Month: February 2019

186. Christ Formed within

Galatians 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.

The work and effort of preaching the Crucified Christ carries the resulting promise that Christ will be formed in us. The promise of Christ living, working and acting within the believer is repeated in various ways in the New Testament. This promise uses the word “form.” The forming of Christ is a process. Christ comes in the moment one believes the Gospel and is baptized. The forming is a process that apparently takes a long time and a lot of hard work.

The travailing and work that is done by the Apostle is the preaching of the Gospel. The preaching and hearing of the Gospel is the painful work that is done to form Christ within. The Law cannot form Christ; it can only accuse, condemn, and drive us to despair. After the Law has done its work then the Gospel is applied; it alone has the power to effect a change and form Christ. “Cruciformity” is a made-up theological word that describes the goal of the Gospel of the New Testament. This is what we want, although we don’t know that’s what we want. “Take up your cross” and die to yourself. Let Christ live by faith. That won’t happen unless and until we repent and believe the Gospel; and it must be believed over and over again.The natural man does not want the cross and he cannot believe the Gospel on his own, but the Holy Spirit calls me by the Gospel.

The natural man, the sinful man, must be crushed and killed by the Law and then be turned to the Gospel. Then the impossible happens: by the power of the Spirit through the Gospel he believes it; and then the forming begins and continues every time we apply the Gospel. Inside we look like Jesus, as God looks at us; outside, we look more and more Christ-like to the world. Even though we do not see it, it is still true, because God says it is so, and we can believe the Word does its intended work.

185. Adoption of sons

Galatians4:5-7 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

God sent His Son to redeem us so that we might be adopted as sons and daughters of God.As children, the Spirit of Jesus is in our hearts, and we can legitimately call God our Father, even “Daddy.” The promise is that we are adopted as sons. God chose us in Christ to be His children. We have been redeemed from slavery so that I am now a son; if I am a son then I am an heir of God. I will inherit everything that God owns, and God owns everything. But it is the spiritual and eternal things of God that are valuable in my inheritance. Among many blessings, some of the spiritual blessings included are: love, joy peace, goodness, kindness, life, forgiveness, salvation from all things harmful, deliverance from Sin and Evil, the kingdom of God, and such.

The adopted children are included in the inheritance equally as the natural born Son. Everything promised to the Son is guaranteed to us. “Share and share alike.” Every quality and characteristic of a perfect man is ours to inherit; and more, many attributes of God are also shared with us, everything except eternity (no beginning), omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. However, we will have eternity with no ending, more power, more presence and more knowledge. God cannot give us everything that He is, but He can and He will give us everything that He created us to be. It is hard to imagine what Adam could have been, but we get a good glimpse when we learn more and more about Jesus Christ, the perfect man who aligned Himself so perfectly with the will of the Father.

Children and heirs are designed to enjoy life while learning obedience and trust; children will learn how to be dependent and entrust themselves to the Father. The Son of God has earned that kind of life for us as the adopted children of God. Life is good.

184. Heir and Lord

Galatians 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all.

The promise of being an heir includes the promise of being lord of all. As children of God by faith in Christ we are heirs and lords. We will inherit all the things of God that He has promised to us, and as heirs we are lords. However, being still children we are still servants. We are now and always will be children, and as children we are still servants, although at the same time we are lords of all.

This paradoxical promise is echoed by Luther when he says, “We are dutiful servants of all and at the same time lords of all.”The paradox is true whether we can understand it or not. We are always servants and children while we are at the same time heirs and lords. As heirs we have the inheritance (all the promises) now by faith, although we have not yet grown up to realize the inheritance in actual fact, that is, we don’t see it. And we will forever be children of God and therefore servants of God. As servants, we serve one another and all other people. We serve God by serving people. We do not actually “serve God,” for God does not need our good works but our neighbors do. In eternity we get to serve one another.

