Bible Truth Daily Devotion

June 30, 2010

Our Spiritual Father

Filed under: Devotion in Philemon — Tags: , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Philemon 1:8-25

 

 

Everyone has a father.  This is also true when it comes to spiritual matter.  Paul is the spiritual father of Philemon and Onesimus.  He would continue to teach Philemon how to look at the situation of Onesimus in the remainder of the book of Philemon. 

 

Commentary:

Philemon 1:8-9. Paul stated his reason of writing the letter.  Paul did not want to use his apostolic authority to compel Philemon to do the right thing. Rather Paul preferred to petition to Philemon in love.  His appeal started with his condition as a prisoner and an elderly man.  Philemon probably recalled the younger days of Paul and the difference that Paul had made in his life.  As years had gone by, Paul had made much sacrifice for the sake of the gospel and the saints.  At the time of writing this epistle, Paul winded up in prison because of the gospel.

Philemon 1:10-11. Paul was the spiritual father of Onesimus and Philemon because he led them both to Christ.  His relationship with Onesimus was deepened because of two reasons.  Firstly, their encounter was dramatic because He met Paul in the prison in Rome.  The other reason was that Onesimus had stayed and helped out Paul.  Onesimus perhaps was not an important slave in Philemon’s household, but he had become an important helper of Paul and the ministry of the gospel. 

Philemon 1:13-14. Onesimus was no longer morally bound to be Philemon’s slave, although he was still a slave by law.  When God called him to be Paul’s aid, that duty overrode all other jobs.  But legally Onesimus had to obtain a release from Philemon in order to do God’s work. 

Paul said that God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7). In the same way, he encouraged Philemon to release Onesimus.  But Philemon ought to give out from his heart, not out of compulsion.

Philemon 1:15-17. Paul then showed Philemon a heavenly perspective.  Philemon did not lose a slave, which was temporal, but he gained a beloved brother eternally.  Hence, he had additional help for the gospel.

Philemon 1:17-20.  Paul lastly petitioned Philemon to put the cost in perspective, if the ledger sheet ever became an issue.  Paul wanted the expenditure to be put on his account.  Although Paul did not have a mean to repay it (v. 20), Paul reminded Philemon that he owed many times over to Paul. 

Philemon 1:21.  Paul, like a good father, knew Philemon and had confidence in him. 

 

Meditation:

Who is your spiritual father?  This is important for two counts.  Knowing our spiritual father helps us preserve the spiritual lineage in our life. We can see the blessings of God has bestowed upon us.  Knowing our spiritual father is also a way to track our growth over the year.  Check where we are against our mentor is a great way to check our progress in Christ.

The other reason is to bless our spiritual father.  In addition to giving thanks for what God has put in our life, we can repay our spiritual fathers for they have done in our life.  Assist them in their ministry.  Give money, time, or resources to help them.  Yield to them for they probably know what is best for us and the gospel.  Like Philemon, we should give to our spiritual father what they need. 

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you that you have given us a spiritual father to lead us to Christ.  Reveal to us their needs and give us the resources to help them.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

June 29, 2010

Becoming the Energized Christian

Filed under: Devotion in Philemon — Tags: , , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Philemon 1:1-7

 

 

There are five epistles that Paul wrote in the prison. They are the Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, 2 Timothy, and Philemon.  Of the five, Only Philemon begins with the title of prisoner.  Why is Philemon unique?  Read this passage and commentary to find out.

 

Commentary:

Philemon 1:1.  Unlike other epistles, the premise of Philemon is one of appeal.  It is also a personal letter to Philemon.  Therefore, there is no theological clarification or conduct admonishment.  But there is a lot of love expressed in the epistle and valuable teaching of what love in action looks like.

Onesimus, the slave of Philemon, had run away.  In Roman’s world, runaway slave would be punishable to death.  Nevertheless, God put Paul in the path of Onesimus and saved him.  Onesimus became helpful to Paul.  In love, Paul sent Onesimus back to reconcile him with Philemon.  Moreover, Paul wanted Philemon to receive Onesimus not as a slave but as a brother.  

Philemon 1:2.  Philemon was a leader of the church in his house.  He should be a rich person in order to host a church in his house.  Apphia and Archippus were both leaders of the house church and possibly were relatives of Philemon.  

Philemon 1:3. This salutation is short but always brings warmth to the heart of believers. 

Philemon 1:4-5. Paul heard the good report about Philemon in the prison of Rome.  The two outstanding characteristics were his love and faith.  Philemon was loving and faithful to the Lord and to the saints.

