Wednesday, October
08, 2014, 6:11 a.m. – the Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “Only In Him.” Speak, Lord, your words to
my heart. I read Galatians 4 (NIV84).
We Are Heirs
What I am saying is that as
long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns
the whole estate. 2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until
the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were children, we
were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4 But when
the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5
to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our
hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,
Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you
are a son, God has made you also an heir. ~ Gal. 4:1-7
In
Bible times the sons were the heirs, not the daughters, so that is why the
children of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, are described here as sons of
God. In other places in scripture we are described as the bride of Christ, so
whether we are called sons or daughters should not be a sticking point for us,
because the point is that, whether male or female, we are all children
(offspring) of God by God’s grace, and through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son
of God. As his offspring, we are thus heirs (beneficiaries or recipients) of
his promise to us of salvation from sin and of eternal life with God in heaven.
Turning Back
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were
slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know
God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those
weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over
again? 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and
years! 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on
you.
…Have I now become your enemy by telling you
the truth?
Those people are zealous to win you over, but
for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be
zealous for them. 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose
is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. 19 My
dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is
formed in you, 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my
tone, because I am perplexed about you! ~ Gal. 4:8-20
Paul compared
himself here to a woman in labor, so great was his suffering and concern over
his spiritual children in the Lord, because they were being led astray from the
truth by those outside of genuine faith in Jesus Christ who were perverting the
gospel of salvation. Since this was the illustration given here in this passage
of scripture, the Lord Jesus put in my mind an understanding of what Paul
expressed here in terms which I could identify, since I am a mother, and I have
given birth to four physical children whom I nursed each one of them. Yet, I
also identify with Paul, because I am a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ,
and I do feel and am presently experiencing the emotions expressed here over
concern for the children of faith who are presently being led astray to what is
false.
The natural milk
coming from the mother is breast milk. It is the milk God has provided for the
mother to feed her infant. It can be paralleled over to the unadulterated word
of God - the full gospel of salvation, containing many hard truths which many
do not want to accept.
Those outside of
Christ, even those who claim to know Christ and who are leaders within our
churches, are offering the mother (the Body of Christ) a plastic bottle to feed
her infant (babes in Christ and/or immature followers of Christ), but since she
is of the freewoman, she will reject the cheap (plastic) substitute. So, then,
those outsiders – those who are zealous to win us over, but for no good –
placed a plastic device onto the nipple of the mother’s breast for the child to
suck on, thus not entirely replacing the real thing for what is fake, but as an
add-on and as an intermediate between the child and the genuine milk coming
from the mother. And, the “sons of God” are sucking on this fake add-on to the
true gospel of our salvation, but they are coming away empty, because they are
not getting to the true milk of the word and to the FULL gospel of salvation. Not
only that, but they seem disinterested or only slightly interested in the true
milk of the word, and so they barely even nibble on what is true. So, the
mother (God/Christ/his servants) is concerned greatly.
The reason the
immature followers of Christ are not latching on to the breast of the mother is
because the breasts are full and hard, which represents the full gospel and the
hard truths contained within. If you have ever been a mother who has nursed
infants, and you had one who was a nibbler, you would understand how the
breasts can become full and hard and even painful because the child barely
takes in any of the milk. So, the children prefer to opt out for what is fake,
added on, and as a go-between them and the full gospel of salvation, or else
they prefer that the gospel (the full breast containing milk) would be smaller
(reduced in size) or softer (more pliable and moldable), like the pacie. The
Lord Jesus also showed me this fake add-on to the gospel as a blank page
inserted between the cover (Jesus Christ) of a book, representing the true
gospel, and the gospel pages contained within. What is blank is what is empty,
and it is used as another covering over top of the true word of God and again
as something which comes between us and the truth.
The practical
reality of this illustration is that, although the Body of Christ may easily
reject what is obviously fake (the plastic bottle) they have allowed an add-on
to the true milk of the word (to the true gospel), but this add-on keeps the
children of God from getting to the truth (the milk) of God’s word. This add-on
is a false grace teaching which gives its listeners the idea that they don’t
have to repent of (turn from) their sin, and they don’t have to follow Jesus
Christ in obedience and in surrender to his will for their lives, but they can
just “believe” and have their ticket into heaven, and nothing really has to
change in their lives, because they are now under grace and not under the law,
or so they have been told.
And, yet scripture
contradicts this false grace teaching when it teaches us that we must die with
Christ to our old lives of living for self and in sin, that we must be
transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God, and that we must walk daily
in Christ’s righteousness and holiness (See: Ro. 6-8; 2 Co. 5:15; Gal. 2:20;
Eph. 4:17-24; Tit. 2:11-14 & 1 Jn. 1-5).
