that generation.  Then God watched to see if they would repent or not.  The long suffering of God waited 120 years; but they chose to ignore the divine message and continue in their transgressions.  Therefore, judgment was finally carried out.  As a result, only 8 persons were saved on the ark.

Those who accept this theory point out that when we consider the Old Testament, we find many instances where the Spirit of Jesus was present in the prophets before his physical birth in the world (Isaiah 48:16, Zechariah 7:12, Nehemiah 9:30).  Therefore, we are not surprised to learn that the Spirit of Jesus also spoke through Noah (Genesis 6:3). 

They point out that the Spirit of God continues to speak through his servants even now, as evidenced by the apostles themselves, and many modern day Christians.  

They also believe the phrase 'spirits in prison' may refer to the fact that that particular generation of people are now in the custody of death; they are definitely now spirits and in a sense they are in prison awaiting final judgment at the end of the time (Revelation 20:7).

We could also express their idea yet another way:  At the appointed time, Jesus came to earth in the flesh to preach the message of life to the world.  The Spirit of this same Jesus came to earth before the flood and preached a message of repentance to the unbelievers through his servant Noah, so they might have a chance to repent and be saved.  Again, there are many instances where the Spirit of Jesus came upon prophets to preach repentance and call people back to God, so this is not unusual.

Interpretation #2

The second interpretation asserts that these verses tell us what Jesus was doing while his body was dead – the time between his death and resurrection. 

Again, the last point Peter made prior to this, was that the body of Jesus died on the cross, but his Spirit was alive.  Jesus raised himself up by the power of his own divine energy. 

In this case, the phrase 'in which he went' is understood as meaning that the Spirit of Jesus went, at that exact time, to make a proclamation to other spirits who were imprisoned. 

Proponents of this interpretation say that Jesus went to Hades (also called Sheol or the grave).  Hades is a kind of prison where departed souls/spirits are gathered and held until final judgment.  This would clearly be the state of the unbelievers from the era of Noah.  Hades/Sheol/the Grave has at least two compartments (or possibly four), one for the righteous departed and one for the wicked departed (Luke 16:23).

This theory says that when the Spirit of Jesus arrived there, he made a proclamation or preached to the spirits that were there.  While we have no record of what the outcome of that message was, those who adhere to this interpretation believe that at least some departed spirits repented at the preaching of the word (God's word is never void - Isaiah 55:11).

The overall meaning is something along these lines:  When Jesus died, his Spirit was quickened/made alive and he (his Spirit) immediately went to the place in which other disembodied spirits of men were being imprisoned.  These were incapable of receiving any direct impression from him, unless he was a spirit as they were.  There, he delivered a message or made them an offer of salvation, which at least some of them accepted.

What do you think?  Both interpretations answer some questions, but confront us many with others that simply cannot be answered with the knowledge we now have.

In addition, there are various other interpretations, which we will not consider today.  These include:  The Lord descending into hell to triumph over Satan, the preaching of Christ being an announcement of condemnation, not salvation, that the spirits in prison were heathens who lived according to the light they had, but were idolaters, etc.   

Putting those unanswerable questions aside, let's consider something else.  Why does Peter use this particular example of man's wickedness (willful unbelief) and God's longsuffering before judgment (120 years)?  Surely, in the course of time there are many known examples; so why this one? 

It may be because of what Jesus revealed to the apostles before the crucifixion:

Matthew 24:37-39 – For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.  For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

In the days of Noah, only 8 people were 'brought safely through the water' while the wicked majority perished.  As God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11), I imagine the grief of Father God was evident in the words of Jesus that day. 

Is it possible that the awful magnitude of that tragedy really hit home with Peter as he considered that his generation was heading the same direction?  Does he mention the incident of Noah in his own epistle because it is a dire warning?    

Later, Peter does make mention of the fact (2 Peter 3:9) that God is 'longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance'. 

So perhaps this is more than just an ordinary example.  It may be a solemn warning to both Christians and unbelievers.  If we are warned about this by Moses (who wrote Genesis), then Jesus and finally Peter, I suggest we pay careful attention to the message presented here.  

I Peter 3:21 – Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

The focus of this verse is the actual water itself – the flood water and the water used in baptism.  Peter indicates that when the righteous were saved through the flood, it was a prophetic antitype of baptism.    

It was the water which saved Noah and his family from death by bearing up the ark.  But it should be noted that the only reason they were in the ark in the first place, was because their hearts were righteous before God.  Thus, being in the ark was an outward sign of their repentance. 

In the same way, water baptism is an outward sign that a person has experienced true repentance of the heart.  The man (or woman) being baptized has acknowledged his sinful state, is trusting in the blood of Christ to cleanse him, is turning from sin, and is dedicating himself to God.   

So in both cases, water is associated/connected with salvation, but it is not the CAUSE of it.  Rather, we see that a right heart before God was the cause of the salvation. 

Please do not fall into the trap of believing that salvation can be obtained through the mere physical act of water baptism!  The actual act of baptism cannot save you, apart from a relationship with Jesus!

Peter goes on to confirm this for us.  He declares that the outward immersion (or sprinkling) by water removes dirt from the body, but that is all it can do.  Salvation is a cleansing of the soul.  It is a 'good conscience' or a right relationship with God which can only be achieved by renouncing sin and accepting the blood of the resurrected Christ as the atonement for sin.  Once this is done, God requires us to be baptized as a public confession of our faith.   

I Peter 3:22 – who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Jesus, our ultimate example of righteous suffering was rewarded when his work was finished.  He has been seated at the right hand of Father God, with all angles, authorities and powers being subject to him (Ephesians 1:21, Philippians 2:9-10).

The man or woman of God who is suffering righteously can take hope from this example.  Indeed, to dwell on this thought can bring comfort in the midst of all trials.  Jesus enters heaven victoriously.  He represents a cessation from further troubles and suffering as well as advancement to the highest personal dignity.  These gifts will be given to the faithful in Christ as well, when they too victoriously enter into all that God has prepared for them.   

Let me offer you some encouragement:

Due to the culture we now find ourselves in, you may subject to righteous suffering.  In other words, people may oppose or persecute you because you stand for Christ and his truth.  If this occurs, do not think that it is a strange occurrence.  The same thing has happened to many believers, including those of Peter's day. 

During your suffering, do all you can to magnify the name of Jesus.  And be encouraged by his example – one day you too will be vindicated and enter heaven victoriously!

Let me offer you some relief:

Are you suffering punitively (because you have sinned/done wrong and are being justly punished for it)?  If so, forgiveness can be yours through the blood of Jesus.  Even if you have done something unlawful and society has imprisoned you, you can still find meaning and fulfillment in life, through Christ Jesus. 

Seek him today.  Dedicate your life to him, and he will bring you satisfaction no matter what your circumstances.

Let me offer you some strength:

While we all receive Holy Spirit into our hearts upon salvation, there is also a greater measure of the Spirit available to all believers.  This impartation of power and strength comes with the baptism in the Holy Spirit, which is promised to all believers:

Acts 2:39 – For the promise [of the baptism of the Spirit] is unto you, and to your children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

If you have not been baptized in the Spirit, I encourage you to study the scriptures and learn about this gift.  It is still in operation today, and God wants to bless you with it!

 

 

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Galatians 6:1 – Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.  Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

This chapter contains the closing comments of Paul to the Galatian churches.  He speaks to them kindly, offering fatherly advice and encouraging them to watch out for each other spiritually. 

Paul plainly states that it is possible for Christians to be 'caught' in sin.  The actual root meaning for the word is exactly that – to be taken unaware or by surprise.

In other words, Christians do not plan to deliberately sin.  They set their hearts to purposely follow Jesus and his ways and to live holy lives that are pleasing to the Father (which is in opposition to walking in the flesh, as discussed in chapter five).

But in the midst of that, it is possible for a Christian to be snared by a sudden or unexpected temptation which they are not prepared for.  There are also cases where a Christian can be caught up in an episode of headstrong passion which leads to sin (we would call it 'the heat of the moment').  Paul is undoubtedly referring to some of the sins mentioned in 5:19-21 of this letter, which we covered in our last post.

When a brother does fall into sin, there are those in the church who can help.  These are the people who are 'spiritual'.  They are believers who have overcome temptations because they walk according to the Spirit.  They are qualified to go along side the transgressor and bring him back to the ways of righteousness.  Paul does not say exactly how this is to be done, but a combination of council, prayer, accountability and changes in action/behavior may all be warranted. 

What Paul does make clear is that this restoration cannot be done in anger or with an attitude of harsh judgment/discipline.  The transgressor is to be restored with an attitude of love, patience and gentleness.  While his/her sin is totally unacceptable, we don't need to martyr them in order to restore them.

The truth is that all Christians are liable to sin; anyone of us could be 'caught' in it at any time. 

I Corinthians 10:12-13 – Therefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.  There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man…

Notice that the result we are looking for in these situations is to restore or bring our brother back into his former condition – living in a righteous relationship with Christ as a fully functioning member of the church body.  This is a type of spiritual healing.  If we try to heal through accusation, condemnation or harsh judgment, we are likely to make our brother's injuries worse rather than better!

Keep in mind that our brother has been ambushed by the enemy.  It would be cruel indeed to treat him harshly when he is already suffering.  Rather, we should be moved by compassion and try to restore him with forgiveness.  But again, let us make the distinction that this directive of Paul refers to sins we are inadvertently caught up in.  It does not refer to instances of rebellion when we purposely choose to walk according to the flesh. 

We should be all the more willing to forgive and restore others in a spirit of meekness, when we consider that we too can be ensnared by our enemy and fail in our Christian walk.

Galatians 6:2 – Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

This directive of Paul can be taken one of two ways.

If we interpret it in light of the former verse, then we understand it to mean it is our duty to nurse our fallen brothers back to spiritual health.  If they have fallen into a sin or error and recognize their mistake, their sin is undoubtedly a weight or burden on their soul.  At that point, we should come alongside them to offer comfort, forgiveness and restoration.  We should be there to assist them in accountability, so as to avoid future lapses. 

Alternatively, if we consider this verse to be a new precept or command from the apostle, then we understand it to mean that we should sympathize with our Christian family anytime they are under a trial or affliction. 

Romans 12:15 – Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.

This would include seasons of financial hardship, illness, bereavement, etc. Perhaps his instructions can best be interpreted as a mandate for us to support the family of Christ at all times! 

When we support each other and help bear one another's burdens, Paul says we are fulfilling the law of Christ.  We cannot help but notice that he uses the phrase 'law of Christ' very strategically. 

Remember, the overall problem in Galatia is that some Christians have been led astray by false teachers, who have added the observance of Mosaic Law into the practice of Christianity.  But Paul has made it very clear that the grace of the gospel message does not include observance of the Mosaic Law.  The "law" that Christians need to observe is the one that Jesus gave us:  The law of loving one another/loving our neighbor. 

John 13:34 – A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:  just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

There is no way on earth that a person could fulfill the requirements of the Mosaic Law.  But Paul indicates that the law of Christ – the law of love – can indeed be fulfilled as we bear one another's burdens and assist each other in our Christian walk (Romans 15:1-3). 

Galatians 6:3 – For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Paul is still cautioning believers to exercise tenderness and compassion towards brothers or sisters that have fallen into sin.  He now particularly cautions the rest of the body to beware of the sins of pride and conceit.  He intimates that having a high opinion of ourselves will cause us to judge/condemn others without pity or compassion and make it impossible for us to restore them to the body. 

So, let's ask ourselves this important question:  What causes a person to think they are something, when they are really nothing?  Where does that pride come from?

The root of this pride can be found in the comparison of ourselves to others.  Let's consider an example.  Suppose that a fictitious Christian name Alice looks at the life of another fictitious Christian name Bertha.  Alice notes that Bertha has committed several sins which she considers to be 'big sins' such as murder and grand theft.  Alice then looks at her own life.  She determines that her own sins are 'small sins' such as lying or gossiping.  So, when she compares herself to Bertha, she considers herself to be a superior Christian.  She further determines that because of her superior spiritual walk, she would NEVER commit the 'big' sins of murder or theft.  By comparing herself to others, Alice is opening the door for spiritual pride and deception to enter her life. 

We further note that Alice has used faulty logic to reach her conclusion.  The truth is that sin is sin.  All sin is repulsive in the sight of God, regardless of how harmless we consider it to be.

• The truth is that ALL of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and ALL of us are saved by the grace of God alone (Ephesians 2:8). 

• The truth is that any one of us is capable of committing any sin (including murder) given the right set of circumstances.

• The truth is that when we give an account of ourselves before God, there won't be any comparisons with others.  We will be judged by our own stewardship (Romans 14:12). 

So, if we want to do any comparing, we need to compare ourselves to Christ alone.  When we do, we will realize just how sinful we are.  This will dispel any false notions of pride that we may have about ourselves. When we consider the reality of our own sinful state, it puts us in a position to restore our fallen brothers/sisters in a spirit of meekness and humility. 

Galatians 6:4-5 – But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.  For each will have to bear his own load.

Personally, I prefer the King James Version of this verse:

"But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.  For every man shall bear his own burden."

Rather than comparing himself to others, each Christian needs to examine his own life and conduct in light of the word of God.  If he finds that he is on the right path, that the Spirit is producing fruit in him, that he is being made over into the image of Christ, and he has a sure assurance of heaven, then he has a true reason to rejoice.  He has found a source of pure joy in his life. 

Because the source of this joy/rejoicing is within himself, it cannot be taken away.  No matter what may happen in his life, the enemy cannot rob him of this joy.  Neither can the opinion (good or bad) of others affect it.

On the other hand, if a Christian finds joy by comparing himself to others, then his joy is always dependent on the outcome of that comparison.  He can be joyful only when others approve of him and he will certainly be miserable when they disapprove of him.  His joy/rejoicing is subject to change as often as the fickle opinions of man change.

We should never forget that each of us will 'bear our own load' or reap the rewards/judgments of our own actions in this life, regardless of what others do.

Galatians 6:6 – Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.

It is quite likely that there were a number of false teachers circulating among the Galatian churches.  Once they found out that they had been deceived, the Galatians' love for the word of God and ministers of the gospel had naturally grown cold.  In response, they stopped giving offerings to the church. 

While this was understandable, it had to change.  There were many true gospel preachers ministering to the flock of Christ, and they relied on the support of the church.  So Paul now exhorts the Galatians to perform this part of their Christian duty;   good and faithful pastors/ministers should be financially supported by those they minister to. 

As for those of us who benefit from their teaching, let us remind ourselves that no earthly sum can make up for what we receive in the spiritual realm from these men and women of God, who have dedicated their time to the work of the gospel.  It is only fitting that we share in their support.

Galatians 6:7 – Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

This particular exhortation from the apostle is very weighty and complex.  But first and foremost, it must be interpreted in the context of the chapter, which is the financial support of ministers. 

Here is the situation:

• It was the duty of the Galatian Christians to support their local church and ministers.

• Some of the Galatian believers apparently chose to stop or withhold their financial support. 

• These people no doubt provided a lot of seemingly plausible excuses for this action to their fellow brothers and sisters in the church.

• These excuses may have included things like:

• I have bills to pay. 
• I need to save for retirement. 
• I am going to buy a house. 
• Times are uncertain. 
• I don't want my money to support false teachers. 
• Etc, etc, etc.

In the eyes of their fellow Christians, these excuses seemed legitimate. 

Here is the problem: 

While these excuses seemed legitimate to their fellow brothers and sisters, they were unacceptable in the eyes of God.  So, this is how the Galatians deceived themselves:  They believed that their excuses exempted them from doing their duty before God. 

What is the meaning of 'God will not be mocked'?

To mock means to imitate or mimic in sport or contempt.  We are all familiar with this definition.  But the word also means to disappoint the hopes of; to deceive or tantalize.  So while these Christians convinced their fellow brothers and sisters that they had no resources to help support the ministry, they could not fool God in the same way.  They could not mock or deceive him.

Why were their excuses unacceptable to God?

Well, let's examine the thoughts and motivations of the Galatians.  As we have already established, it was their duty to financially support the ministers of their local church, but for various reasons, they stopped doing their duty.  In their eyes, giving money to the church was like putting it into a black hole – it just vanished.  In their opinion, they received nothing in exchange for it.  They truly believed that whatever they gave to the church was lost to them.  Therefore, they simply weren't going to give anymore; they were going to keep their resources for themselves.

But they overlooked the most fundamental truth of supporting the gospel:  We give to God, not to man.  The gospel is to be supported through the tithes and offerings that God has instructed us to give to him.   

Malachi 3:10 - Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

This truth has some pretty far reaching consequences and rewards.

