But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.” vss. 25-26
Galatians 3:23-26
As the Spirit led Paul on his missionary journey through Galatia, the land we call Turkey, he encountered Jews in nearly every city. He worshiped with them in their synagogues and shared the good news of Jesus to any who would listen. Many were interested but found it nearly impossible to give up the Law, the commandments that had defined them as people. But Paul was insistent. He told them that the Law was a disciplinarian, but to live under the Law was a form of slavery, from which Christ had set them free. Of course, most of the Jews resisted Paul’s attempts to wean them from the rules and rituals in which they had been immersed. Some of us can understand that, particularly if we’ve been taught a particularly rigid and exclusive form of Christianity. There is a kind of piety and moralism awash in Christian congregations and it ensnares many unsuspecting believers. The focus is on behaviors and children are taught that they need to be good for Jesus to love them. And when such people are told that true faith isn’t at all about following rules and obeying doctrines, they can be shocked to the core. They can’t even imagine what it might mean to be free in Christ–and often they just shake their head and go back to the rules.
Thought for the Day: What does it mean to be free in Christ?
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