admin – Page 36 – Ministry of Grace Church

Author: admin

Galatians 4:2 – Child Care

Posted on November 25, 2007 by admin

Galatians 4:2

²but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.

Truth to Learn

The Law of Moses served as a guardian and as a decision maker for all who were under the law until the coming of the Messiah who freed all from the confines of the law.

Behind the Words

The word translated “guardians” is “epitropous” which is made up of “epi” meaning over or upon and “trepo” meaning to turn. This is a person to whom a person turns over control or responsibility of another. It is used in the domestic sense as a guardian.

“stewards” is translated from “oikonomous,” another compound word. This one is made up of “oikos” meaning house or dwelling and a form of “nemo” which means to deal out or to distribute. This person was usually a slave who was put in charge of distributing food to all the other slaves of the household. In civic affairs this word referred to the treasurer of a city.

The word translated “time appointed” is “prothesmias” which is a legal term that was applied to the term limited for bringing actions or prosecutions. Today we would refer to this as a statute of limitations.

Meaning Explained

Paul began this thought in the previous verse where he told us that a child who is still a minor is no different from a slave because he has no legal rights or responsibilities. He may be the future lord of the manor but as long as he is a child he is placed under guardians and stewards.

The guardian is responsible for watching out for the safety of the child. This person has complete control over the child’s person until the child grows up. The steward, who typically reports to the guardian, is responsible for watching out for the child’s financial matters. If something were to happen to the father the steward would manage the child’s finances until he reached the age of majority.

In a very real sense, even though this child will one day inherit all that the father leaves to him, currently he is under the ever watchful eye of the guardian and totally dependent on the decisions of the steward. These conditions remain in effect until the time determined by the father of the child. This might be at the age of majority (thirteen years and one day for a Jewish boy) if the father was deceased, or it might not be until later in life when the father determined to distribute his property to his sons.

This is precisely the relationship that the Jews had with regard to the Law of Moses. While they were immature they were under the law as their guardian, watching over them and constantly reminding them of their sinfulness, and as their steward, making all their decisions for them. But when the time appointed by their father came, the Messiah was revealed and they no longer needed guardians and stewards.

Application

The Christians in Galatia were being taught that they had to obey the law even after receiving salvation through faith. Paul is telling them here that it’s like trying to become a child again.

Why would anyone want to do that?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, you can call the church phone (618) 614-3070 and leave a message telling us your name and e-mail address or you can send an e-mail to:

Galatians 4:1 – Infants and Slaves

Posted on November 23, 2007 by admin

Galatians 4:1

¹Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,

Truth to Learn

As spiritual infants those who keep the law are simply performing ritualistic practices that can not result in an inheritance. Though they may have mastery of all that the law requires, they are spiritually no better than common slaves.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “child” is “nēpios” which is made up of “nē” meaning not and a form of “epos” meaning word. Hence this word refers to one who is not yet saying words. This person is an infant who is totally dependent on others for his life and livelihood.

“master” is translated from the Greek word “kurios” which means might or power. It is used in the New Testament to signify a master or a lord or an owner.

We looked at the word “slave” a few verses back. It refers to one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another. He is the property of his lord or master.

Review

In the previous chapter Paul showed us that the purpose of the Law of Moses was to guard us (keep watch over us) as a constant reminder of our sinfulness and need for a savior. It also acted as our tutor or pedagogue to lead us to the truth about salvation through the coming Messiah. But, as Paul told us, after we came to faith in Jesus Christ we no longer needed a guard or a tutor. And, since we now belong to Christ we are part of the promised seed of Abraham and we are now eligible to receive the inheritance of the father which was promised to Abraham and his seed.

Meaning Explained

To illustrate what he had said of the law’s being a schoolmaster until the coming of Christ, Paul proposes the case of an heir during his minority, till he comes to the proper time of enjoying his estate. He is making the point that a child, even though he will eventually inherit all that belongs to his father, currently has no rights. In that sense he is really no different than a slave who is owned by his father. He has a different relation to his father in that he receives the love of his father and is preferred above all others by his father, but legally he can not inherit his father’s estate until he reaches the age of maturity.

The ceremonies and rituals of Judaism were designed for those who did not know God as He is revealed in Christ. Those under the law were infants in relation to the father. The law was full of shadows and pictures, appealing to the spiritual senses through physical and external actions which only produced a temporal position with God. Faith in Christ, on the other hand, is spiritual, internal, and permanent. As Christians we are of age and eligible to inherit all that has been promised to us.