The other truth is that even though we are servants we are still lords of all. This does not mean we may “lord it over” other people by controlling them or telling them what to do. But it does mean that no other person may force us to do something, because we serve willingly and out of love. This is how we live: we willingly choose to serve one another without force or coercion. What happens is that I become lord of all by serving. This is a much more enjoyable way to live when I begin to understand that I am servant and lord. I am able to serve and choose to serve because I am an heir and a lord. I truly have all I need when I have God in my life, and I am free to love by serving. If I am forced to serve by another lord then it is not freely chosen service; that is not love. The Lord Jesus Christ is my Lord, and He does not lord it over me by force; He urges and compels me by His incredible love for me. I live my life by believing that I am a child and a servant and an heir and a lord. Spend the rest of your life figuring out that paradox and believing the promise.

183. Heirs

Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Believers in Christ are the seed of Abraham. The descendants of Abraham are the heirs of the promise spoken to Abraham. The believers in Christ are the descendants of Abraham; these are the spiritual descendants, not the physical descendants. They are not physical descendants of Abraham but spiritual. They are heirs according to the promise. Believers inherit the promise. The promise to Abraham incudes three parts, and each is a part of a larger whole; the whole is Christ: Land, Offspring, and Blessing to the Nations. [Genesis 12:1-3]

1) Land turns into the Kingdom of God, Jesus Christ, the rule of God over the lives of believers and the inheritance of eternal life. 

2) Offspring is first of all Isaac, then the Jewish people, the nation of Israel, and then it is The Descendant, Jesus Christ, and finally, it is the Church, all the people who believe in Jesus. 

3) Blessing to the nations is the promise that comes through Christ to the whole world and to every person who ever lived on earth.

Through Abraham all the peoples of the world will be blessed. This promise has been fulfilled and it is still coming true.

We believers are the heirs of this grand promise. The promise to Abraham is on its surface physical, earthly, temporal, material, promising first of all: the land of Palestine, Isaac and descendants, material prosperity and wellbeing. Throughout the revelation of Scripture the second and deeper meaning of the promise is spiritual: the kingdom of God, the Church, and spiritual wellbeing, all centered in Jesus Christ. As the heir, I am guaranteed the reception of the promises to Abraham. The Rule of Law assures the inheritance to me, the rightful heir. The Holy Spirit is within me as the guarantee of that promised inheritance. I have the promise now by faith and I will receive the promise later by sight. I have the documents (New Testament) and the signature (signed in blood).

182.  One in Christ

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

In Christ there is no class distinction, no race separation, no hierarchy of levels, no gender distinction, no religious difference, no income difference, and no distinction of any kind between people for any reason. All are declared equal in Christ. Everyone has equal access to God and God’s grace and salvation. This kind of oneness and unity in Christ is hard to understand. We are used to divisions and distinctions. We live with identities of race, gender, religion, income, ethnicity, and all kinds of groupings to which we belong, making some groups superior to other groups. There is no difference in levels of holiness, righteousness, goodness, or closeness to God. Everyone is on level ground before the cross. 

The oneness in Christ does not mean there are not differences; every person is created uniquely and distinctively, and each is different from every other person. But differences do not make one better than another in what matters: forgiveness, life and salvation. I am unique, but I am not better. But also I am not worsethan another. Comparisons between individuals are not allowed in Christ. Grace is the great equalizer. Whenever we are tempted to compare our lives with another person, whether better or worse, we can remember this promise: we are all one in Christ.

We are all equal and one with regard to sin and guilt. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We do not compare the sins of one over against another. Every person stands condemned. We are equal and one in the category of grace and forgiveness of sin and salvation. We do not compare the good works of one over against another. All in Christ are equally saved by grace. Grace is the equalizer.Believing this promise enables us to regard all people as created equal: I am one and on the same plane with every other believer in Christ; and I am potentially equal with every unbeliever for they, too, may still become a justified child of God by faith in Christ. When we are able by God’s grace to see every person as actually or potentially one with us we will treat all people with love, grace, and kindness. We rejoice in the difference, while we also rejoice in the unity, oneness, and equality.

