Seeking the Life in Christ

Monday, April 20, 2020

Wearing Masks

Meditations on the Book of Galatians

April 20, 2020

Wearing Masks

But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong.

Galatians 2:11

Read: Galatians 2: 11-14

In the ancient Greek theater, instead of using elaborate makeup to portray a character, the actors would simply hold a mask over their face. The Greek word for play acting another character is the root for our words hypocrite and hypocrisy. While the origin of the word related to an actor playing the role of another character, by the first century it already carried the same negative connotations that the word hypocrite carries today. As Paul continued to press his case against the Judaizers, he recalls an incident that was probably already well known by that time.

The Apostle Peter had been visiting Paul and the church in Antioch, which was made up of both Jews and Gentiles. The church enjoyed good fellowship and no distinction was made between their different ethnic backgrounds. Then some members of the church in Jerusalem arrived for a visit and Peter felt compelled to withdraw from table fellowship with the Gentiles and sit apart with the Jews from Jerusalem. That touched a nerve in Paul and he immediately, in front of all in the dining room, confronted Peter with his hypocrisy.

This episode invites us to consider our own lives. Hypocrisy is an issue in the lives of all Christians. There is one manner of language, expression and actions that we observe on those days we are in church or are in the company of other believers, and there is another manner we live out in our work place, home or places of recreation. We all will do well to ponder the contrast between these differences and seek to understand why we wear so many different masks.

My Takeaway: I know God is at work in me. Today’s passage is a reminder that one fruit of God’s work is consistency in my Christlike character.

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. The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also 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:

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.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Friday, April 17, 2020

Passion For Unity

Meditations on the Book of Galatians

April 17, 2020

Passion For Unity

For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles.

Galatians 2:8

Read: Galatians 2: 6-10

Through the Apostle Paul, God has given us the incredible Gospel of Grace; the Good News that God accepts us, unconditionally, just as we are, not as we should be, because none of us are as we should be. (Brennan Manning) Through Paul, God has also given us a passion for unity in the Body of Christ. In this letter to the Galatians, Paul sought to reestablish the church on the solid foundation of grace. He was also seeking to maintain unity between himself and the church of the other Apostles in Jerusalem.

To discredit the Judaizers, Paul asserts that the church in Jerusalem did not add to, or take away from his Gospel of Grace. In commissioning Paul to be an evangelist to the Gentiles, the church simply asked Paul to keep on helping the poor, which Paul had always been eager to do. There are times when we are compelled to speak the truth in love, even when such a confrontation may threaten unity, because to remain silent may have a more harmful effect on the church. (We’ll see an example of this in the next passage.) For today, let’s take some time to ponder how we can embrace Paul’s passion for unity within the church.

I believe God calls us to be a part of a local church because He wants us to use the gifts He has given us to help the church fulfill the mission He has for her. We will experience times of conflict within the church, as well as times when we don’t feel we’re being fed. There will be times of great productivity and times when it seems we’re just not contributing to the cause of Christ. In all of these times, claim these words of Paul, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (Philippians 1:6).

My Takeaway: We all will face issues in our local church. If we hold tight to Paul’s passion for unity within the Body of Christ, I am confident our gracious Heavenly Father will give us the wisdom to respond to the issues in a way that glorifies Jesus and edifies our fellow believers.

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(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.)

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

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.

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Christianoi

Meditations on the Book of Galatians

April 16, 2020

Christianoi

But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you.

Galatians 2:5

Read: Galatians 2:1-5

We live in a hyphenated culture. Seldom is someone referred to by just one defining characteristic. People are referred to as African-Americans or Asian-Americans or Italian-Americans. We also divide ourselves into sub-groups based on schools and universities, states and regions. For instance, I may be a legal resident of North Carolina, but I live in Western North Carolina!

As seriously as some people take these divisions, they pale in comparison to how the Jews in the first century marked their identity through male circumcision. This national, religious and cultural identity ran so deep that the Jews who had accepted Jesus as their Messiah expected all the male followers of Jesus to be circumcised. This was a huge point of contention between the Apostle Paul and those leaders in the Christian movement who tried to require Gentile believers to comply with male circumcision and the Law of Moses. (These leaders were known as Judaizers.)