Application

You, as a son or daughter of God through faith in Jesus Christ, will one day inherit all that the Father has promised to you.

Are you living like a slave or an heir?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 3:29 – God’s Heirs

Posted on November 20, 2007 by admin

Galatians 3:29

²⁹And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Truth to Learn

We who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are now the children of God and have the right to inherit all the blessings promised to Abraham

Behind the Words

The word translated “Christ’s” is “christou.” This noun is in the genitive case which means that it is to be translated as of Christ or from Christ. In Greek this is the form of a noun that identifies ownership. What Paul is telling us is that we who believe God’s message about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus now belong to Christ. He is our owner, that is, our lord and master.

The word translated “heir” is “klēronomos,” which is a compound word made up of “klēros” meaning a lot and a form of “nemō” meaning to have in one’s posession. In the Roman world, as in the Greek world, a lot was used as a manner of selection. The lots of several parties were properly marked or distinguished and put into a vessel which was violently shaken by one who turned his face away. The lot which first fell to the ground indicated the person chosen or preferred for the occasion. If a person had a lot, then they were eligible for selection. If they did not have a lot they were left out of the selection process. The word “klēronomos” has thus come to be used in reference to one who was eligible for distribution of an inheritance hence, its translation as “heir.”

Meaning Explained

Paul just told us that we are all one in Christ Jesus and we are each a child of God. This privileged position is the result of faith, not the accident of national origin, the preference of freedom or servitude, or whether man or woman. In Romans 4 Paul shows that Abraham was justified by faith, and was thus identified as the spiritual father of all believers in Christ, whether circumcised or uncircumcised. And in verse 16 he told us that the promises made to Abraham were made to him and his seed, who is Jesus Christ. Since we now belong to Christ, we belong to the seed of Abraham and have become an heir according to God’s promise and our faith.

Since we are now heirs of God according to the promise made to Abraham, we inherit the blessings promised to Abraham, and partake of the peace and happiness which he looked forward to. This did not happen by the obedience of the Law; it was by faith – in the same way that Abraham received the blessing; an arrangement before the giving of the Law, and therefore one that may include everyone who believes, whether Jew or Gentile. All believers enjoy the blessings of Abraham and we all are the children of God, and in the same manner, and on the same terms as Abraham was.

So What?

Do you now see why Christ taught his disciples to pray, “Our Father who is in heaven?” He truly is our father and we are His children who will one day inherit a place in His eternal kingdom.

Let us take a few minutes to pray to our Heavenly Father and thank Him for all the blessings that He has promised to us through faith.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 3:28 – No Difference

Posted on November 19, 2007 by admin

Galatians 3:28

²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Truth to Learn

God’s promises in Christ are offered freely to anyone, independent of national origin, gender, or status in life.

Behind the Words

“Jew nor Greek” is a literal translation of “ioudaios oude ellēn.” One might ask why Paul only mentions these two nations. Paul is writing from a Jewish perspective and in their thinking a person is either a Jew or not a Jew. After the conquest of Alexander the Great, the common Greek language became the language of the people. As Rome conquered the lands and expanded her dominion throughout the Mediterranean, Greek continued to be the language of commerce and conversation. So, by the first century nearly all the civilized world spoke Greek. Therefore, in the early church one was either a Jew (speaking a form of Hebrew called Aramaic) or a Greek (speaking common Greek.)

The word translated “slave” is “doulos” meaning one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another. There are other words in the Greek language for servants; “oiketēs” meaning a household servant and “misthōtos” meaning a hired servant. These had rights which a slave did not.

Meaning Explained

In verse 26 Paul declared that we are all sons (children) of God through faith in Christ Jesus. He now expands on that thought. Not only are we all children of God, but there is no distinction made with respect to salvation between Jews and Gentiles, between freeborn and slaves, or between the sexes.

Through the Law of Moses the Jews were declared to be a special people above all others:

Deuteronomy 7:6 ⁶For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.

A slave (doulos) had no rights and was considered the personal property of his master. A free man was independent and had the rights of ownership, citizenship, and inheritance. Within Jewish society men had many privileges over women. A woman could not inherit nor could she own slaves as her husband could.

