Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Galatians 1:1-10 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), and all the brethren who are with me, Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
FREEDOM (2)
For an epistle that is the declaration of freedom, of liberty to captives, the epistle to the Galatians starts in a rather peculiar manner:
"Paul, an apostle" -- that is one who is sent, free men are not sent but servants slaves are.
"Our Lord Jesus Christ" -- that is our master, freemen have no master
"For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ" -- that is a slave of Christ.
Paul makes it very clear in these opening ten verses that he is a servant. Christ once proclaimed, "You cannot have two masters." This is true. There is only one thing that can take preeminence in your life, over and above everything else. But it is also true that whatever you serve that is your god. You cannot have two masters but you must have one.
We would like to think that being free means being our own master. But there is a problem with that. If we attempt to be our own master we simply become slaves to sin. Which by nature we are -- slaves to sin unable to escape its desires and lusts and lewdness. Freedom is not being our own master, but serving freedom. This is seen even in our own land. We remain "free" only so long as we as citizens serve the civil institutions we have established.
Thus Paul reminds us also we are free from sin only so long as we serve the Freedom of Christ. Else we will quickly become slaves to sin once again.
