Galatians 3:3 KJV
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
We continue the way we began; in the Spirit and through the hearing of faith.
The issue in Galatia was the Jewish law. They began their Christian life in the Spirit by the hearing of faith. But they had been beguiled and were attempting to reach Christian perfection and maturity by the works of that Law, in the power of their flesh. Paul proclaims, but in logic fashion that we are perfected the same way we began, in the Spirit and by the hearing of faith.
Our issue today is not so different. Well meaning (I suppose) people urge Christians to spiritual maturity by forcing upon them their own brand of Law.
• Dress a certain way
• Raise your family a certain way
• Behave a certain way
- the way we tell you, and you will be perfected.
The truth is they merely want people to conform to their standard. It is all of the flesh.
I believe in standards, I believe that Christians should grow into separation from this world. But we must not allow ourselves to make those standards the means of perfection; that only comes as the Spirit ministers to the hearers of faith.
• Standards
• Separation
• Conformity to Christ
are the by-products of perfection and not the other way around.
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
We continue the way we began; in the Spirit and through the hearing of faith.
The issue in Galatia was the Jewish law. They began their Christian life in the Spirit by the hearing of faith. But they had been beguiled and were attempting to reach Christian perfection and maturity by the works of that Law, in the power of their flesh. Paul proclaims, but in logic fashion that we are perfected the same way we began, in the Spirit and by the hearing of faith.
Our issue today is not so different. Well meaning (I suppose) people urge Christians to spiritual maturity by forcing upon them their own brand of Law.
• Dress a certain way
• Raise your family a certain way
• Behave a certain way
- the way we tell you, and you will be perfected.
The truth is they merely want people to conform to their standard. It is all of the flesh.
I believe in standards, I believe that Christians should grow into separation from this world. But we must not allow ourselves to make those standards the means of perfection; that only comes as the Spirit ministers to the hearers of faith.
• Standards
• Separation
• Conformity to Christ
are the by-products of perfection and not the other way around.
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