Galatians - Getting a Good Grip on G-d's Great
Grace
Paul reiterates his intense concern that the Galatians catch the
vision of freedom in Messiah and once again uses language full of
passion to penetrate their thinking and to deeply inscribe his message
upon their hearts. He does not want Gentile New Covenant believers
to be burdened with a yoke that he and his forefathers could not
bear (Acts 15:10-11).
Stand fast therefore in the liberty for which
Messiah has made us free and be not entangled again in the yoke
of bondage.
Galatians 5:1
Paul then clarifies that this new found liberty in Messiah is not
an excuse to do whatever comes naturally, but the freedom to serve
G-d from the heart by loving those G-d has brought into your life.
The fruit of the Spirit is the ultimate purpose of the Torah fulfilled
by living out the gospel through reliance upon G-d's grace.
For you have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty
as an opportunity for your flesh, but through (agape'- sacrificial)
love serve one another. For all the Torah
is fulfilled in one word, even in this: You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.
Galatians 5:13-14
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness,
gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. Against
such there is no Torah. Galatians 5:22-23
The Apostle Paul then instructs the believers to live out their
walk in the Spirit by treating each person with profound grace and
respect, realizing that is the godliest demonstration of how we
fulfill the Torah of the Messiah and build the Kingdom of G-d in
our everyday world.
If someone is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual
restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself,
lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's
burdens and so fulfill the Torah of Messiah. Galatians
6:1-2
In closing Paul clinches his argument by laying down the bottom
line, refocusing us on the cross of Messiah, for that is what enables
us to become a new creation in Messiah. That is what really counts
in the eternal scheme of all things.
G-d forbid that I should boast, except in
the cross of our L-RD Y'shua the Messiah, by whom the world
has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For
in Messiah Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails
anything, but a new creation. Galatians 6:14-15
Galatians is a message that seems as though it was written for
such a time as this. It is amazing how history keeps repeating itself
and yet we still refuse to learn from it, falling prey to the same
old lies, generation after generation. My
prayer for the Messianic, Sabbath Keeping, Jewish & Hebraic
Roots movements is that we would all return to our first love, to
our L-RD Y'shua, (Jesus) the Messiah. That He would be pre-eminent
(1st place) in everything. That we'd never forget that our salvation
is a gift, the result of the finished work of Y'shua and cannot
be earned by even our most heroic deeds and altruistic efforts.
That in Him alone is found all that the human heart yearns for.
That He alone is worthy of all our adoration & devotion. He
alone suffered, died, & rose from the dead, so that we could
know with absolute certainty that our debt of sin has been cancelled,
the payment for our sin has been satisfied. He alone can provide
the abiding peace of knowing our sins are forgiven and forgotten.
He alone can convince us deep in our kishka's (our innermost being)
that we've been blessed with the gift of life everlasting and give
us the assurance that Heaven is our ultimate destination, our eternal
home! These are the things that we should be focusing on and longing
for. These are the truths that unite us, that answer the most essential
intercessory prayers of our Messiah. These are the truths that give
us new life in Messiah Y'shua and increased intimacy with our Heavenly
Abba! May the great, grand, and glorious grace of our L-RD Y'shua
the Messiah be with your spirit, Amen |
