Reading: Galatians 1, 2, 3
My Verse: "There is [now no distinction] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (3:28)
This is a verse that causes me to realize the importance of always keeping in mind the message of the Whole Gospel. While a particular verse or message may stand out, may speak to me in particular at a given time I must never take that verse/message out of context or in isolation. I must consider it in light of the Whole Gospel message. Lord, I pray that You keep me always to that.
Today this message here is a wonderful one. Paul is making the point that we are "all one in Christ Jesus". As we stand before You and are in You there is no distinction between us ethnically, socially, or according to our gender. Each and every on of us equally share in Your salvation, Lord. "For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith." (3:26 ESV) These must have been sweet words for the people of that day, where discrimination and stratification of the society was so strong. But even today we need to hear this. There are so many ills of our society based on discrimination of one kind or another.
Just yesterday there was a news headline of a soldier whose death was attributed to his own comrades basically torturing him for racial reasons. It is so wrong. Lord, how we need this message, this message of Your love for each and every human being, this message that we are all equal in Your eyes.
The ESV study Bible clarifies this idea of "sons". It states that the Greek term for "sons" refers to the "the status of all Christians . . . who having been adopted into God's family . . . enjoy all the privileges, obligations and inheritance rights of God's children." Thank You, for this, Lord.
And yet . . . this is where the whole message of the Gospel must be considered. While we are all equal in Your eyes we are not all the same. We are still janitors and presidents. We are still male and female. As such we live out our lives differently, but none are superior in Your eyes. We just play different roles. Paul teaches further on this in Ephesians. There he makes it clear that we are different in that sense. There is diversity within this concept of equality - diversity not sameness.
This is such a crucial message. We, humans seem to have this awful tendency of wanting to lord it over one another. We seem to need to feel superior. Lord, thank You for this teaching. Thank You for reminding us that through Your eyes we are all equally important - equally loved. We do not need to be constantly striving for success, for power, for wealth. It is an emptiness. We need You in our lives - for You fill us up with all that we need.
"For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with good" (Psalm 107:9).
Yes, Lord, You are all that is good and fulfilling. We are each of us different ethnically, socially, and according to gender but we are also each of us equal in Your eyes.
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
My Verse: "There is [now no distinction] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (3:28)
This is a verse that causes me to realize the importance of always keeping in mind the message of the Whole Gospel. While a particular verse or message may stand out, may speak to me in particular at a given time I must never take that verse/message out of context or in isolation. I must consider it in light of the Whole Gospel message. Lord, I pray that You keep me always to that.
Today this message here is a wonderful one. Paul is making the point that we are "all one in Christ Jesus". As we stand before You and are in You there is no distinction between us ethnically, socially, or according to our gender. Each and every on of us equally share in Your salvation, Lord. "For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith." (3:26 ESV) These must have been sweet words for the people of that day, where discrimination and stratification of the society was so strong. But even today we need to hear this. There are so many ills of our society based on discrimination of one kind or another.
Just yesterday there was a news headline of a soldier whose death was attributed to his own comrades basically torturing him for racial reasons. It is so wrong. Lord, how we need this message, this message of Your love for each and every human being, this message that we are all equal in Your eyes.
The ESV study Bible clarifies this idea of "sons". It states that the Greek term for "sons" refers to the "the status of all Christians . . . who having been adopted into God's family . . . enjoy all the privileges, obligations and inheritance rights of God's children." Thank You, for this, Lord.
And yet . . . this is where the whole message of the Gospel must be considered. While we are all equal in Your eyes we are not all the same. We are still janitors and presidents. We are still male and female. As such we live out our lives differently, but none are superior in Your eyes. We just play different roles. Paul teaches further on this in Ephesians. There he makes it clear that we are different in that sense. There is diversity within this concept of equality - diversity not sameness.
This is such a crucial message. We, humans seem to have this awful tendency of wanting to lord it over one another. We seem to need to feel superior. Lord, thank You for this teaching. Thank You for reminding us that through Your eyes we are all equally important - equally loved. We do not need to be constantly striving for success, for power, for wealth. It is an emptiness. We need You in our lives - for You fill us up with all that we need.
"For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with good" (Psalm 107:9).
Yes, Lord, You are all that is good and fulfilling. We are each of us different ethnically, socially, and according to gender but we are also each of us equal in Your eyes.
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
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