Big Buts of the Bible #3
This is the latest in my countdown of the biggest buts in the New Testament. Locate #'s 4-10 thru the archives menu.
Galatians 4:3-4
"So also, when we were children we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. BUT when the time had fully come God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law."
I love it when timing works out in seeming coincidental fashion. Our consideration of the scriptures this past Sunday had us in Galatians 4. The 'but' here declares the tipping point God's gift brings to our lives. We were enslaved to law, legalism or religiosity of some kind - whether as the Jews Paul is speaking of in this letter to the law, or the Gentiles to whom he writes, to principles written upon their hearts. But, and it's a big liberty declaring but, the time came that God delivered us from bondage to law to marvelous freedom, changing the very nature of our relationship to Him - He adopted us as sons and daughters. Consider the greater context, and give thanks!
Galatians 4:3-4
"So also, when we were children we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. BUT when the time had fully come God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law."
I love it when timing works out in seeming coincidental fashion. Our consideration of the scriptures this past Sunday had us in Galatians 4. The 'but' here declares the tipping point God's gift brings to our lives. We were enslaved to law, legalism or religiosity of some kind - whether as the Jews Paul is speaking of in this letter to the law, or the Gentiles to whom he writes, to principles written upon their hearts. But, and it's a big liberty declaring but, the time came that God delivered us from bondage to law to marvelous freedom, changing the very nature of our relationship to Him - He adopted us as sons and daughters. Consider the greater context, and give thanks!
3 Comments:
Hey, can you give your posts a dateline? We wanna know where you were when you posted ... We've got a map and pins ...
:)
D
By Higher Up, Further In, at 11/02/2005 3:23 PM
As I have been reading through the old testament, I am at times very frightened by the wrath of God. It is scary to me that so many people in the old testament were killed during offering ceremonies- these were people trying to do the will of God. When I read a verse like this I am so thankful that God sent Jesus to die for me. I am so thankful that because of Jesus I do not have to offer up offerings because Jesus' life was the substitution for my sin. Because of His sacrifice I am not bound to the law of offerings, or to sin, but I am bound to my saviour to live my life holy and pleasing in His sight. We need to live a life portraying our thankfulness for our freedom from the law. I don't think we have enough joy in that a lot of times, I know I don't. but we need to always remember that Jesus has saved us from ourselves and from God's wrath. Let's live our lives of freedom by giving our joy back to the Lord.
I have never seen the entire Movie "Braveheart" but I know that at the end, even as mel gibson's character is being tortured he yells out,"FREEEDDOOM" we need to keep our minds focused on the goal just like the character in the movie did. As we go through the trials of life let's keep our eyes on the goal and live our lives as an offering of praise to a God whom we can fellowship with.
we can live joyfully because of this:
Romans 8:2
"because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."
and let's live our lives like this because of what Jesus did:
Psalm 119:32
"I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free."
Be Blessed everyone.
By amanda, at 11/02/2005 3:58 PM
Wow, Amanda, WAY thought-provoking!
Those harsh OT passages shake me up too. It's a good reminder that even in freedom we are NEVER to take God lightly.
In an era of freedom and grace (I BARELY kept from using the phrase "In this AGE of Grace" :) ... old theologies die hard!) in this time when salvation is free and we are free in Christ, it is easy to turn freedom into license...
We ARE free indeed! But we are ALSO under a law of love.
D
By Higher Up, Further In, at 11/02/2005 5:01 PM
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