Galatians 4: 8-11

Wednesday, September 11, 2013         Galatians 4: 8-11

In this brief passage Paul identifies two important principles of the life in Christ that we can use as barometers of our growth in Christ. The first is our awareness of how the performance-based-acceptance culture of our society can easily erode the freedom we have in Christ. Our culture likes to have check-lists where we can mark off our progress as we complete various tasks. In a few days, I’ll receive my monthly report for physical fitness that will reveals how much weight I lifted and how many calories I burned through cardio-vascular exercises. In a similar way, many people seek to have a measurement system for their life as a Christian. They have a check-list to mark off their tithe and attendance at church and their daily devotional exercises. Of course tithing, church attendance and devotional activities are very important in the life of a Christian, but they are never an end in themselves. We do these things to help us know Christ who loved us and gave himself for us, not to earn his favor or assure our right-standing with God.

The second principle is hugely important even though Paul made it as a parenthetical statement: “So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you)” (Galatians 4:9a). Paul does not mean that God simply knows about us, or even thoroughly knows everything about us, although of course He does. Paul means that God knows us within a covenant relationship. God knows me because He created me in His image. He has always known me, even from my mother’s womb. However, ever since I made my personal confession of faith in Christ Jesus, God knows me as His beloved child, with whom He is delighted and upon whom His favor rests. Because I am known by God, like the Apostle Paul, “I want to know Christ” and “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3: 10,12).

Can you see how Paul is modeling the life in Christ? As I noted in my meditation on Galatians 3: 23-29, our salvation is only made possible by the faithfulness of Jesus. Our right standing with God is initiated and maintained, moment by moment, by the faithfulness of Jesus. Therefore, my ambition is to be a fully devoted follower of the man of great faith, Christ Jesus. Paul charts the same course in this passage. Yes, Paul wants to know God, but because God has first known him. Me too. I want to tightly grasp Jesus the Messiah who first took hold of me!

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  In addition to this BLOG they are distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        When Christ Thinks of Me: Meditations for the Followers of Jesus will be released on Amazon Kindle October, 1, 2013.

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.