181. Put on Christ

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

If we have been baptized we have put on Christ. That’s a promise. God does baptize and so God puts Christ on us. God does the work: Christ is on us, not just in us.  The promise needs to be believed, because it does not readily appear to be so. Too often Christ is not seen on us but the sin and self is too readily apparent on us. But He is there, and He can sometimes be seen on us.

The truth is that we do not put Christ on ourselves, for we do not do it. “Putting on” sounds like pretending; we do not pretend, but He really is there. He is not there by our action or intending. He is there by God’s action. In Baptism God places His Name upon us. He blesses us with His Name on us. We are then commanded not to bear the Name in vain. The commandment not to bear the Name in vain means that we show it proudly and happily so that others may know that Christ is present in their world and it shows. The purpose is that others may know there is a God who has come to earth to love and to save. And are His witnesses.

Our focus is on the Baptism and on the action of God on our behalf. God forgives, God loves, God accepts, God puts on Christ, and God shows Himself to the world through us, on whom He has placed His name and His character. Whether we believe it or not, we show Christ to the world; they see our good works and glorify God, We do not always believe it or see it, but it is nevertheless true. We need to be reminded of this promise once in while so that we put the proper curbs on bad behavior and encourage good behavior. We realize that harsh words do not show the Christ who is put upon us. We catch ourselves and say the kind words that bring a blessing. Remembering our baptism and blessing changes lives, words, and behavior.We have been baptized in Christ; we have put on Christ. That’s a promise we can live with.

180.  Children of God

Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Faith in Christ makes us children of God. The promise of being a child of God is repeated throughout the Bible. God has declared His people to be His sons. Believers are adopted as children of God and brothers of Christ. Blessed are those who become as children, that is, they become children of God.

Everyone agrees that all parents love their children insanely, even more so than children love their parents. Children love parents, but in a different way. This kind of motherly love will always be there unless there is some kind of mental dysfunction. This parental bond with children is something we can understand, if we have children. Our understanding of this experience can easily be transferred to our understanding of the love of God the Father.

Humans were created as the beloved children of God (God wanted one of me, so He made one), but all humans have rejected that relationship, and they have deliberately, even violently, left the family and wandered off. But God could not just let us go; He pursued and chased after us; He loved us, the rejecters, like this: He sent His only-begotten Son to bring us back; He sent forth His Son so that we might receive adoption as sons. We were created and redeemed: twice loved. Some difference exists between natural born children and adopted children. The adopted were particularly chosen. The natural have the similar DNA. So also we share the life of God and also we are particularly chosen. 1 John 3:1: “See what kind of lovethe Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God, and so we are.”

One of the blessings of being a child is that children are dependent for life and happiness upon the parents. The child grows up and eventually becomes more independent. But spiritually the children blissfully never grow out of dependence upon God the Father. This means we get to play all day long and somehow everything belonging to the support and wants of the body are provided. This God does for His children: He provides and we play. But the children of God still have the sinful and rebellious urge to be our own gods and be independent. Thankfully, when we come back to God He is always there with open arms to welcome us back, to have a party, and to take care of us. Receive this promise, believe with child-like faith, and enjoy the protection and provision of the Father. What could go wrong?

1. 179. Inheritance

Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

God gave Abraham the promise of Land, Offspring, and Blessing to the nations. The unfolding of that promise is the story of Salvation History written in the Bible for our faith and salvation. Believers in Jesus are the sons of Abraham; believers in Christ are the recipients of the Promise; believers have the inheritance. The inheritance is not given to those who are of the Law or the keepers of the Law; the inheritance is of promise, specifically the promise to Abraham.

Jesus came one day in human history, stood on the dusty earth, and announced the Kingdom of God. It is here; the promise has come in human flesh.“I am here, repent and believe the Good News.” The followers of Jesus are the inheritors of The Promise. We are the inheritors; the Kingdom of God is within you; all believers throughout the earth and throughout history are the recipients of the inheritance of promise. It is the kingdom of God: the reign of God, the realm of God, is now within all the believers in Christ. That kingdom is the eternal life of God, granted freely to everyone who receives the Gospel in faith. It is with us now and it will remain forever. Once we shed this mortal coil it is with us forever in actual sight and wondrous experience. 