In his normal morning prayer, a Jewish man thanked God that He had not made him a Gentile, a slave, or a woman. But in Christ Jesus these differences disappear, that is, as far as acceptance with God is concerned. In Christ a Jew is not preferred over a Gentile, a free man is not more favored than a slave, nor is a man more privileged than a woman. With respect to salvation, righteousness, and eternal life there is no distinction made based on one’s station in life. God offers his gift freely to all.

So What?

Christianity was the first religious system that put all people on an equal footing. All of us are sinners and, without Christ, are under God’s condemnation. Anyone who believes God’s promise and accepts Christ’s blood as the payment for his or her sins is declared righteous no matter what his or her lineage, position in society, or gender.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 3:27 – Christ Embraced

Posted on November 18, 2007 by admin

Galatians 3:27

²⁷For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Truth to Learn

When we come to faith in Jesus Christ we become a child of God and we embrace all that Jesus is. We wrap ourselves in Him.

Behind the Words

The word translated “into” is the Greek word “eis” which can mean into but it can also mean motion toward or upon any place or thing. Hence, it is often translated as “unto.”

The words “put on” are from a form of the Greek word “enduo” which literally means to sink into. It is the word used to express putting oneself into his or her clothing. To put on someone else, however, is a very peculiar expression to our modern ears. According to Chrysostom, one of the greatest preachers of the fourth century, Bishop of Constantinople, and a prolific writer: “We say of friends, one puts on the other, meaning thereby much love and unceasing fellowship.” So Paul’s meaning in saying that we have “put on” Christ is that we have a great love for our Lord and experience continual close fellowship with him. This is accomplished through constant prayer accompanied by continual reading and studying of God’s Word. Today we might say that we have “embraced Christ and His teachings.”

Meaning Explained

Paul has just told us that we obtain our sonship of God, not by deeds of righteousness but by faith in Jesus Christ. He now carries the idea one step further. Paul makes a reference to those who are justified by faith in Christ with the expression, “as many of you as were baptized unto Christ.” He is not saying here that only those who have been baptized are Christians, though some churches today teach that baptism is required for salvation. This is typically taken from the teachings of Jesus as He gave the great commission to the church:

Mark 16:15, 16 ¹⁵And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

Notice, however, that condemnation comes to those who do not believe, not to those who are not baptized. The notion that baptism is required in addition to faith is just as wrong as the false teaching that the Galatians had received, that one must believe and be circumcised in order to be saved.

Baptism is a testimony of the salvation that has already taken place and an indication that the believer has embraced Christ and all that He stands for. Paul will tell us in the next chapter of this letter to the Galatian churches that when we are saved we are guaranteed adoption into the family of God. As His adopted children we “put on” all the spiritual and behavioral clothing of His family.

So What?

As a Christian you have declared that you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins. When you did this God legally declared you to be as righteous (sinless) as Jesus Himself. And, according to this verse, you embraced all that He stands for.

Do those around you see you embracing all that He stands for?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 3:10 – Cursed Works

Posted on October 18, 2007 by admin

Galatians 3:10

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do the.

Truth to Learn

Performing works of the law results in God’s curse. Faith and faith alone results in God’s blessing.

Behind the Words

Paul once again uses a play on words to make his point. In the previous verse he said those who are “of faith” are “blessed.” In the current verse he says that those who are “of the works of the law” are “cursed.” The expression “of faith” is from the Greek words ek pisteōs which literally translates as “out of faith” or “out of belief.” What Paul means by this is that their manner of life is build out of faith. It is the characteristic that describes how they conduct themselves. And those people whose life is characterized by faith are “blessed” by God or, as we saw in the discussion of the previous verse, are “well spoken of” by God.

Now, in this verse he refers to those who are “of works of the law.” This is a translation of the phrase ek ergon nomou which literally means “out of works of law.” In other words, their manner of life is built out of works of law, obeying rules to receive righteousness rather than simply having believing faith. These people, according to Paul, are “under the curse” which comes from the Greek, hupo kataran. The word hupo means “under” and the word kataran means “a curse.” So these people, instead of receiving good words from God, receive a cursing from God.

Meaning Explained

Paul now uses a quote from the Old Testament to show that doing a few good works does nothing for a person if they don’t do all the works of the law.

Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law. (Deueronomy 27:26)

What Paul is pointing out is that the one who tries to obtain righteousness by works of the law must keep the entire law. Now, we know that no one can keep all the works of the law, so anyone who tries to confirm or complete their righteousness by obeying some or all of the works of the law is cursed because it isn’t humanly possible.

The Christians in Galatia had been taught by the false teachers that they had to keep some of the works of the law in order to be completely saved. Paul has just shown them that keeping part of the law does no good. If they expect to receive righteousness by works of the law then they have to keep the entire law, and no one can do that!

Application

Do you want to receive “a blessing” from God or “a cursing?” Living by faith and some good works does not secure God’s blessing. The only way to receive God’s blessing is to live by faith and faith alone.

Are you still trying to earn God’s blessing?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 3:9 – Believer’s Eulogy

Posted on October 17, 2007 by admin

Galatians 3:9

So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

Truth to Learn

God’s eulogy for us will depend on what we believe, not on what we do.

Behind the Words

We saw in the previous verse that God promised Abraham that all nations would be blessed in him. The word in the previous verse which is translated as “nations” is the Greek word “ethnē” which refers to “a group of people as distinguished by their race or familiar characteristics.” This is the word, however, that Jews used to refer to all who are not Jewish; hence it is often translated as “Gentiles.” God’s message to Abraham, however, was that all nations, including both Jews and Gentiles, would be blessed in him, therefore it is best to translate this word as “nations” in this instance.

In the current verse, the word translated “blessed” is “eulogountai” which is a compound word made up of “eu” meaning “good” or “well” and a form of “logos” meaning “word.” Hence, it literally means “good words.” It is what we get our English word eulogy from and anyone who has been to a funeral knows that the eulogy is where good things are said about the deceased.

Meaning Explained

Paul’s point is that all nations are blessed (spoken well of by God) because of Abraham’s seed, that is, Jesus Christ. But, actually it’s even more than that. The ones who are blessed are the ones whom God justifies, that is, those who believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah. It is because God has declared them as righteous (justified) that He can speak well of them. But those who reject Christ are not blessed, in fact, not only will God not speak well of them, they will receive God’s wrath for rejecting His Son.

And Paul ties this in with the major point that he has been making all along, that God’s blessing, salvation, comes from faith in Jesus Christ, Abraham’s seed, not believing this plus doing good works. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t do good works, for we clearly should. It’s just that our good works should be a result of our salvation, not a source of our salvation.

Application

Are you a believer in God’s promise that you will be saved if you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If not, God will not have good words for you when you appear before Him at the end of your earthly life. If, on the other hand, you have humbled yourself before Him, accepting the blood of Jesus to pay the penalty for your sins, then God has good words waiting for you. What do you want to hear?

If you wait until you appear before Him, it will be too late. The time to believe is now. Don’t put it off any longer! Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 3:8 – God’s Blessing

Posted on October 16, 2007 by admin

Galatians 3:8

And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”

Truth to Learn

God’s blessing on our lives comes by faith.

Behind the Words

When we read the first part of this verse we have to ask ourselves, “How can the Scripture foresee anything.” Of course, since the Scripture is not a person, it is impossible. However, the Jewish Rabbis used this as a way of citing passages of Scripture. They would say, “What does the Scripture foresee?” or “What does the law foresee?” We understand, then, that this is a personification of Scripture. That is, the reference to the Scripture is really a reference to the true author, God Himself. This is what the Rabbis intended in their teaching so we believe that this is also what Paul intended here.

So, we could paraphrase the opening part of this verse as, “And God, foreseeing that He would justify the Gentiles by faith …”

As another indication that “the Scripture” is a personification of God, Paul goes on to say that the Scripture, “preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, …” The word translated “preached the gospel beforehand” is “proeuēngelidzomai” which simply means “to announce the good news ahead of time.” This is not a reference to what we call “the gospel of Christ,” that Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins, was buried, and rose again. Rather it is a reference to the good news given ahead of time to Abraham that “in you all the nations shall be blessed.” This good news was given to Abraham directly by God while Abram was still in Ur of the Chaldeans and is recorded for us in:

I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. (Genesis 12:3)

Meaning Explained

As Paul will make clearer in the following verse, those of us who are saved by faith in Christ are the ones who are blessed along with Abraham, simply because we believe God’s word, not because we keep the requirements of the law. We do not have to become Jews and become circumcised, we simply have to believe! And in doing so, we Gentiles are blessed in Abraham.