Because we give to God and not to man, we don't need to be devastated if a false minister misuses some of that money.  Obviously, we can and should do all we can not to be fooled, but it may just happen on occasion.  But even in those instances, our conscience is clear and our reward is sure, because we gave to God in faith.  If that other person stole or misused the money, he stole it from God; and God will deal with him.  This was probably one of the main concerns of the Galatian Christians.     

Because we give to God and not to man, we don't need to fear that we will not have enough for our personal needs.  It is true that you are to be a wise steward over what you have.   But even if we make some bad financial decisions, we can count on our heavenly Father to help us.  God is Jehovah Jireh, our provider and he is more than capable of making sure our needs are met.  When we honor him with our obedient giving, he makes sure we have enough to meet all our needs.

I will personally testify to you right now, that this is true!  My spouse and I have always tithed and God has always provided everything that was needed, without exception.  I could give you example after example, if time and space allowed!  But let me leave you with this thought: Try it yourself.  If you do not pay tithes into your local church, speak to God about it and begin to give.  Watch and see what happens!   

Because we give to God and not to man, God's laws of sowing and reaping apply to what we give. 

Luke 6:38 - Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your lap. For with the same measure that you measure it shall be measured to you again.

As you are probably aware, entire books have been written about the implications of the verses we have just mentioned.  Obviously, we can't examine them at length in this blog post.  But I hope that I have stirred up your memory and your curiosity in regards to this subject.  I encourage you to do some further reading and research.

In the meantime, know this:  Supporting the gospel is not throwing your money into a black hole.  It is sowing seed which will result in a harvest, for both you and the kingdom of heaven.  Please remind yourself that when you support the gospel, you are giving to God, not man.  And God will always reward you.  

Now, we cannot move away from this verse without noting that while Paul used this truth in the immediate context of supporting the church, it is a spiritual principle which applies to every aspect of life.  

In other words, if you plant corn seeds, what do you get – obviously, a harvest of corn (Genesis 1:11-12, 21, 24). 

If you sow mercy and kindness, what do you get in return?  That's right – mercy and kindness for yourself (Matthew 5:7)!   

God's laws of sowing and reaping cannot be overturned (Genesis 8:22).  So consider carefully where you are sowing your time, attention and resources.  Carefully consider the values and principles you are sowing into your children and grandchildren.  Give heed to the seeds you sow with your mouth!

Galatians 6:8 – For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Again, the laws of sowing and reaping apply here.  A man who sows or invests all that he has in this life without any regard for the next, will indeed gather fruit corresponding to the seed he has sown.  He may reap immense personal wealth and every good thing found in this life.  But these things are corrupt and temporary.  They are tainted with sin and will soon pass away.  The man who sows to his flesh will have nothing in the next life. 

But the man (or woman) who sows seed into the kingdom of heaven will reap a reward both now and in the next life.  They will harvest riches that can never rust, fade away or be stolen (Luke 12:33-34). 

Paul is probably also making an overall conclusion to his earlier teaching.  Circumcision of the flesh (any attempt to keep the law) is futile.  Those who sow into this system will reap corruption/death, because they cannot keep the law.  But those who are circumcised in the heart by the Spirit of God will certainly reap eternal life through the blood of Christ. 

Let me offer you some encouragement:

Back in the book of Genesis, Cain asks the question, "Am I my brother's keeper?"  (Genesis 4:9).  The real answer to his question is 'yes'.  When one of our brothers or sisters in Christ falls into sin, it is our job to meekly come along side them to assist in their restoration to the body of Christ. 

This is an important function of the church which requires time, effort, patience and love.  If you are presented with an opportunity to restore a brother or sister, I encourage you not to turn away from it.  It is a work that will be well pleasing to God. 

Let me offer you some relief and strength:

In this post, we talked about the laws of sowing and reaping.  Maybe you haven't sown the best seed into your life.   But that doesn't mean your situation is hopeless.  Cry out to God in prayer.  Renounce the bad seed that you have sown with your mouth, your actions and your attitudes.  Then begin the process of sowing good things into your life.  Here is a promise that you can stand on:

Joel 2:25 - And I [God] will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, and the consuming locust, and the cutting locust, my great army which I sent among you.

If you are alive and reading this blog right now then it is NOT too late to begin sowing seeds in the kingdom of heaven!  So get started today!

  

 

 

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Galatians 5:15-17 – But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

In verses 14-15, Paul was admonishing us to love our neighbors as ourselves as opposed to biting and devouring one another.  In other words, we should not be contending with one another or pitting ourselves against each other.   

It appears as though this was a problem among the Galatians.  They were full of pride, anger, slander, envy and ill will towards each other.  They were doing the exact opposite of loving their neighbors as themselves!

This approach to life has some serious consequences.  As the Galatians oppose each other, they 'devour' their opponent's mental health, physical health, character, peace and resources.  Meanwhile, their opponent is doing the same thing to them; they are destroying each other. 

If Christians are busy fighting each other, how can they unite together to fight against Satan?  How can they focus on winning souls for Christ?  How can they love and disciple new believers?  The obvious answer is - they can't!  This was a very real problem for the Galatians.  It is also something we need to guard against today.

If we fight against each other, we make Satan's job easy – he can just sit back and watch us destroy ourselves.  But if we are willing to overlook offences and stay unified in the Spirit, we can win the world for Christ!   

Ephesians 4:2-3 - With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Maintaining Christian peace and unity takes effort.  Here's why:  Each one of us has a constant struggle between our flesh and our spirit.  Our flesh, the fallen, carnal part of our being, is constantly opposing all of the righteous, holy things that our Spirit longs to do.  By the same token, our Spirit, which has been made new through Christ, strives to take authority over all the ugly sinful things our flesh desires to do.   As long as we are in this world, we can expect to deal with this struggle. 

Now that we recognize the problem, what can we do about it?

Paul gives us the answer.  If we will walk by the Spirit, we will not gratify our fleshly desires. 

Holy Spirit himself dwells in the hearts of all Christians.  He is standing by to guide and assist us in subduing our flesh.  For our part, we must set our will to act under his guidance and influence.   This is not a one-time thing.  We need to practice living our lives under his direction every day. 

Here is a promise we can cling to:  While walking by the Spirit will not completely remove the pull of our own corrupt nature, it will keep us from fulfilling the lustful desires that seek to overtake/dominate us.  

So feed your Spirit, not your flesh.  Read the word.  Pray in the Spirit and with your understanding.  Ask the Spirit to help you make important decisions in your life.  Then do what he recommends!

Galatians 5:18-19 – But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace.

If the Galatians will return to the true gospel message of grace in Christ and permit themselves to be influenced or governed by Holy Spirit, he will lead them into a state of freedom and holiness that they could never obtain under the law. 

Believers who live according to the leading of the Spirit find the desire, will and ability to choose righteousness over the lusts of the flesh.  What we cannot do in our own power, Holy Spirit makes possible through his power.

Again, if we walk according to the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of our flesh (fallen nature).

Galatians 5:19 – Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,

Having made the distinction between walking in the Spirit and walking according to the flesh, Paul now tells the Galatians how they can be assured which path they are on.  All they need to do is examine the fruit that is being produced in their lives, because the scripture tells us that 'by their fruits you shall know them' (Matthew 7:16-20) 

There is no need for us to define the specific terms Paul uses here in verse 19.  We are all familiar with sexual sins.  Sadly, they are rampant not only in our society, but in the church as well.  Those who practice these sins are walking in the flesh.  They are not being led by the Spirit. 

If you are among the Christians who practice sexual immorality in thought, word or deed, I beg you to stop and consider what you are doing. 

These types of sin do tremendous damage to you and those around you.  They kill healthy relationships, wreck marriages and destroy families.  They can bring physical illness and financial hardship.  They certainly bring emotional damage to everyone involved.   They put a wedge between you and the Lord; by entertaining these things in your life you prevent the Lord from blessing you. 

In fact, the bible declares that God chastises or corrects his children.  That's what you are setting yourself up for when you live in sexual sin.  But don't take my word for it; search the scriptures.  See what they reveal about the life of King David.

Even though David was a child of God, he chose to walk according to his flesh.  As you well know, he fell into sexual sin with Bathsheba, wife of Uriah the Hittite.  Then, instead of confessing his sin and repenting, he tried to cover it up.  When that didn't work he actually committed murder in an effort to hide his sin.  Did God bless David for that?  No, he did not!  God had to bring correction/punishment to him.

2 Samuel 12:10-11 - Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house; because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.  Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them unto your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

David's sin had physical, emotional and financial consequences for his entire family and his kingdom too.  If you are a child of God and you are choosing to live in the realm of sexual sins thinking that God is okay with that, you are wrong.  God will withhold blessings from you and bring loving discipline to your situation. 

