Pastor Ryan Moore
Devotional Plan for: Week of July 5 - July 9
Monday - Read Galatians 2:19-20
Galatians 2:19-20 NIV: "For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
When we think of freedom, we often think of having the ability to do whatever we want to do. We can make our own choices with our own selves in whatever way we wish. But what if that weren't freedom, but actual bondage?
In our passage today, Paul is writing to a church in Galatia and informing them about "the law". Now, this does not translate to "rules"; it specifically refers to the Old Testament law, and how now that Jesus has come and fulfilled the law, we aren't under the old law anymore. Sometimes, when we read passages like this, we think Paul is writing against "rules" or having to do things. We think this is about our new freedom to do whatever we wish. But, that's not at all what he's saying. Freedom doesn't come from the Old Testament law not existing anymore: freedom comes when we die to ourselves.
Freedom is not about endless optionality. The reality is, when we're the ones making all of our own decisions, then we are bound to our own broken and fallen decisions. If we're aware of anything in life, it's of our own brokenness. Instead of asking for the freedom to do whatever we want, we should ask to be free from ourselves. We want to die to ourselves, so that we can be alive in something, or someone, else: Jesus. No longer, as Paul says, do we live, for we have died but now Christ lives in us.
We all experience moments in our lives where we're trapped. Sometimes, we can look around at our circumstances and blame them. Perhaps we should first look at ourselves and wonder if our approach or our perspective is what's actually trapping us, and that if we die to our brokenness and take Christ's perspective, perhaps we'll experience true freedom.
True freedom comes when we let go of ourselves, and take on Christ.
Reflection Question(s):
What's something that you would like freedom from? How are you asking God to free you from yourself regarding that issue?
- Christian Smith – Director of Pastoral Ministries
Tuesday - Read Galatians 3:27-4:7
Galatians 3:27-4:7 NIV: "...for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir."
Captivity, incarceration, imprisonment, custody, detention, bondage, confinement are just a few of the words that come up when you ask Google to search, "what is the opposite of freedom?" Freedom and its antithesis are exactly what Paul is talking about in today's scripture reading.
In chapter 3, Paul argues that God's promise to Abraham precedes and takes priority over the law. The law served its purpose, functioning with the authority to restrain sin, yet lacking the power to liberate us from sin. The law served as our disciplinarian until Christ came. But now in Chris