God, knowing that Gentiles would believe the good news of Jesus Christ, and knowing that he would declare us as righteous because of that belief, told Abraham that in him (that is in his seed, Jesus Christ) all nations of the world would be blessed. And now we know that there are Christian believers in all nations who believe God’s promises.

Application

You too can be free from sin guilt and know eternal salvation:

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ( Romans 10:9)

Want God’s blessing? That says it all!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 3:7 – Abraham’s Child

Posted on October 15, 2007 by admin

Galatians 3:7

Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.

Truth to Learn

Who your earthly father is has no bearing at all on your standing before God. Having God as your Heavenly Father is the important matter.

Review

As we pointed out in the previous verse, the false teachers who had traveled through Galatia were teaching the Christians there that they had to obey the Law of Moses in order to be completely saved. Apparently they taught that a Christian had to become a Jew and become circumcised in order to be truly saved. Paul argued in the previous verse that circumcision was not what resulted in Abraham being saved (proclaimed righteous), it was his faith in God’s promise for which God proclaimed him righteous. And that occurred some twenty or so years before Abraham was circumcised, and four hundred and 30 years before the Law was given to Moses.

Behind the Words

Before we see Paul’s summation of this idea let’s look at a couple of words in the current verse. The word “only” is not in the original Greek, it was inserted by the translators. The other word we want to look at is the word translated “know.” This is from the word “ginōskete.” This verb can be rendered as being in the indicative mood or the imperative mood for they both have the same spelling. If it is in the indicative mood it means, “Therefore you know that those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.” But if it is an imperative then Paul is saying this almost as a command, “Therefore understand that those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.” Since this is a point that Paul is trying to prove, it makes sense that this verb is in the imperative mood.

Meaning Explained

All Jews had been taught that being a descendent of Abraham guaranteed them righteousness and the indication of their being a son of Abraham was circumcision. Even a convert to Judaism who was circumcised after conversion was considered a son of Abraham.

But here, Paul is telling the Christians in Galatia that circumcision is not the thing which determines who is a son of Abraham, hence a son of God. Rather, he is saying that those who believe God’s word, the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection, are the ones who God sees as sons of Abraham. It is to those who believe His word that He imputes righteousness.

Application

So, are you trusting your salvation on the belief that Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins and that He rose from the dead as proof of His being the Son of God? Or are you trying to live a certain way and obey a set of rules in order to secure your salvation?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 3:6 – Credited Righteousness

Posted on October 14, 2007 by admin

Galatians 3:6

just as Abraham “Believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness”

Truth to Learn

Our righteousness is not earned, it is credited to us.

Behind the Words

The word translated “accounted” is a form of “logidzomai” which is an accounting term meaning, “to credit something to someone’s account.” In the current verse we are told that God credited righteousness to Abraham’s account. In other words, God declared Abraham righteous when he believed.

Meaning Explained

Paul has been demonstrating to the Christian believers in the churches in Galatia that salvation comes by faith and by faith alone. The false teachers who had been teaching in these churches had convinced the Galatians that they needed to observe at least some of the Law of Moses in order to make their salvation complete. Paul has just pointed out to these believers that God provided His Holy Spirit to them, just as He does with all believers in the church age, by “the hearing of faith” and not by “works of the law.”

These false teachers were using the Hebrew Scriptures (what we now call the Old Testament) to demonstrate that circumcision and works of law were necessary for salvation. They may very likely have quoted from Geneses chapter 17 to support their argument.

Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael; and all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him. (Genesis 17:24-27)

In response to this Paul will now use another example from the Old Testament to show why works of the law are not necessary. Paul also uses Abraham as his example.

Then He (God) brought him (Abraham) outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He (God) said to him (Abraham), “So shall your descendants be.” And he (Abraham) believed in the LORD, and He (God) accounted it to him (Abraham) for righteousness. (Genesis 15:5, 6)

When Abraham believed God, God credited it to him for righteousness. The subtlety of argument is the fact that Abraham was declared righteous (Genesis 15:6) some 20 years or so before Abraham was circumcised (Genesis 17:24). God declared Abraham righteous (saved him) based on faith alone without any works just as He declares us righteous based on faith alone.

Application

Have you earned the right for God to declare you righteous? No! Righteousness is a gift from God credited to us because we believe, not because we earned it.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –