Are you Galatians mad?
Gal3:1 By the law is the knowledge of sin. It is not how we gain knowledge of God. We gain knowledge of God by living by faith. The law puts us in bondage. Faith makes us free. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not again entangled in the yoke of bondage (Gal5:1). The law has to do with the flesh, with fleshly spirits. Kill everything that has to do with the earthy life. Fornication, indecency, guilty passions, evil desires, especially greed which is the same as worshipping a false god, anger, being bad-tempered, spitefulness, abusive language, dirty talk, and lying to one another (Col3:5-9) Faith has to do with the Spirit. They that are led by the Spirit of God are sons and daughters of God.(Rm8:11) St. Paul does not say they that are led by the law are sons and daughters of God but they that are led by the Spirit. The difference is like night and day. People who go to church and attempt to be justified by keeping the law have no knowledge of God. They are not born from above and are subject to all the curses associated with the law: sin, sickness, disease, lack, poverty, spiritual death, accidents, chaos, turmoil, and the like. People who have been born from above must learn to live by faith in order to come to the place of receiving the blessing of Abraham, the promised Spirit and the care, protection, and the provision of God. Only people born from above experience the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, meekness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, patience, and self-control. People born from above have a song in their heart and know how to praise, worship, and adore the Lord. No one can say Jesus is Lord but by the Holy Spirit. People not born from above are dead in transgression and sin (Ephes2;1) The Galatian church began in the Spirit but it was being undermined by Judaisers who wanted the new converts to follow Jewish law and tradition, in this case, circumcision. St. Paul tells them that having begun in the Spirit are they made perfect by the flesh? Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or the hearing of faith? For St. Paul the answer to both questions is living by faith and not by the works of the law. The letter to the Hebrews tells us that the law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did. Our institutional church which began in the Spirit has been Judaised to such an extent that religion has replaced life in the Spirit and as such lack any real knowledge of God. The law keeps them in darkness. The law keeps them in bondage. The law which is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ has become a force to keep people from experiencing true freedom and happiness. The first letter of Timothy tells us that the law is not meant for the righteous but for lawbreakers, for murderers and stealers and the like. Today the law is used to sedate and control not as a means to repentance and new life in the Spirit. Our knowledge of God is based on living a faith life, a life of freedom, joy, and love. Do not let anyone try to manipulate you by guilt. Live a life of faith. Learn to hear from God and respond to the hearing of faith. We are no longer under the law, any of it. We are moved by the Spirit and live in love. Amen |