You also need to ask yourself what kind of a testimony you are presenting in front of others.  The prophet Nathan said that David's behavior gave "great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme" (2 Samuel 12:14).   

When you claim to be a child of God but live in rebellion to his commands, what are you telling the world about your Lord?  Aren't you really saying that God doesn't take sin seriously or that he judges unfairly?  Aren't you mocking his mandates for personal holiness?  Aren't you telling the world that they have no real need to repent? Aren't you, like David, giving the world a reason to blaspheme the Lord? 

Consider this:  When Jesus confronted the woman caught in adultery, his final words to her were very specific:

John 8:11 - … Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn you: GO AND SIN NO MORE.

Listen, I am not trying to condemn you.  Believe me, I have my own sins to consider! I just want to give you a loving warning – live by the Spirit.  Get rid of sexual sins in your life. 

Galatians 5:20-21 – idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.  I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Again, Paul is admonishing the Galatians to examine the fruit in their lives to determine whether they are walking by the Spirit or by the flesh. 

Idols/idolatry:  Idolatry originally meant the worship of idols, or the worship of false gods by means of idols.  Eventually, among the Old Testament Hebrews it came to mean worship of any false god by images or any other means.

Some of the most common idols were items found in nature such as trees, rivers or animals.  Specific idols/false gods that fall into this category include Dagon, Beelzebub, Ashima, Nibhazz, Ashtaroth, and the golden calves at Bethel.

The worship of heavenly bodies was also a common form of idolatry.  Examples would include worship of the sun (Ra), the moon (Luna or Astarte), Venus (goddess of beauty), Mars (god of war and husbandry), etc. 

Worship of these idols often included such practices as giving them offerings made by fire, pouring out drink offerings to them (libations), giving them tithes or first fruits, setting tables of food before them, kissing the idols or blowing them kisses, stretching out their hands in adoration, kneeling or prostrating before the idol, dancing before or around an altar which was sometimes accompanied by cutting themselves with knives, offering their children as sacrifices, sexual orgies, etc.

Now, I know what you are probably thinking – "I haven't bowed down before a golden calf today, so this does not apply to me."  But don't be too hasty in your conclusions. 

Ultimately, in the New Testament, idolatry came to mean not only giving a creature the honor and devotion which belongs to God alone, but giving any human desire precedence over God and his will (I Corinthians 10:13-14, I Peter 4:3).

Colossians 3:5 - Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry:   

There are actually many modern day idols such as sports, money, entertainment, our spouse/children, hobbies or even work!

Take a moment to examine yourself and your life.  Do you have hours and hours to spend making money, but no time to pray for 20 minutes a day?  Are you so busy and involved with your hobbies that you can't hear Holy Spirit nudging you towards good works?  Do you ever go an entire day without praising God and reading his word?  Do you walk right by hurting people because you are completely focused on your own agenda?  If so, you may have an idol.  If you have an idol, you are walking according to the flesh, not the Spirit.   

Sorcery or witchcraft: The Greek word used here is the same word from which we get the word 'pharmacy'.  It refers to medicine, poison or magic potions.  It also includes the practice of magic arts or enchantment, because the 'potion' was generally administered along with some kind of magical incantation which invoked assistance from evil spirits.   

The main focus of sorcery is to achieve something you want.  You might desire for a particular person to love you, to be healed of a disease, to obtain something you covet, or the death/destruction of an enemy. 

By using sorcery, you show a willingness to get what you want by acting apart from God's principles (true religion).  You are willing to use fleshly, carnal or evil means to get what you desire; even partnering with demons.

If the Galatians are practicing sorcery, they are not walking according to the Spirit. 

Again, you might be saying to yourself, "No problem here.  I haven't sacrificed a goat in the middle of a pentagram today."  But don't be too hasty to reach this conclusion! 

At its most basic level, sorcery is actually a distrust of God and adherence to a false religion.  It represents our efforts to manage our own affairs, because we don't believe that God can (or will) take care of us.  Just like idolatry, sorcery is a form of elevating our desires over God's will for us.

For example, let's suppose there is a job opening at your work place.  It would be a promotion for you; this position would give you more money, more opportunities and more authority.  There is nothing wrong with your desire for that job.  There is nothing wrong with putting your best foot forward and praying to receive it. 

But if you start doing things like spreading rumors about the other applicants, or 'calling in favors', or threatening to quit, or plotting and scheming, etc, what are you doing?  In essence, you are elevating your own desires to the forefront, even if they conflict with God's principles or his will for you.  By your machinations, you are saying that you don't believe that God can/will grant you this promotion; you don't trust him to give you what is best for you.  You are unwilling to accept his providence in your life. 

Elevating our own desires above God and his will for our life (idolatry) or using carnal powers to manage our own affairs outside of the principles of God (sorcery) are indications that we are walking according to the flesh, not the Spirit.         

Enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness and orgies:  What do these things have in common?

• They indicate that we are walking in the flesh. 
• They are pleasing to Satan and offensive to God. 
• They defile your body and darken your soul. 
• They bring shame to religion and the gospel message.
• They furnish irrefutable proof of the depravity of fallen man; they are the works of human nature when left to its own devices. 
• They declare, with absolute and utter certainty, that the human heart must be changed or it cannot be saved.

This was true for the Galatians and it is true for us.   

Our hope of salvation lies not in our human ability, but in the shed blood of Jesus which alone can atone for our sin and make us righteous in the sight of God.  Through the ministry of the indwelling Spirit of God, we can reject these fruits of sin and instead produce fruits of righteousness.       

Galatians 5:22-23 – but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Interestingly, the virtues Paul enumerates here are not the result of our own hearts, even after they have been renewed.  They are attributed to only one source – the operation of Holy Spirit in our lives. 

We are not going to simply examine the definitions of these graces.  You can look them up yourself, if you are unfamiliar with them.  Instead, let us draw some general truths which we can apply to our own lives.

Growth in grace and holiness is the best security against fulfilling the desires of the flesh.  As Paul indicated, if you want to avoid sin, the best way to do that is to walk daily in the Spirit.

If you desire to constantly walk in the Spirit, you should strive to avoid whatever grieves him.  Instead, bend your will to his; yield to godly promptings.  Lean into Holy Spirit's guidance and teaching.

Anyone who owns a fruit tree understands that fruit is the highest form of development or achievement for that plant.  All the parts of the tree (roots, leaves, branches) are engineered for a single purpose – to produce that piece of fruit.  The production of fruit indicates a state of maturity. 

So it is with the Christian.  To have the fruit of the Spirit produced in our lives is the highest form of development we can achieve here on earth.  It indicates a state of maturity in our Christian walk.  It is the final result of all the circumstances that God has engineered in our lives.  If our roots are truly in Christ, fruit will be produced in our lives.  

Fruit does not instantly spring forth from a tree.  It grows slowly over time.  Likewise, the fruit of the Spirit grows in our lives little by little over time.  A good indicator is to ask yourself this question:  Do I have more peace (or joy, or patience, or kindness, etc) today than I did six months ago?  Or a year ago?  If your answer is 'yes', then the Spirit has been working in your life.

Not all fruit grows at the same rate of speed.  Lemons may take longer than peaches, which may take longer than plums.  You may find that the Spirit quickly produces faithfulness in your life, while self control may take a bit longer.  This is not reason to despair.  Holy Spirit will continue his work in your life until the day when God calls you home. 

Galatians 5:24 – And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 

Those who are true disciples of Christ have crucified, subdued or to some degree mortified their fleshly corruptions/carnal lusts and sinful passions.  It cannot be done once and for all, but is a daily way of life to those who are controlled by the Spirit. 

Although our fallen nature will not be completely removed until the next life, it has no right to exercise dominion over those who are found in Christ. 

Galatians 5:25-26 – If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

If the Spirit of God lives in us, and we willingly partner with him, he will manifest himself through our actions, attitudes and words. 

The world will know that we are Christians by the life they see us living.  We will be a light to the world, drawing them to freedom in Christ.  

Matthew 5:16 - Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

We should all be on our guard against pride and envy, which drives a wedge between brothers and dishonors the name of Christ.  

Let me offer you some encouragement:

Each one of us has a constant struggle between our flesh and our spirit.  We can't completely remove the influence of our fallen nature, but we can drastically lessen its effects.  We do this by feeding our spirit, not our flesh.  I encourage you to make time for spiritual disciplines including bible reading, prayer, intercession for the lost, witnessing and even fasting. 

Let me offer you some relief:

As a Christian, you should see evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in your life.  But don't make the mistake of comparing your fruit to that of another.  God has created each one of us as individuals, and Holy Spirit works with each one of us individually in the production of his fruit.  You may have a very easy time cultivating bushels of gentleness, while it takes me a very long time to even produce a bloom!  The key is to compare yourself to yourself – make sure that over time, you see growth in your life. 

Let me offer you some strength:

Perhaps you have some things in your life that need to be pruned away, like the sexual sins we spoke about earlier.  That can be very difficult to do as they involve another person.  But let me assure you, if you begin to bring this issue before God, and you truly want to repent and change, God will give you the wisdom and strength to properly deal with your situation. 

I suggest that after a season of prayer, you seek wise council from a pastor or elder at your church.  They can give you practical direction on how to break off sinful sexual relationships with as little damage as possible to your partner and those around you.

   

  

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Hello!  I hope you enjoyed our last study on the book of II Peter.  Rather than beginning a new book, we are going to spend the last few weeks of summer by looking at some of the Psalms. 

A study of the entire book would be quite an undertaking – at 150 chapters it would take years!  Instead, we will spread them out over time, examining a few here and there. 

Our look at the Psalms will be a bit different from our study of other biblical books.  Since this is a book of poetry/songs, we are going to read and reflect on the main concepts, rather than intently studying every aspect of it.  So let's relax and meditate on our wonderful heavenly Father!

Psalms 4:1 – Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!  You have given me relief when I was in distress.  Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

Psalms 3 and 4 were composed by King David.  It appears as though they were written as a pair – the third Psalm being sung in morning worship, and the fourth Psalm sung as the evening worship of the same day.

The circumstances under which this song was written are not specifically revealed in the song itself, however, both Jewish interpreters and Christian expositors are in agreement that it was written during the rebellion of Absalom (see II Samuel 13-19 for the complete story).

Let's consider that for a moment.  We are well aware that David was not perfect.  We also know that he had a lot of family problems, especially with his kids.  Perhaps our first reflection is that following Jesus does not guarantee a trouble-free life!

How should we respond to the trouble that is sure to cross our path?  David says "Answer me when I call, O God".   To call on God means to pray; to reach out to the one who holds our future in his hands. He formed us in our mother's womb; he knows when we sit down, when we rise up, and every word we speak before it passes our lips.  He knows the number of hairs on our head and he knows the plans he has for us.  What a comfort to call upon God in prayer knowing that he is bigger than any problem we face. Hallelujah!  

Here is one of the wonderful things about prayer:  It is as individual as each one of us!  No two people pray in the same manner.  Some people are very formal when they pray, while others are more relaxed.  Some people like to walk around while some kneel or sit.  Some speak loudly, while others whisper.  We can pray with our understanding and we can pray in the Spirit.  Sometimes, when our grief or pain is extremely intense we only have to call out his name – Jesus – and he is there to comfort us, bringing peace and strength. 

I really hope that you are not embarrassed or ashamed of the way you pray.  I hope you don't compare your prayers to the prayers of others.  I hope you are not afraid to pray out loud in front of other people.  Since your relationship with God is unique, it only makes sense that your prayer life will be also.  Just relax and talk to your Father in whatever way seems natural to you.     

Aren't you glad that you have a relationship with God?  Aren't you glad that Jesus paid the price for your sin, so you can go boldly into the throne room of God and obtain help in the times of trouble?

Hebrews 4:16 - Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

Why can David so confidently bring his petitions before the Lord?  Because he knows from experience that "You have given me relief when I was in distress."  In other words, God not only hears our prayers, he answers them! 

Take a few moments right now to reflect on that: 

• What is the biggest prayer that God answered for you?  Think back and remember the times when you thought there was no possible answer to your dilemma, but God stunned you by making a way. 

• Now, consider the smallest, seemingly insignificant prayer that God answered for you.  Isn't it amazing that he cares about every aspect of your life?  Isn't it incredible that he wants to be involved in everything that concerns you, whether big or small?  God is so good!

As you reflect on the answers to past prayers, let it fuel your faith for your current situation.  God answered you in the past and he will do it again.

Psalms 4:2 –O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?  How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?  Selah.

Switching subjects, David now poetically addresses his adversaries - those engaged in persecuting him.  In his case, that would be Absalom and his followers who had caused David to flee Jerusalem.  They want to see David running for his life, reduced to poverty and shame, while they rise up to claim the authority and honor of his throne.

But these wicked men are making a big mistake.  Their evil desires are vain and hopeless.  Ultimately, they will be unsuccessful.  Why is that? 

It's because they ignored the fact that David did not anoint himself as king – GOD did!  The wicked plans of man cannot over rule the purposes of God.  No matter how hard these men tried, they were not going to take the kingdom from David.  Fighting against David was like fighting against God himself. 

What a comforting thought!  Even now there are evil forces at work in the world that want to steal the blessings God has set aside for you (and for America).  They will try to discourage you, humiliate you and bring you to ruin.  They will throw roadblocks along your path.  They will even curse you, as Shimei did to David as he fled from Absalom (II Samuel 16:13).

But don't listen to them!  Your hope is in God.  He will lead you, sustain you and empower you to fulfill the unique destiny he has prepared for you.

In the natural realm, Absalom represented a very real and grievous threat to David's kingdom.  But in the spiritual realm, the only thing that could have caused David to lose the kingdom was…. David himself.  If he had given up hope or ceased to believe the promises of God, Absalom would indeed have usurped the throne.  However, as David continued to trust in God, the plans of his adversaries were thwarted. 

God is standing by to do the same for you.  Seek him, place your faith in him, and obey what he commands you to do.  Victory will be yours!

Psalms 4:3 – But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.

Do you have some special possession that you cherish?  Think about that item as you ask yourself these questions:  What makes it special?  Is it valuable?  Is it one of a kind?  Is it beautiful?  Does it bring you joy?  Does it remind you of someone you love?

David tells us that God considers YOU a precious treasure that he has set apart for himself!  You are special to God.  God considers you priceless.  I know that because he spent the blood of his only Son just to buy you back from sin.  You are one of a kind.  God has made billions of people yet each one of us have different DNA and different fingerprints.  You were not made on an assembly line, you were custom made by your Father.  Are you beautiful?  Of course you are!  Don't judge yourself by the shallow and ever-changing beauty standards of mankind.  God loves beauty and everything he creates contains it. Do you bring joy to God?  You sure do!

Isaiah 62:5 - … as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

Know this:  God has set YOU aside for himself.  He has set his favor upon you.  He has created you to be a living temple, full of his Spirit, reflecting his glory.  He has chosen you to represent him in this generation, and to exercise His authority on earth.  He has given you the keys to his kingdom and power over the enemy.  Obviously, when you call out to him, he is going to hear you!

Psalms 4:4 – Be angry and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.  Selah.

"Be angry" can also be translated "Stand in awe".  David is calling upon us to consider the awesome holiness, character and power of God.  When we consider the character and nature of God, it should make us painfully aware of our own sin.   It should inspire us to be more holy.

What facet of God's character is most precious to you?  Is it his righteousness?  His mercy?  His perfection?  His love?  His wisdom?  It's hard to choose just one, isn't it?  And just think – these are the parts of God that we know about.  I have a feeling there is much more to be discovered!

David also encourages us to soberly examine our own hearts/lives.  What have we said and done today?  Were our actions, thoughts and words pleasing to the Lord?  Did they encourage and edify others?  Did they lead sinners to the light of Jesus Christ?   If not, what changes can we make? 

I have to add this final thought:  Examining our own lives is essential, but doing so in bed may not be such a good idea.  Personally, I would be asleep in three minutes!

Psalms 4:5 – Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.

Let's talk about sacrifice for a minute.  To sacrifice means to give up something of importance or value for the sake of other considerations. 

Obviously, this is a concept presented all throughout scripture, with Jesus as the ultimate example.  God gave up something of importance or value to himself in order to redeem you and me. 

Let's consider the nature of sacrifices.  In the New Testament, Jesus watched people putting money into the offering plate at the temple.  He declared that a widow who gave a penny had sacrificed more than others who put in $100 (Mark 12:41-44). 

According to Jesus, the value of the sacrifice was based on how much it cost the giver.  In other words, the man who gave $100 wasn't going to miss it much, so it wasn't a costly sacrifice for him.  Meanwhile, the widow literally had nothing so the penny she placed in the plate was all she had to sustain herself.  For that reason, it was a very costly sacrifice indeed. 