It is important to know that Philemon did not become bitter because his slave had run away.  The faith and love in Christ Jesus should be independent to the circumstance. 

Philemon 1:6. The word effective is evnergh,j energes in Greek.  Think of effective as being powerful or energized, closely resembling to the Greek word.  The first half of this verse can be rephrased like “I pray that the sharing of your faith may become energized.”  The evangelism work is energized by the knowledge of the good thing in Philemon. 

 

Meditation:

Every genuine believer has the desire to save the lost from the world.  But not many are doing it.  Why?  Most likely, the problem is not the lack of trying but the lack of energy in trying.  When we share the gospel, we do not have that power or energy in us.  We tap out and cannot get the job done. 

If you have tried and wanted to give up trying, I encourage you to try this method.  Power up before you go share the gospel.  How do you power up.  Count the good thing that you have received because of the gospel.  Know them like the back of your hand.  When you have that joy well up in you and overflow, you are energized to share.   Then like a glass overfilled, you will spill that joy every time you bump into somebody.  The good news/gospel comes out naturally from you.

Make that your goal this moment to count your good thing at the daybreak each day of your life.  

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you that you have called us.  Help us to recall the good thing you have given us.  Give us the joy that overcome our circumstances.  Lead us to become your great ambassador of Jesus Christ.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

June 28, 2010

The Success of Believers

Filed under: Devotion in Galatians — Tags: , , , , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Galatians 6:1-18

 

 

Success is a favorable or desired outcome.  We have been learning that salvation does not come through work.  Then what kind of work does salvation have for a person?  In this passage, Paul teaches us the outcome of genuine believing. 

 

Commentary:

Galatians 6:1. The word caught in Greek language implies an unintended action to sin.  Paul describes someone who did not premeditate on the sins but was caught in the moment.  When that happens, Paul wants believers to bring the person back.

Galatians 6:2. The word “burdens” here is βάρος baros in Greek.  It means either excessive body weight or oppressive suffering here.  Paul likely implies the latter meaning in this verse since the church would suffer from the hands of Jewish faction if the believers in the church did not follow the Law. 

Galatians 6:3-4. Often we evaluate our success by comparing our achievement against those of the others.   Nevertheless, in the kingdom of heaven, we are evaluated by our own work.  We may be a lot better than another person in the church, but God looks at what we achieve based on our own talents and resources.  In the same way, we should evaluate our own work.  If we have lots of results but are still underachieving, we will have no reason for boasting.  The word boasting is closely related to the exultation of heavenly things to come; it does not mean to become prideful.

Galatians 6:5. The word “load” is φορτίον in Greek.  It has the implication of “work load” and continues the thought of work in verses 3 and 4.  The work has nothing to do with observing the Law but is about what comes out from the faith.  When we have faith, it permeates through actions in love (5:6, 13).  

Galatians 6:6. The one who teaches at the church is sustained by those who receive the teaching.  There is an obligation to pay the pastors, teachers, and elders helping out the church.  Still they are not hired servants to do administration work but called by God to teach.

Galatians 6:12-15. While men boast the work that they accomplish in the flesh, Paul teaches that that believers triumph through the crucifixion of the world and the new creation.  Both are two sides of the same coin.  Genuine saved persons would not purposely choose to love the world.  They would treasure the new creation in them.  They foster the growth of the new born with the word of God, the fellowship with other believers, and the daily communion with God in spirit through prayer. 

 

Meditation:

In our daily walk, we can distracted by the successes and failures of others.  This passage helps us know that God measures us by our own progress.  We cannot be tripped up because others seem to be doing better than we are or to be faltering exceedingly.  We have to evaluate if we are getter better than yesterday.

What is getting better?  Getting better is when the new born spirit is strengthened.  Although that is a vague term, we can measure it with physical parameter.  The time that we spend at fellowship, worship, and prayer is a measureable parameter.  The people that we help are good indicators.  The growth of the ministries that we are called to do is a vital sign.  Mostly, we know deep inside when God is pleased with us. 

Let us no longer strive to please the flesh. But let us in every way seek the pleasure of our Master.  Then we will be found in Him, and He in us.

June 26, 2010

The Freed Prisoner

Filed under: Devotion in Galatians — Tags: , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Galatians 5:1-15

 

 

Prison is not a small part in the state budget of California.  Although there are not many criminals, the jail has no lack of prisoners.  The reason is that many prisoners are repeat offenders.  Today’s passage touches on the spiritual prison that people once were in and discusses what the consequence for the repeat offender. 