At one time, the followers of Jesus were known as Christianoi, People of Christ. Over the centuries, we have become Roman Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Pentecostals, and Anglicans, etc. This puts us in a dilemma. On one hand, the way churches are organized creates a temptation to think we are right and others, not in our church, are wrong. This creates disunity in the Body of Christ. On the other hand, our churches in their present form are all we have. How can we respond to this dilemma?

The most important thing is to keep our eyes on Jesus. Although Paul loved his heritage as a Jew, he made it very clear in Philippians 3 that the only thing that mattered to him was Jesus. He was more emphatic in what he told the Galatians. Not only was his old life gone, his old identity was dead. He had a new identity as a follower of Christ. (Galatians 2:20)

My Takeaway: The Jews set themselves apart from others through their mono-theistic faith in the Creator God, their male circumcision and their dietary laws. Today, Christianoi, the People of Christ are set apart by their belief in justification by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Any other form of identification for the followers of Christ is not of God.

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(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.)

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

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.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Go!

Meditations on the Book of Galatians

April 15, 2020

Go!

All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!”

Galatians 1:23

Read: Galatians 1:18-24

After proclaiming the Gospel in Galatia, Paul had moved on to continue his work. After he left, other Christians who took exception to Paul not requiring Gentile converts to keep the Law of Moses had moved in. The issue of Paul’s credentials, his authority to lead the church, had been called into question. However, by that time, Paul had been completely accepted by the church leaders in Jerusalem, and he had been commissioned as an evangelist to the Gentiles. His authority was undeniable, yet he never relied on that ecclesiastical authority in making his case to the Galatians. As the old adage goes, the proof of the pudding is in the tasting. Paul reported that the Christians in Jerusalem knew that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” And they praised God because of me” (Galatians 1:23-24).

Paul isn’t teaching us that clergy credentials don’t matter. He is teaching us that while they certainly have their purpose and place, there is something else that is more important. Is there fruit? Is the person’s ministry making disciples for Jesus Christ? Can you see evidence that they are building for the Kingdom of God?

My Takeaway: The nature of my personality is that I am a very private person. It is difficult for me to share my personal feelings. I sometimes cringe when I remember my past before I knew Jesus as my savior. And, I cringe at some of my present failings even though Jesus is my savior. I believe Paul would see my cringing as good fruit of the Spirit and would urge me to press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling me. (Philippians 3:14)

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(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.)

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

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.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Jesus Laid Hold of Me

Meditations on the Book of Galatians

April 14, 2020

Jesus Laid Hold of Me

I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:12

Read: Galatians 1: 10-17

Paul asserts he received his message through a “direct revelation from Jesus Christ.” This isn’t just a personal biographical statement. Paul is affirming what Jesus taught Peter in Matthew 16. Jesus had asked his disciples “who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus then told Peter he didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. God in Heaven revealed to Peter that Jesus was the Messiah. (Matthew 16:13-18)

In his letter to the Romans, Paul makes clear that this divine revelation was not limited to just Peter and Paul. This is how Paul expressed this truth in Romans 8: 16, “For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.” John Wesley’s Aldersgate experience, where he felt his heart strangely warmed and received the assurance his sins had been forgiven, is another example of divine revelation.

My Takeaway: God wants all of his children to experience His divine revelations as He reveals the truth of Jesus Christ to us. We can always be sure of God’s leading through His Holy Spirit because His leading ALWAYS is in perfect alignment with Holy Scripture.

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(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.)

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

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.

Monday, April 13, 2020

The Good News

Meditations on the Book of Galatians

April 13, 2020

The Good News

This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.

Galatians 1:1

Read: Galatians 1: 1-9

Today, on this Monday after Easter, I begin a series of meditations on the book of Galatians. Last year, a president of a leading seminary made the news when she stated that the literal resurrection of Jesus was not a crucial element of the Christian faith. Her statement was not at all surprising in our current age where many people are accommodating Christian doctrine to cultural beliefs. Our reading of Galatians will provide us with an opportunity to check our bearings and make sure we are aligning our faith on Jesus, and Jesus alone.