Get Rid Of…
Tell me, you who want to be under the law,
are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that
Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23
His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by
the free woman was born as the result of a promise.
These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two
covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be
slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia
and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery
with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and
she is our mother…
Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 At
that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power
of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30 But what does the Scripture
say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will
never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” 31 Therefore,
brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. ~
Gal. 4:21-31
I will not, at this
point, go into a full explanation of this passage of scripture only to say that
this is teaching that the nation of Israel, who were at one time God’s chosen
people and heirs of the promise, if they have rejected Jesus Christ as their
Lord and Messiah, are now numbered among the Gentiles and they are no different
from the Arab nations, because they are all of the slave woman and not of the
free woman. Only those who are believers in Jesus Christ are of the free woman
and are heirs to eternal life with God in heaven.
Yet, the reason here
for Paul to explain this is because it was the Judaizers who were trying to
lead those, who were the sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ, astray to a
false gospel. So, the “slave woman” is also to represent this false gospel
coming from those who are outside of genuine faith in Jesus Christ, but who
have come in among us, and who have pretended as though they are one of us.
They have perverted the gospel, and have convinced immature followers of Christ
to accept a flesh-driven cheap add-on to the true gospel, but which hinders the
babes in Christ from getting to the true milk of the Word.
And, so God is
saying we must “get rid of” this “slave woman,” i.e. we must rid the church of
this false gospel of salvation which is an add-on to the true gospel, and which
will never satisfy the thirsts of our souls, because it is empty, useless, weak
and miserable. We must remove the pacifier added on to the genuine nipple which
gives us the true milk of the Word, and we must remove the blank page which was
inserted in between Christ and his word, but which is void of truth. We must
get rid of this empty and useless fake gospel so that the sons of faith can get
right to the genuine full gospel of salvation. And, yet, the church in the
west, at this point, does not seem willing to do that, so I believe God is
going to have to bring in a “lactation specialist” to assist the “mother” with
getting her infant to take hold of the breast (the true and full gospel of
salvation), and that is going to involve forcing the nipple into the child’s
mouth, which means divine discipline is on its way.
ONLY IN HIM / An
Original Work / February 19, 2014
Based off Isaiah 30
Woe to those who look
to man’s help;
Who turn away from Jesus
Christ;
Forming an alliance
not in step with God;
Making their own
plans, and praying not.
Willing not to listen
to truth,
They close their ears
to what is right.
Pleasing words are all
that they’ll hear;
Feel good messages
that bring cheer.
Trust in your Lord;
turn from your sin.
Put your faith now ONLY
IN HIM.
Do not turn to idols.
They’ll not satisfy.
Jesus will save you.
That’s why He died.
Your Lord will be
gracious to you.
He cares all about
you, ‘tis true.
He forgives you all of
your sin
When you give your
life up to Him.
Oh, how truly gracious
He’ll be
When you bow to Him on
your knees;
Turning now from your sin;
walking in his ways.
He’ll lead and guide
you all of your days.
Now you will sing
praises to Him.
He delivered you from
your sin.
You’ll tell others now
of His grace,
So they may see Christ
face-to-face.
http://originalworks.info/only-in-him/
Devotion on audio: http://originalworks.info/weak-and-miserable/
Devotion on audio: http://originalworks.info/weak-and-miserable/
2 comments:
The false gospel of easy "believism," with no mention of being disciples of Jesus, is indeed popular in many churches. In Gal. 4 I think the Judaizers that you mention were adding a heavier "add-on" to the true gospel; they were saying Christians had to obey the whole law of Moses (as in Gal. 3:2-5). Before they became Christians, Paul tells his Jewish Christian readers they were in bondage to weak and miserable spirits, observing the days, months, seasons,and years of the law of Moses. So those who desire to be under the law (of Moses) are in danger of returning to the old covenant, from Mt. Sinai, and returning to slavery.
You are correct concerning the literal understanding of the passage of scripture as applied to the church of that time, which also may have application yet today in some situations.
Nonetheless, the Lord Jesus was giving me an application of the passage to today in what is a very serious add-on to the gospel of our time, and that is this false grace gospel which is being added on top of the full gospel and is preventing many from even getting to the true gospel, and thus is preventing many from coming to genuine faith in Jesus Christ.
The problem with this false grace gospel is that so many people within the church don't recognize it as such, because it is an add-on, and thus they think they are getting the real deal when they are not. The fact that so many children of God have latched on to this false feel-good gospel is a very serious matter. They have returned to weak and miserable principles because they have returned to slavery to the flesh and they have forgotten that Jesus Christ died to free them from their bondage.
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