This Life is our inheritance, and no judge or law court or lie of Satan can take it away from us. It is bound and sealed to us by the indwelling Holy Spirit. For this reason promises are so important; all the promises of God are included in our inheritance. We have it now by faith, and faith sees all these blessings, but the promised inheritance needs to be reinforced by the Word of God through the Gospel.

1. 178. Promise of Spirit

Galatians 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The promise of the Spirit is that we will have the Holy Spirit living in our spirit affecting and influencing our lives for good. No one knew that the blessing of Abraham would include the promise of the Spirit. No one could have imagined that God could indwell a human being. But since Christ came to earth to die for us, to forgive sins, and to grant eternal life the promised Holy Spirit comes to live within the body and soul of a human person. Faith brings such a blessing and an unimaginable promise.

The Living God, the Creator and Owner of heaven and earth deigns to live within. This is the promise of the Spirit. This is the blessing of Abraham. By faith the promise and blessing first given to Abraham has come true. By faith we have received the promise. By faith God, the Holy Spirit, dwells in a human body. 

The promise of the Spirit is God’s very life. God shares His Life with us who are living with death always hanging over us, and within us Death is eating away at the physical body and messing up the human soul. Alongside Death within comes Life within. The battle between Death and Life continues to rage in the spiritual man. The Spirit inside is the guarantee of the Life of God within and the Eternal Life. It is easy for us to forget that the Spirit is with us. We are tempted to think we are alone and that we must handle things by ourselves. This is a lie. God is with us; God is our present Helper; God is our Good Shepherd; God is our fortress and strength; God is always nearby; all of God is always there for us. What have we to fear? What do we have to worry about? Why are we anxious? 

The truth of the promise is that we do not have to cope alone. We are never alone; we are never without help in time of need; we can always enter into the peace and joy of the Lord, no matter what is going on around us. We need this promise to take hold of the promised Spirit by faith.

1. 177.Redeemed

Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.

We have the promise of redemption from Sin, Death, and Satan. Now we see that we also have a promise of redemption from the curse of the law. The curse of the law is simply that anyone disobeying the Law of God is under a curse, and also each is under several curses that are specific to each law. The curse for sin and disobedience is Death (“on the day you eat of it you shall die”). Various curses come into play when various laws are broken, as opposed to the blessings when the laws are obeyed.

Jesus Christ bore the curse of Sin, which is death, upon Him when He died on the cross. Believers are no longer under the curse of the law. The just curse of death was clearly upon us, but Jesus took our curse and placed it on Himself. Therefore, we shall not die because of our sin. We “earned” the just penalty of Death, but Jesus redeemed us. He was hanged on the tree of the cross and was therefore justly cursed for our sins. 

Because of the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ in our place the curse of death is really gone. We are redeemed from a justly deserved death. We will live! Therefore, we can say and affirm with Paul that we are not under the Law. We are no longer obligated to keep the Law. However, we desire to keep the Law because we have been redeemed. Living out of desire instead of obligation is a much better way to live. The Law is still in effect and always will be forever, but the curse of the Law is no longer in effectfor those who believe in Christ. The Law has not been annulled, but Jesus has fulfilled it. Therefore, by faith believers have fulfilled it. The curse is no longer in effect; however, the consequences of the Law will still come into play in any person’s life. For instance, temporal death will come, but eternal death will not. For instance, adultery destroys families, although the adulterer can be forgiven, and the believer will not suffer eternal death for it. For instance, disobedience of parents diminishes character, but forgiveness restores life. And so forth. In sum, the curse of the law is gone, but the consequences of breaking the laws remain.

We live under the curse of the law (thorns and thistles remain) and thus we still suffer, but we are redeemed from the curse forever, and then in eternity there will be no more curse. And that’s a promise.