 

Commentary:

Galatians 5:1. Would a freed man who once was under bondage want to return to bondage again?  The logic says no, but the fact begs to differ.  The recidivism rate is over 80%.  Why? What is the consequence of returning to bondage in spiritual matter?

Galatians 5:2-3. Any reliance on keeping the Law relinquishes the status of relying on the promise of God only.   The action returns and nullifies the grace received. Now the person has to keep the whole Law. 

Galatians 5:4. Believing is not a one-time event.  The act of trusting Jesus Christ is likened to a branch relying on the tree trunk for sustenance in the book of John.  All believers have to remain or keep trusting in Christ or will be cut off from him.  Here Paul reminds us that trusting in any others for eternal life results in severance from the life of Jesus Christ. 

Galatians 5:5-6. The surety of attaining righteousness lies not in nationality.  That is why Paul emphasizes that Jews who have the circumcision and gentiles who have not the circumcision are not excluded to the claim of the promise.  Faith working through love is the mean to righteousness.

Galatians 5:11. The cross presents a unique challenge to different group of people.  To the gentiles, the condescending love of God is mind boggling.  To the Jews, the doing away with the Law is unacceptable.  Only if Paul had changed and incorporated the cross into the Law, Christianity would have been a sect of Judaism.   But that is not the intention of our Lord Jesus; for everyone must receive his righteousness by faith working through love. 

Galatians 5:14.  Faith is not without work, albeit that it is not the observance of the superficiality of the Law.  If there is faith in a person, work of love comes out to fulfill the essence of the Law.   Part of faith requires us to love one another—a summation of the Law. 

 

Meditation:

Grace is freely given, but it is not cheap.  First, it costs the life of the Son of God to secure the price of eternal life.  It takes the sacrifice of Jesus to purchase our pardon. 

Then the grace of salvation is given with contingence.  If a person decides that he needs something else to complement grace, then he will have no part in the salvation.  Grace plus anything else surrenders the effect of grace alone.

Instead of thinking about work, use our time and energy to connect with God and the body of Christ.  Live in the community of believers.  Join the fellowship.  Read the Bible and pray.   Find every opportunity to give thanks and count our blessings.

June 25, 2010

The Flesh and the Spirit

Filed under: Devotion in Galatians — Tags: , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Galatians 4:21-31

 

 

Today’s passage touches on the flesh and the spirit within all believers.  Please read and reflect on the work God has done in your life.

 

Commentary:

Galatians 4:21-23. Paul reminded the Galatians about the Old Testament story of Abraham.  It was about the birth of Isaac to Sarah through the promise of God, and the birth of Ishmael to Hagar through human efforts. The details of the story were recorded in Genesis 16 and 21. 

Galatians 4:24-25.  Allegorically, Hagar represented the Law, which was given in Mount Sinai and had been practiced in Jerusalem.

Galatians 4:26.  In contrast, Sarah represented the promise, which would lead believers to the Jerusalem in heaven. 

Galatians 4:27.  This verse is a quote from Isaiah 54:1.  The verse describes how Israel was not effective in bringing people to God while she had a homeland, which was figuratively called the husband.  Israel would spiritually be revived while she had not the homeland.

Galatians 4:29.  The flesh and the spirit are diametrically against to each other.  The flesh would oppress, oppose, and entice the spirit to abandon the way of the Master—our Lord Jesus Christ.  Here, the flesh and the spirit represent physical persons.  They can be friends, family, or strangers trying to lure us away from God and the truth.  The spirit and the flesh are both present in a person.  The flesh in us will try to tempt us to do the things against the spirit. 

Galatians 4:30-31.  Christians, like the Galatians, have to make a clear choice.  We need to reject the bondage of the flesh and to embrace the freedom in Spirit.   While the flesh has no future beyond this life, the Spirit is the way of becoming an heir of God. 

 

Meditation:

The flesh and the spirit are the two natures in all believers.  This was not the case before we believed.  We only had the old nature, which is another name for the flesh.  We might have the conscience convicting us, but we had not the power to overcome the flesh.  With the birth of the spirit in us, we are given the power to overcome the flesh.  We can do things the new way, the way according to God’s desire.

What are some of your struggle in the past that you have found new strength to overcome in Christ?  Count them and give thanks.

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for giving birth to the spirit within us.  We ask fro grace and strength to overcome our old nature. In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

June 24, 2010

Becoming What God Intended

Filed under: Devotion in Galatians — Tags: , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Galatians 4:12-20

 

 

The Bible has difficult phrases that require a lot of thought and understanding.  Today’s passage has one of those.  What does “become as I am, for also have become as you are” mean?  Read the passage in the Bible and the commentary to find out.

 

Commentary:

Galatians 4:12. Apostle Paul appealed to the Galatians earnestly here.  He wanted them to be like him in two aspects.  The first aspect was about human relation.  Paul wanted the Galatians to love him as he loved them.  In the following verses, Paul recalled that he was really sick when he first came to them.  They could have despised him, but instead they loved and gave selflessly to him.  Paul became like them and loved them selflessly.  But the false gospel had poisoned their love.  Now Paul wanted them to love him again as much as he still loved them. 

The other aspect was theological.  Paul was once a Jew.  When he received Jesus Christ as his Savior, he had forsaken his Jewish tradition.  He had received the promise through faith, just like a gentile would do.  Paul now reminded the Galatians to be like a gentile to receive salvation by grace through faith.

Galatians 4:17-18. Christians are commended to respect the elders and pastors.  We need to seek after the truth and the godly servants who bring it to us.  Nevertheless, it would be wise to test if the servants indeed are speaking the truth.  One telltale sign is what intention of the servants.  Do they make exclusivity claim?  A lot of churches claim to be the only true church in its time.  I know of the Boston sect of Church of Christ doing that.  I also know of the Chinese “Local Church” doing the same.  They are suspects for not telling the truth.

 

Meditation:

From this passage, believers learn at least three things that God intends us to become. The first thing is love.  Paul told of a beautiful story of love.  The Galatians and he were able to demonstrate a love that was not rooted in appearance or reciprocating motive.  This love is what all human beings desire.  The question is that if brothers and sisters in Christ are able to love others like Jesus would.  Jesus loves people when they are unlovely.  When the people are still enemies of Him, Jesus has died for them on the cross.  

God also wants us to respect the elders.  This intention applies to every believer, no matter what age we may be.  This is true for teenagers, who are accustomed to rebelling.  It is also true for accomplished adults, who have been successful at what they do.

Finally God wants us to discern the bad churches.  The way to do that is to check the word taught to you against the word of God.  Ask God for the spirit of discernment. 

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for loving us and molding us to be like you Son.  We pray that we can put down our desires and pride and follow Jesus in living our life.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

June 23, 2010

The Adoption

Filed under: Devotion in Galatians — Tags: , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Galatians 4:1-11

 

 

Adoption is a big decision.  It changes the makeup of a family.  Adoption is also what God uses to bring believers into the family.  This passage makes this clear. 

 

Commentary:

Galatians 4:1-2.  An underage heir In Paul’s time had a paradox.  Technically, he would own everything including the slaves, but he was treated like a slave.  In fact, he had guardians and managers over him.  The guardians trained him, and the managers oversaw his assets.  This situation would go on until the timing set by the father was achieved.

Galatians 4:3.  This real life situation in the Roman world was not different from what happened in the spiritual world.  People were under the supervision of rudimentary things.  The word elemental in Greek implied a couple points. The first was that it was inevitable.  This point was self-evident because all children needed supervision.  

The word “elemental” also implied that there would something to follow after it.  Whatever came as elemental would not be the last; additional development was ensued.  So God had something planned after the Law. 

Galatians 4:5. There are two important parts of salvation shown in this verse.  Salvation is a work of redemption.   All men are under the bondage of sins.  Jesus pays the price for the freedom from sin. 

This salvation also means that we will become the sons of God.  This process is not a natural birth.  Unlike Jesus, who was the only begotten Son of God, all believers are adopted to be sons of God.  Therefore, no Christians will become God.  This verse is a strong evidence of this truth.

Galatians 4:6-7. Although believers are just adopted into God’s family, we are very important.  First Jesus, the Son of God, died for us.  Then God send the Holy Spirit to indwell in us.  Finally, we will be heir of the Father.  All three parts of the Trinity participates in this adoption.  Clearly, this is an important issue to the Triune God to adopt us as sons. 

Galatians 4:10. The Galatians kept more other Jewish Law beside the circumcision.  They followed the ceremonial laws.  They were trying to gain entry into heaven via their work.

 

Meditation:

Dear brothers and sisters, do you know that the Triune God loves us a lot?  Yes, our salvation involves all three parts of the Triune God.  How does the truth of adoption change the way we look at ourselves? 

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for adopting us into your family.  Let’s start behaving like a child of God.  Help us overcome sin and the sinful nature in us.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

June 22, 2010

Putting on Jesus

Filed under: Devotion in Galatians — Tags: , , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Galatians 3:23-29

 

 

Tutors are often used to help a child to get better in school or test taking nowadays.  The good ones are highly sought after.  In the days of Paul, there were tutors as well.  Let’s understand what tutors do and how it is like the Law in this passage.

 

Commentary:

Galatians 3:23.  The word “custody” is φρουρέω (phroureo) in Greek.  It has a connotation of being guarded or confined by a military or police operation.  Such is the nature of the Law.  It is not meant to be sensitive to our situation but is straightly, harshly applied regardless of the circumstance. 

People hardened by the treatment of the Law will have a hard time with grace.  The Law tends to shut up the sensitive side of humans and results in an attitude of self-made man—I earn everything that I got.  People like that needs time to know that there is grace from God. 

Galatians 3:24.  The word “tutor” is παιδαγωγός (paidagogos) in Greek.  In Paul’s time, there was no public school.  Almost everyone was home school.  The tutor usually was not a hired scholar but a trusted slave who would be given the authority of supervising the moral and the life development of a child.  The child would have no freedom until he had grown to maturity.  

Such is the function of the Law.  It keeps the Jews under bondage and forces them to learn the way of God until they have grown to maturity.  Gentiles have their own law which is called the conscience (Roman 2:14-15).

Galatians 3:25-27. The coming of Christ has ushered in a new age.  The age replaces the age of the Law.  It is the age of adoption.  Whereas before we are not heirs to God, now we become sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.   How is that done? 

When we believe, we have taken the blood of Jesus as a covering of our sin.  Paul likens us wearing the Lord as our outer garment, similar to wearing a mask.  When God sees us, the Heavenly Father sees the image of His only begotten Son and loves us like His own.

Galatians 3:28-29.  There are two other legacies from trusting in Jesus Christ.  All believes are first integrated together as one people.  We are no longer segregated by the color of the skin or the class in the society.  These schisms between human beings are abolished in Christ.  History has shown that societies which were consisted of serious followers of Jesus were able to abolish discriminations based on race and wealth. 

The second legacy is that we have now become heirs of promise.  Without a tint of Jewish blood, Christians miraculously become the offspring of Abraham.  We are now the chosen race of God.  We have an inheritance stored up in heaven.

 

Meditation:

All Christians have gone from having a tutor to becoming the adopted sons of God.  God loves us enough to send His Sons to die for us.  God also gives us Jesus as an outer garment for our covering.  That way, the Heavenly Father will see His Son in all of us and remember our sins no more. 

Brothers and sisters, do we remember to put on Jesus before we do anything?  When we go out of our door, do we have Jesus on?  When we walk into a meeting, are we clothed with Jesus?  Do we check out our Jesus before we go into that theater?  Think Jesus as your most important and most beautiful clothing and wear Him everywhere you go. 

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for covering us with Jesus.  Help us to proudly wear that identity in all that we do.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

June 21, 2010

The Law, the Promise, and the Covenant

Filed under: Devotion in Galatians — Tags: , , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 8:00 am

Galatians 3:15-22

 

 

Everyone has been convicted by his own conscience.  All human beings know that it is not possible to do right all the time.  What if someone has a life goal to do right at all time?  We can probably deduce that the person is a miserable failure.  Today’s passage highlights the nature of the law and the promise.

 

Commentary:

Galatians 3:15-16. The covenant here was ratified between God and Abraham and his seed.  This seed is Jesus Christ.  A covenant is effective as long as the parties are alive.  Since Jesus is forever alive, the covenant is always good.  The covenant allows everyone to be reckoned righteous through faith. 

Galatians 3:17. A promise is unilateral.  Since a covenant is usually between two parties with obligation and benefit for both, how does it become a promise?  The covenant given to Abraham benefits Abraham, but its obligation would be fulfilled by God alone.  This unilateral property makes the covenant a promise. 

God has given a promise prior to the giving of the Law.  The Law requires effort from an individual in order to avoid punishment.  By its design, the Law is inferior to the promise and the covenant.  Therefore, it cannot nullify the antecedent. 

Galatians 3:19.  Paul explains that the Law functions to rein in the transgression.  Later on in the book, it would be compared to a guardian.  Its job is to ensure men not straying far from God’s righteousness.  As a guardian, the Law acts on behalf of and does not replace the master, God.  In fact, the Law is no longer needed when the seed, who is Jesus Christ the Master, comes. 

Galatians 3:20.  Paul reemphasizes how the promise is better than the Law.  The Law is bilateral; it is between two parties.  But promise is unilateral; God gives it and would fulfill it.

Galatians 3:21-22.  Paul then explains the pertinent role of the Law.  He wants us to think if the fundamental use of the Law is inconsistent to the promises of God.  He then answers his own question in two parts.  The first part is about the exclusivity of the two.  By God’s design, the Law should not duplicate what the promise can do.  Therefore, no men can attain righteousness through keeping the Law.  Thus, no one can keep the whole law.

The purpose of the Law, in the second part of the answer, is to declare all men being guilty of sin.  Sinners who fail to keep the Law and who want righteousness would want the promise through faith in Jesus Christ. 

 

Meditation:

What would you prefer to have from God, the Law, the promise, or the covenant?  Most people probably want the promise, but not too act on this desire. 

Most people are trying to attain righteousness through work.  The result is often frustrating because the design of the Law is not to give righteousness but to let us know that we fail.   It is the promise that is designed to set us free from the bondage of sins. 

What experience do you have that show you keeping the Law is a dead end street?  How relieved are you to know that God does not make keeping the Law the only thing He offers?  

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise you that you have given us the promise, and the promise had been fulfilled.  We pray that we take hold of Jesus and never let Him go.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

June 20, 2010

Bewitched!

Filed under: Devotion in Galatians — Tags: , , — Pastor Brian Cheung @ 3:50 pm

Galatians 3:1-14

 

 

Flattery is insincere and excessive praise.  It is a deception people use to gain an advantage or favor.  Most people can recognize the sweet talk, but few would refuse it.  Overtimes, people can even buy into the lie and lose their objectivity.  Today’s passage demonstrates how much deception flattery can create. 

 

Commentary:

Galatians 3:1-5. Paul asked the Galatians five questions to remind them what the gospel is.  He began the first question with an emphasis; he called them the “foolish Galatians.”  In the first question, Paul wondered who bewitched the Galatians. 

The word “bewitch” is baskai,nw in Greek.  Used only one time in New Testament, the word describes an action that uses praises or defamation to cause harm.   It is likely that that the instigator heaped admirations upon the Galatians and directed insults at Paul.

In the third question, the Galatians were reminded of the harm that they initially had suffered for not following the Judaism custom.  Paul was stoned in Lysdra, a region in Galatia (Acts 14).  The same Jews would have persecuted the churches in Galatia.  If the believers were to follow the Jewish Law and to receive the circumcision, they would not have suffered.  Getting circumcision now rendered those suffering futile. 

Galatians 3:6.  Regarding following the Law, Paul gives the overarching principal of the Jews.  Abraham is the father of the Jews.  Even Abraham did not become righteous because of his work.  God imputed righteousness to Abraham because he believed (Gen 15:6). 

Galatians 3:7. Abraham is more than the father of Jews.  He is the father of all who believe in Jesus Christ.  Jews or gentiles must follow the footsteps of Abraham and attain righteousness through faith. 

Galatians 3:10-13. Paul uses a number of quotes from Old Testament to demonstrate the blessing of living by faith and the curse of living by the Law.  Verse 10 is a quote of Deut 27:26.  Verse 11 is the quote from Hab. 2:4.  Verse 12 is a paraphrase of Lev. 18:5.  Verse 13 is a quote from Deut. 21:23.

 

Meditation:

We all have friends that sweet talk us at one time or another.  They usually have an agenda or a purpose.  Christians have the truth inside us.  We should be able to spot out those things.  The question is this: Are we strong enough to call out those flatteries and those hidden agenda? 

Strong is not an excessive word considering that the natural reaction of the flesh.  The things of the flesh are easily seen.  These friends would probably heap insults at you for being righteous.  They would call you names.  They also would lobby groups of people to alienate you.  Christians, are you strong enough to be the light of the world? 

This passage gives us a great motivation to speak the truth.  If we do not stand for the truth, we will eventually be bewitched ourselves.  Over times, our light will be dim, so much so that we do not recognize the truth anymore.

 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, help us guard against the lies and the deception of the evil one.  We pray that the Holy Spirit will help us discern the half-truth and the un-truth.  Let us learn to listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit and follow His prompting.  Most of all, give us the grace and the power to be salt and light of this world.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Questions for Devotion

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