Here is another example.  King David was in the midst of a huge crisis.  An avenging angel was destroying the people of Israel.  David knew that a proper sacrifice to the Lord could stop the judgment.  At that point, one of his subjects offered him a tract of land and some excellent oxen for free; David could sacrifice them immediately.  But David refused the offer: 

II Samuel 24:24 – But the king [David] said to Araunah… "I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing."

David understood the concept of a 'right' sacrifice.  If there was no true cost to David then his sacrifice would have been just like the $100 given to the temple by the rich man.  It would not have caused God to stop the avenging angel.

But David paused and purchased the land and oxen from Araunah at full price.  As a result, the sacrifice was legitimate, and it was accepted by God.    

What is the nature of your sacrifice to God?  Are you giving him time, money or talents that you wouldn't miss anyway, or does your sacrifice represent a true cost?

Psalms 4:6-7 – There are many who say, "Who will show us some good?  Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!"  You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.

How do sinners like Absalom define 'good'?  They look for the fleeting honors and pleasures of this life, such as food, drink, entertainment and economic stability.   They look no further than the comforts of the flesh.

But true believers know that these things are of no value without a right relationship to God.  What good is the security of this life, unless one has eternal security for their soul?

Matthew 16:26 - For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  

Would you give anything in exchange for your eternal soul?  NO WAY!  There may be times when you are tempted to envy the material possessions of others.  But don't take Satan's bait! 

As David indicates, true joy comes when God turns his face towards us and we have a relationship with him.  For the Christian, nothing can compare to the richness and exhilaration of a life lived with Christ.   This kind of life is not tied to how much money you make, where you live, or what you eat.  It is for anyone and everyone!

Psalms 4:8 – In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. 

As Christians, we should be able to lay down at night and get some rest, free of worry about our enemies and their plans. 

• We do this by releasing our fears and concerns to God through prayer and worship. 
• We do this by using our shield of faith to repel the fiery darts of worry and anxiety that Satan tries to launch at us at 2 am!   
• We do this by using the sword of the Spirit (the word of God) against the lies of the enemy. 

God has given us the tools for a good night's sleep - let's use them!

But consider this as well:  Sleep is also a euphemism for death.  At some point, you and I will go to 'sleep' on earth and wake up in heaven.  As believers, we are safe and secure in the knowledge that God has prepared a place for us in his eternal kingdom, where we will live in his presence forevermore! 

Let me offer you some encouragement: 

We all know there are struggles in this life.  But let's rise above that.  Let's be like David – let's worship in the morning, preparing ourselves to serve Christ that day.  And let's worship him in the evening, knowing that we rest in the peace and safety of our Lord and Savior.  Before you know it, God will be calling us home to heaven!

Let me offer you some relief:

I want to reiterate this once again:  YOU are special to God!  He values you no matter what (or how many) mistakes you made.  He loves you so much, he sacrificed his only Son in order to win you back from the clutches of Satan!  There is no sin he won't forgive.   

So don't let anyone tell you that you have no value or that you are worthless; those are the lies of your enemy.  Enter into the courts of the Lord and allow him to reveal to you just how much he cares!      

Let me offer you some strength:

Absalom seemed to have everything the world offered.  He was young, handsome, rich and well connected.  He had the support of many people.  And for a while, it looked like he had the upper hand.  But he could not take the throne of his father, because God had reserved that just for David.    

God also has blessings reserved for you.  No one can take them from you, unless you give up and allow that to happen.  So stand strong and claim the promises that God has placed within your heart!

 

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Galatians 4:17 – They make much of you, but for no good purpose.  They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. 

In this verse, "they" refers to the Jewish teachers that have led the Galatians astray, claiming that works of the law must be added to grace in order to receive salvation. 

Paul is explaining to the Galatians that these false teachers 'make much of you', or in other words, they pretend to have great love and affection for you by being overly concerned with your welfare and everything that affects you.  But their love is as false as their teachings.  It was all a charade, masking their hidden agenda.  Their real goal was to drive a wedge between Paul and the Galatians.

Why would they want to do that? 

If they could destroy that relationship, then the Galatians would automatically reject Paul's doctrine of grace (justification by faith).  Naturally, the Galatians would then follow the leadership of the false teachers, who would bring them into bondage by attempting to mix grace with works of the law.    

Rejecting the doctrine of grace would also cut the Galatians off from the true body/church of Jesus Christ.  If that happened, the only option left to them would be to give total devotion to the false teachers and their corrupt doctrine.  Again, the false teachers would get exactly what they wanted.  It was a diabolical and brilliant plan, and the Galatians fell for it hook, line and sinker!    

Make no mistake - this is a serious issue.  Unless someone opens the eyes of the Galatians, they will be fooled by false teachers and lose/forfeit their salvation. 

This is why Holy Spirit brings Paul back into the situation.  Out of a fatherly spirit of love and devotion, Paul reveals the truth to the Galatians.  In so doing, he accomplishes several things:   

• He opens their eyes to the deception that has trapped them. 
• He opens up a way of reconciliation between himself and the Galatians. 
• He makes it possible for the Galatians to return to justification by faith.   

Galatians 4:18 – It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you,

Zeal or ardent love and concern for others are good things, as long as it is for a just purpose.  As we recall, back in verse 15 the Galatians had such a zeal and love for Paul and the gospel.  They were willing to "gouge out" their own eyes and give them to Paul if that were possible.  This was a good thing because the Galatians had pure motives.  Unlike the false teachers, they had no hidden agenda or ulterior motive. 

But the Galatians had abandoned their righteous zeal for Paul and the gospel, almost immediately after he left them.  Paul reasons that he was a good man and worthy of their affections when he was present with them; likewise he is a good man and worthy of their affections when he was absent from them.  Since that was the case, they would do well to continue in their relationship with him and to continue in grace.   

 Galatians 4:19 –my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!

For his part, Paul continues to have a sincere, ardent love for the Galatian believers.  He has a genuine and pure concern for them, similar to what a natural father would have for his fleshly offspring.  Paul refers to this love when he addresses them as 'my little children'.  And indeed, spiritually speaking, they are his children.  Through the power and anointing of Holy Spirit, Paul has 'birthed' them into the kingdom of heaven through the preaching of the gospel.

The affectionate term 'my little children' also implies that there should be a process of 'growing up'.  In the natural realm, infants are fed milk and constantly held until they begin to mature, eating solid food and taking care of themselves.  Eventually, they come to maturity, reproduce and continue the cycle of life in the next generation. 

This is what Paul expected to happen to the Galatians in the spiritual realm.  He had birthed them into the kingdom.  They should be growing in grace and taking steps along the path to spiritual maturity, becoming more and more like Christ.  Unfortunately, the false teachers led them away from the path to maturity.  

Hebrews 5:12-14 - For when for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food.  For every one that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.  But solid food belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

In this case, Paul finds himself in a place where he must birth them into Christ all over again!  Paul must once again endure all of the pain and labor of birth to get the Galatians back on the right track. 

Galatians 4:20 – I wish we could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Remember, Paul is communicating with the Galatians by means of a written letter.  In our day and age, that is certainly an archaic form of communication!  Not only that, it is inefficient as well. 

Here is what I a mean by that:  There is no real exchange of ideas in a letter.  The writer expresses his thoughts to the reader but he does not have the benefit of any feedback or clarification.  If he wants that, he must wait and hope that the reader will write back to him.  It could literally take weeks until there is any return communication on the subjects/ideas in the letter.  

Now contrast that with conversations that take place in person (or even by phone or zoom).  In that case, there is an instantaneous exchange of ideas, a discussion of the issues at hand and immediate clarification of any misunderstandings.  Clearly, it would be much easier for people to resolve their differences in person, rather than by letters. 

With that in mind, we can easily see why Paul desires to be 'present' with the Galatians. 

• He cannot understand what has caused them to abandon their faith in the true gospel of justification by faith. 

• He cannot understand how they would once again pick up the bondage of the law, when grace had relieved them of that burden. 

• He cannot understand how the Galatians could fully trust him as their spiritual father, but then abandon their relationship with him in such a short amount of time. 

As Paul indicates, it would be much easier to get those answers 'in person' rather than by letter.    

Galatians 4:21 – Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?

The phrase 'tell me' is a call to reasoning.  It invites the reader to stop, consider and explain their point of view.  It actually helps them clarify what they believe.  This is exactly what Paul wants them to do.  He wants them to fully and thoughtfully consider their return to the law.      

