Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Tues., 9/29/09 Devotion (Gal. 5:1)

Today's encouragement comes from Galatians 5:1, where we read these words:

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."

The default position of the flesh--even in truly converted churchmen--is always back to law, and works. The Galatian church had been sold a "bill of goods" by a Judaizer. He was urging them to add the Old Covenant stipulations to their faith in Christ. Some of the Galatians were caving in. The Apostle Paul took out all his guns, and began to blast away (at this works-religion).

Let us recognize that, unless we are very careful, we also will fall back into "ordinary religion," which amounts to nothing more than what a Muslim or an atheist hopes for: rewards based on performance. Instead, let us continue to cling to Christ, by faith; and, in so doing, enjoy our blessed freedoms as children of the Great King.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Prayer is the pouring out of the soul to God; not the pouring out of words . . . " --William Bridge, in "A Lifting Up for the Downcast"]