Galatians 4

I have been a strict rule follower since I was young because of how I was raised. I was used to "do this, or else". That has bled into my walk with Christ in two ways:



1. I put weights on myself sometimes that God does not. This is usually preferences that I turn into sinful disobedience in my mind if I'm not following it.

2. I subtly place these weights on other people. Because of my fraternity past, I feel some pretty strong conviction about certain things that other people feel none towards. I assume that I am right and try to have them share that conviction. However, I am not the Holy Spirit and not everyone has this marred past that changes the way you perceive things.



Lord, help us to walk in that Gal. 5:1 freedom.

The best I can figure it: righteousness or holiness, which we are called to practice, are easily steered into legalism. But the road of the Christian Life is paved with God's grace. I think the trouble begins when we lose site of His grace and mercy as that foundation of our salvation.

Paul is brilliant. Using Hagar and Sarah to explain it, as well as present day persecution makes it so clear.

Also, I really don't think most Christians today think of freedom and holiness as two sides of the same coin. But you are absolutely right that they are! Good word, Tim. Thanks!

As I read the section on Hagar and Sarah I saw something I'd never noticed before. "...more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband." As I understand this, more will be those who reject salvation than those who inherit the Kingdom. Don't know why I didn't see this before. I am simply amazed by His Word.

While my upbringing was a good, God-centered upbringing, and it is a large part of what shaped me into who I am today, there was some legalism. A lot of it was just rules that were there that didn't necessarily make sense to me: no going to movies, no playing cards, no dancing, KJV only bible, etc. However, as I grew older and moved away from home and was on my own, and dug deeper into scripture, I found that God gives us wisdom to know what to do and what not to do. A lot of the things that I wasn't allowed to do were because someone else may have had issues or struggles with them, so I wasn't allowed to do them. However, God created each one of us individually. If you struggle with playing cards because it leads you to a gambling problem, then don't do it, but that doesn't mean that playing cards is a bad thing. If you struggle with something that is not explicitly listed in scripture as a sin, then avoid it, but you shouldn't necessarily apply those rules to others who may not have that struggle. God gives us good things that we can turn into sin, but God also gives us the ability to have self-control and reliance on Him so we don't make those good things an idol. I have had to learn that over the years, and it is freeing knowing that God gives good things graciously, so long as we enjoy these good things in Him, and not in our selfish desires.

I grew up in a small Southern Baptist church in KY in the 60s & 70s and every church I ever saw had a steeple, choir loft, pews, usually a piano on the left of the stage and organ on the right, and the preacher always wore a suit. I just assumed this is how church was supposed to be done. Obviously the vast majority of Protestant Churches no longer look like that but there are people caught in legalism who think they should. We should never confuse our preferences with other forms of praise and worship that also honor God. As long as Jesus is being preached and a church is staying true to the word of God then everything else is simple personal preferences. On another note: this verse really grabbed my attention today.



Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?



Sometimes telling people that Jesus is the only source of salvation and a relationship with God is offensive to them. In a culture that rejects absolute truth we must be bold to tell people the truth, with grace & mercy, regardless of how they receive it. Jesus made enemies so why should we expect to be any different. Thanks for the good word today TP.

Powerful nuggets in this chapter! Great blog today!

"God's Word is the standard-everything else submits to it." This really stood out to me as I read and has me really reflecting.



Great food for thought today!

Yeah that is good, if we are trying to encourage someone it should be biblical, not based on our own persuasion or convictions but it Should always be pointed clearly to the Scriptures.



I pray God that you would please help me not to live in legalism. help me not to allow my convictions to become higher than Your Word

I could totally say ditto to what Scottie said. Using God's Word to convict me on what I should and shouldn't do is what I look to now. Of course, keeping in mind my weaknesses.