As they do so, Paul will now take the time to once again illustrate the profound difference between the law and grace.  He will show the effect of being under the bondage/servitude of the Jewish law compared to the freedom of the gospel. 

And again, Paul will refer to the Old Testament account of Abraham to make his point.  Using an allegory, he is going to show that the two sons of Abraham provide an example of the two covenants – the law and grace.   

Galatians 4:22-23 –For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman.  But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise.

Scripture tells us that Abraham had two sons. 

His firstborn was Ishmael who was the son of a bondmaid (Hagar), a kind of slave.  Ishmael was born 'according the flesh' or in other words, his birth was ordinary.  His mother was very young and Abraham was strong and these two people naturally produced a male offspring.  Divine intervention was not required.  Ishmael was no doubt a fine young man, but he was not the child of promise.

Abraham's second son, Isaac, was a different story all together.  First of all, Isaac was promised to Abraham and Sarah long before Ishmael was even born.

Genesis 17:19 - And God said, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son indeed; and you shall call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.

As Abraham and Sarah waited for this promise to come to pass, they no doubt continued to try and have a child.  But all of their efforts were unsuccessful.  Sarah remained barren.  The months turned into years and the years turned into decades.  Finally, the time for children to be born through natural means had long passed - Sarah was 90 and Abraham was 100. 

But that was the exact time God had waited for! 

Once a child was impossible through natural means, the only way to have one was through divine intervention.  At that time, God kept his promise and gave Sarah and Abraham a son – Isaac.  Thus, Isaac is the son of promise.  Through him all the promises of the new covenant (grace; redemption through Christ) would flow.    

Galatians 4:24 – Now this may be interpreted allegorically:  these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.

In this allegory, the house of Abraham has two different mothers who represent the two different covenants.  Hagar, the slave woman represents the covenant of works (the law).  Sarah, the free woman, represents covenant of grace. 

Their two sons are a reflection of the people who live under the covenants.

Galatians 4:25 – Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.

The first mother is Hagar, the bondservant/slave.  She represents the covenant of the law.  Because she was a slave, her son Ishmael was also born a slave.  Since Ishmael represents the people who lived under the law, we can conclude that everyone born under the law was a slave to the law. 

They were slaves in the sense that they were required to keep all the rites and observances of the law, even though that was an impossible task.  Because they could not keep the law perfectly, it could not bring them real freedom from sin.  It could only restore the most tenuous of relationships between them and God.  

The law was also very limited in that it was given exclusively to the Israelites.  As you may recall, God came to the top of Mount Sinai, an earthly location.  From there, in the midst of terrifying darkness, thunder and lightning, God called Moses up to the top of the mountain and delivered the law to the Israelites through him (see Exodus 19).   

Why does Paul mention Jerusalem here?

Jerusalem, the city of God, is the location of the temple, the sacred place where the Jews worshipped and made sacrifices to God.  The earthly temple was closely tied to the law because many of the Old Testament rites and ceremonies were carried out there.  Because of the temple, Jerusalem became synonymous with God's people and that name is sometimes used to represent the people of God (the Jews).      

Basically Paul is saying that the people who worshipped at the earthly temple in Jerusalem were the branch of God's family that descended from Ishmael/Hagar the slave.  They were almost exclusively Jewish people who were under servitude/bondage to the law. 

Galatians 4:26 – But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

But there was another line of descendants in Abraham's household. 

The mother of this line was Sarah, the free woman.  She represents the covenant of grace.  Because she was a free woman, her son was also born in freedom.  Since Isaac represents the people who live under grace, we can conclude that everyone born again in grace is free from the bondage of the law. 

How was the covenant of grace delivered to us?  Jesus left the presence of the Father in heaven and came to earth to introduce us to the kingdom of heaven.  Thus, we can conclude that the covenant of grace is a heavenly covenant. 

Why does Paul mention the 'Jerusalem above' here? 

In Paul's allegory, the 'Jerusalem above' represents the spiritual Jerusalem, or the true spiritual church, born out of the preaching of the gospel message of freedom in Christ.  

Galatians 4:27 – For it is written, 'Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!  For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband.'

This Old Testament quotation is from Isaiah 54:1.  Paul introduces this scripture here to point out that the true church of Jesus Christ is not limited to just one group of people (the Jews).  It is filled with both Jews and Gentiles; people of every tongue, tribe and nation.     

This means that the Gentiles, who were formerly desolate and without hope, can now enter into the family of God!  And they do not enter in via the bondage of the law.  They enter in via the freedom of justification by faith.

Galatians 4:28 – Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

What was the promise that God made to Abraham?  It was that he would bless all nations of the earth through him and his offspring (Isaac).  And God kept that promise – Jesus was a descendent of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

And through the sacrifice of Jesus, Christians have been made partakers of the new covenant of grace.    

Galatians 4:29 – But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.

Back in the days of Abraham, Ishmael (the carnal son) persecuted Isaac (the son according to the Spirit):

Genesis 21:9 - And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne unto Abraham, mocking.

In the same way, the Jews (the carnal seed of Abraham) still persecuted Christians (the spiritual seed of Abraham).  Paul himself was cruelly and viciously persecuted by the Jews (2 Corinthians 11:23-24). 

Galatians 4:30-31 – But what does the Scripture say?  Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.  So, brothers, we are not children of the slave, but of the free woman.

But what does the scripture say or teach about the slave/bondwoman and her son?  Were they not cast out/rejected and removed from the family?

Likewise, all Christians (including the Galatians) were to reject any type of bondage or servitude to the law.  They were to cast it out from their thinking and actions and adhere only to the freedom of grace. 

Christians of every age can take heart knowing that despite persecutions from the enemies of Christ, in the end, we are the true children of God and co-heirs with Christ Jesus.  All that he has is ours!   

Let me offer you some encouragement:

The false teachers tried to sidetrack the Galatian believers.  If they were successful, the Galatians would have missed out on one of the most wonderful promises of God – salvation.  Wouldn't that have been tragic?

Likewise, God has wonderful things in store for your life and the enemy knows it.  He will often try to get you side-tracked into sin or doubt, so you miss out on all that God has in store for you. 

I encourage you to take a look at your spiritual growth.  Are you still growing and maturing in Christ?  Are you more like him today than you were six months ago?  If not, you should discuss that with the Father and see if you have been sidetracked by the enemy.

Let me offer you some relief:

The Galatians had been deceived by false teachers.  If we are honest, we will admit that none of us likes to admit that we are wrong.  I believe it was probably difficult for the Galatians to admit they had been fooled into moving away from the true message of the gospel.  But in order to get back on track, they had to admit their mistake. 

The same can be true of us.  If we have made a bad choice or been fooled by someone we trust, we should admit/confess it and move on.  The sooner we do so, the easier it will be to find relief from our mistake.  The longer we wait, the worse our situation gets.  So put aside your anger, resentment and/or embarrassment by giving them to God.  He will heal your heart and help you to move forward into healing.   

Let me offer you some strength:

Paul spent a lot of time and strength in spiritually birthing the Galatians into the kingdom of heaven.  But within a year or two, he found that all his work had been undone, and he needed to begin all over!  That must have been very frustrating.  I believe Paul could have made a case for just walking away from this situation.  But he didn't.  He once again went in and did what needed to be done in the kingdom of heaven.

Maybe you are operating in similar circumstances.  Maybe you have mentored a person who just doesn't seem to be making any headway in changing their life.  Or maybe you have been praying for a certain family member for years without seeing them come to Christ.   Don't give up!  Ask the Lord to give you strength to continue to minister until you see that person come to maturity in the kingdom of God.  

 

 

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Galatians 4:1-3 – I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father.  In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.

Hello, again readers!  We are midway through the letter of Paul to the Galatians and we find that he is still making a case for justification by faith apart from the law.

Jewish false teachers have convinced the Galatian believers that they need to keep the law in order to have salvation.  Paul tears down that false doctrine with example after example from the Old Testament.

It is interesting to note that the false Judaizing teachers held onto the Old Testament with a death grip, but that is the very thing that Paul uses to make his case for justification!

In this case, Paul likens the Old Testament believers to an under-age child.

Perhaps you yourself have young children under the age of 18.  Obviously, they are heirs to all that you will have in this life.  This gives them advantages that other children don't have, but at the same time they still don't have full rights. 

When your child is young (say 5-8 years old) you are the one who determines when they go to bed, and when they get up.  You decide what to feed them and what they will wear.  You make sure they attend school and become educated, whether they want to or not!  They don't determine the household budget – you do! In a way, they would be no different than a servant.  You make the decisions and they do as they are told. 

