ISAIAH 28:14-30:11
GALATIANS 3:23-4:31
PSALM 62:1-12
PROVERBS 23:19-21
Isaiah 29:13 The Lord says:
“These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is based on merely human rules they have been taught.
Giving lip service to God resulted in condemnation under the law. Going through the motions with a heart far from God is meaningless.
Galatians 3:23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
The law was a guardian until Christ came. We are no longer in bondage to the law but if our hearts are with God we will do what is right according to the law.
Isaiah 30:1 “Woe to the obstinate children,”
declares the Lord,
“to those who carry out plans that are not mine,
forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,
heaping sin upon sin;
it may be an everlasting witness.
Obstinate children are those who want to live by their own plans regardless of the law. In all honesty we are no different today in our nature. If we give into our sinful nature we will also heap sin upon sin. If we were to live by the law we too would fail. We are no longer in bondage to the law but if our hearts are with God we will do what is right according to the law.
Galatians 3:26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Thankfully we have Christ and through faith in Him we are children of God and Abraham's seed and heirs to the promise given to him. We are no longer in bondage to the law but if our hearts are with God we will do what is right according to the law.
Isaiah 30:9 For these are rebellious people, deceitful children,
children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.
10 They say to the seers,
“See no more visions!”
and to the prophets,
“Give us no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things,
prophesy illusions.
We still have our sinful nature and want to hear good things pleasant things. Paul even asks the Galatians "4:16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?" They too wanted hear pleasant things. So how can we be different? We are no longer in bondage to the law but if our hearts are with God we will do what is right according to the law.
Galatians 4:6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
Because now we have the Spirit of God in our hearts. We can rely on Him for help and guidance. We also can know God as Abba, daddy. And we know Jesus by His words and His life. He came to earth to be one of us so that we could relate to Him and know Him. And live for Him. We are no longer in bondage to the law but if our hearts are with God we will do what is right according to the law.
Galatians 4:8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
We do have a choice to give into our sinful nature or to live to please Him. The only way I have found to be able to fight against the sinful nature is to remind myself continuously of who God is. What he has done. Being in His word every day is the first step. And speaking the truths that I find there always helps. We are no longer in bondage to the law but if our hearts are with God we will do what is right according to the law.
Psalms 62:1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
In Him I find my strength. Strength to live for God. We are no longer in bondage to the law but if our hearts are with God we will do what is right according to the law.
Galatians 4:8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God-or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
When I read this, I thought of the fear we experience when we struggle to trust God in different situations in our lives. Health issues, financial issues, worry for loved ones.
Weak and miserable is not trusting in His promises, weak and miserable by choosing worry over His peace, weak and miserable when choosing to believe the lies of this world over the truths…
Psalm 62:
5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.