Paul was writing to a church that had gotten sidetracked from the foundation in Christ he had first laid for them. To help them find their bearings, Paul repeatedly used two terms: Good News, or Gospel, and apostle. It will be helpful to get a clear understanding of what Paul meant by these terms.

The Good News is the announcement that God has won victory over sin and death through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah. The good news about the Good News is that all people, everywhere, may partake of God’s victory over sin and death through faith that Jesus is the Risen Son of God. And when people accept Jesus as God’s Messiah, they are adopted into God’s own family.

The word apostle means a person who is sent to proclaim the Good News. At the time of Paul, the title apostle was reserved for those people who had personally been with Jesus when He was on earth. Some people accused Paul of not being an apostle because Paul was not one of Jesus’ followers before Jesus was crucified. Others suggested Paul was only a ‘junior’ apostle, because he was sent by the real apostles like Peter and John. Paul makes the point in chapter one that he is qualified to be an apostle because he had a personal encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, and that it was Jesus who called him to proclaim the Good News.

My Takeaway: Paul made the case that there is only one Gospel, and that he was commissioned by Jesus to proclaim this Gospel. As we read this epistle we will have the opportunity to consider whether we have added to or taken away anything from the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(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.)

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

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.

Friday, April 10, 2020

This Man Who Was Crucified, Was the Messiah Of God

Holy Week 2020

April 10, 2020

Good Friday

This Man Who Was Crucified,

Was the Messiah Of God

Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha).

John 19:17

John doesn’t supply insignificant details about Jesus. John’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial is full of details that point to the fulfillment of scripture that Jesus is God’s Messiah. (John 19:17-42)

Fifteen times in this Gospel John mentions Passover -- three times in chapter 19. He mentions the soldiers used hyssop to extend a sponge soaked in wine to Jesus. God commanded the Jews to use hyssop branches to brush the blood of the Passover lamb on their doorposts (Exodus 22), and Hebrews 9 tells us that it was hyssop branches Moses used to confirm the Covenant God made with the Jews. (Exodus 24) John wants us to know that Jesus is the Passover Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. He wants us to know Jesus confirmed the New Covenant by his own blood.

John identifies three people at the foot of the cross. Mary, Jesus’ mother was there. Her sister, Jesus’ aunt was there. John was there. Decades after the crucifixion, groups opposing Jesus’ resurrection claimed that Jesus never died. John provides, by name, five eyewitnesses to Jesus’ death. John tells us that Jesus was pierced in the side and that blood and water flowed from the wound. Jesus was dead. Joseph and Nicodemus, the other two named eyewitnesses, placed Jesus’ dead body in the tomb and used a huge amount of oil and spices, enough for a King’s burial.

When Jesus was crucified, Pilate placed a sign on the cross, proclaiming Jesus as King of the Jews. The sign was in three languages: Hebrew, Latin and Greek. These languages covered a vast part of the known world, fulfilling the prophecy that Israel’s Messiah would be proclaimed to the entire world. The soldiers gambled for Jesus’ clothes. This was prophesied in Psalm 22. Jesus prayed from this same Psalm when he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

John wants us to know that this man who was crucified, dead and buried was the Messiah of God, the One the scriptures promised would come to save Israel, save the world.

My Takeaway: Jesus was laid in a tomb so that He could spend the seventh day in a Sabbath rest. But, Jesus wasn’t through. The first day of the new week was coming. Sunday would be the first day of God’s New Creation.

HALLELUJAH!

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(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.)

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

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.

Monday, April 20, 2020

Wearing Masks

Friday, April 17, 2020

Passion For Unity

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Christianoi

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Go!

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Jesus Laid Hold of Me

Monday, April 13, 2020

The Good News

Friday, April 10, 2020

This Man Who Was Crucified, Was the Messiah Of God

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