According to Paul, this is a picture of the people who lived under the law.  They were children of God, but they lived under a very tightly structured system. They had to do as they were told by the law; they had to bear the burden of all the rites and observances of the law (and there were LOTS of them!). 

Just as a young child does not understand everything their parents tell them to do (why do I have to go to bed?), those under the law did not understand the full meaning of the rites/ceremonies they had to obey. 

So, at the time of the law, God's people were more like children/servants than heirs. 

Galatians 4:4-5 – But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

But God had an appointed time for the end of the legal dispensation.  All along, according to his master plan, he had a definite, set time to put the covenant of grace in place. 

Let's take a pause here, to consider God's timing.  God decreed a definite period of time for the legal age.  At the end of that time, he gave his people something MUCH better – the age of grace.  Likewise, God has also established a definite period of time for the age of grace.  When that is over, he will reward us with something even better – heaven!  I wonder what incredible things are waiting for us there!  Aren't you glad to be a child of God?

Here is something else to consider:  You have a definite lifespan here on earth, predetermined by our heavenly Father.  Be sure that you redeem your time, making every day count for the kingdom of heaven!

Back to our lesson…the only person who was qualified to fulfill/end the law and institute the age of grace was Jesus Christ, the Son of God (as prophesied in the Old Testament). 

Jesus agreed/submitted to taking on a body of flesh, even though he was God.  Jesus agreed/submitted to earthly parents, even though he was Lord of all. 

He did these things in order to fulfill the law, thus removing that terrible yoke and burden from his people.   He suffered and died for us, to pay the awful price of God's wrath against us.  Because of his sacrifice, we are no longer slaves to sin; we are children of God grown up and mature.

As mature children, he gives us greater freedom and more privileges than ever.

Galatians 4:6-7 – And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba!  Father!"So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

Son-ship is no longer limited to the Jews.  It is now available to 'whosoever will' (John 3:16).  It was available to the Galatians back in the day of Paul, and it is still available now.

Because we are sons and daughters of God, Holy Spirit lives inside of us and leads us to call out to God as our Father.  Clearly, we are no longer servants/slaves but we are adopted children.  It therefore follows that if we are children of God, then we are an heir of God through Jesus Christ.  As heirs, we are entitled to a heavenly inheritance.

Romans 8:16-17 – The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Who in their right mind would choose to be a servant/slave rather than a son/daughter with an inheritance?  Yet, that is what the Galatians chose, when they agreed to bind themselves to the law!

Galatians 4:8 –Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.

Paul now reminds the Galatians what life was like before their conversion.  During that time, they did not know the true God Yahweh and they certainly had no idea how to worship him. 

Instead, they were in slavery to false gods.  In fact, Gentiles were in the lowest, most grievous form of slavery possible.  They served multiple idols/false gods.  They were under constant pressure to give gifts, pay homage and do nothing that might be offensive to their idols.  Sometimes, they even sacrificed their own children in a vain attempt to get one of these gods to help them. 

Their religious duties had no power to cleanse them from sin or give them peace of mind or bring them relief from sickness and trouble.  The only thing they reaped by their efforts was more bondage and death. 

Can you imagine the hopelessness they experienced?  They were in the worst kind of bondage imaginable.  What a horrible life!

Galatians 4:9-10 – But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?  You observe days and months and seasons and years!

What a remarkable change!  Formerly, the Galatians were slaves, not entitled to anything.  But now that Jesus has touched their lives with his grace, they are totally transformed.  Through the power of the gospel, their sins have been washed away and they have been made children of God, and heirs with Christ! 

Again, Paul is mystified about how anyone who has obtained such freedom and privilege could want to return to their former ways of spiritual bondage (represented in this verse by observing 'days and months', etc).   To make this choice is pure madness!

Galatians 4:11 – I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.

The actions of the Galatians have crushed Paul.  He spent a lot of time, labor and expense in bringing them the true gospel of Christ.  He preached the true word, he trained them in righteousness and he surely introduced them to Holy Spirit.  As a laborer in the kingdom, Paul had the right to expect a spiritual harvest from the Galatians.

Instead, they have changed course, leaving him to wonder if his efforts had been in vain.

This lesson gives us a reason to examine ourselves.  Is it possible that we too began by living spiritual lives, but later traded an exciting life in the Spirit for a set of mere rules and regulations? 

Christianity is so much more than that!  It is a true relationship with the God of the universe!  It should never be dull or stifling.  It should never be dead or dry.  If your Christian walk is not constantly evolving and presenting you with new and exciting opportunities, then I encourage you to take a second look at it.  Perhaps you need to return to your first love/first works.

Galatians 4:12 – Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are.  You did me no wrong.

Paul now reaches out to them on a personal level, addressing them as brothers, even though they had been alienated from him by the false teachers.  Paul wants to lay aside any and all resentment and he desires that the relationship between himself and the Galatians be restored.  This was a very noble gesture by Paul, considering he had done absolutely nothing wrong!

Though he must point out their sin, Paul still loves the Galatians tenderly as members of his own family; he expresses concern for their happiness and well-being.  Paul attempts to call them back into relationship with him, so they might more easily respond to the reproof he was forced to give them. 

Thus, we see that Paul's motives were pure.  He does not want to show them their error simply to prove that he is correct.  He is motivated by a desire for them to know Christ. 

Before we chastise someone else for their choices or behavior, it would be a good idea for us to examine our motives for doing so.

Galatians 4:13-14 – You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.

Paul does not hesitate to put the Galatians in mind of their past relationship with him.  Clearly, he had some type of sickness or infirmity that affected his body.  We have no way to know what this infirmity was, though many opinions have been given.

Some scholars believe Paul's eyesight was affected when Jesus appeared to him as a bright light on his way to Damascus, and this might be the ailment referred to.  Others point out that Paul suffered horrific public beatings which must have affected his health and scarred him terribly.  There are other possibilities as well, however, since the Galatians were already familiar with the situation, Paul does not specifically identify his ailment. 

But the point is this - the infirmity (which might have caused people to reject him and his message), made no difference to the Galatians.  They did not despise or reject Paul because of it.  On the contrary, they received him, assisted him and revered him as one would an angel or even Christ himself!

Galatians 4:15 – What then has become of your blessedness?  For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.

As we said in our introduction, the Galatians as a whole were very fickle people. 

At first, they so loved and respected Paul, that they would even have given him their very own eyes, if it would have helped him. 

At first, they were so pleased and enraptured with the gospel message, that they embraced it whole-heartedly.  They were satisfied and at peace being justified by grace and communing with God. 

What happened?? What caused such a reversal in their thinking?  Paul implores them to search their hearts and examine the reason for their sudden change in belief.

Galatians 4:16 – Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?

The person who tells you the truth is the one you should love and respect.  Only a true friend or brother would tell you the truth in love, especially when it hurts!  Beware of those who are 'yes men', tickling your ears with what you want to hear, rather than what you need to hear. 

This is the trap the Galatians have fallen into – they now treat Paul as an enemy, despite the fact that he has dealt truthfully and faithfully with them in matters relating to their eternal salvation.

As we will see in our next post, Paul does not just give up on them, despite this awful treatment.  He continues to exhort and encourage them, hoping to restore them to their place in God's kingdom.

Let me offer you some encouragement:

Relationships sure can be difficult (just ask Paul!). Having a good one requires a lot of time and energy.  This is true in friendships, marriages and even employer/employee relationships.

One way we can help keep our relationships on track is by doing what Jesus told us to do – love our neighbors as ourselves.  Part of that includes telling one another the truth in love.  That can sometimes be a daunting task which we would rather avoid, but I encourage you to do so, when it's necessary.  I believe that eventually, this will strengthen your relationship, not hurt it.

Let me offer you some relief:

Here is a sad truth:  Some relationships are toxic.  There are people who would love to consume all of your joy, resources and strength.  They constantly try to drag you down into the pit that has them trapped. But let me offer you some relief:  You don't have to allow that.  Set some boundaries for the relationship, and stick to them!

If that too fails or does not solve the problem, and the relationship is damaging to you and those you love, you need to end it.  Don't feel bad about doing so!

Let me offer you some strength:

In general, relationships are worth the effort needed to maintain them.  All that hard work pays off when you find yourself in need of some support, encouragement, strength or advice. 

Does God give us strength?  Absolutely!  But many times he works through others to give it to us.  So pay attention to your relationships; set proper boundaries and enjoy those that God had placed in your life.