November 6 - From Slaves to Sons to Heirs

 Read today’s texts first: Job 30; Psalms 120; Galatians 3-4

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Rules are meant to be broken
but relationships are not. 

Set in front of a backdrop of legalistic accusations (of Job, the psalmist and Paul), today’s reading from the letter to the Galatians is one of spiritual promise.  The Judaizers are trying to drag Christians (especially the newly-saved Gentiles) back to legalistic conformity to the law.  But Paul contends that the promise of salvation through faith dates back before the law was given.  It was included in the promise to Abraham and his seed.  Abraham looked forward to the coming Messiah by faith; we (his seed) look back on Christ’s completed work.

Paul uses the analogy of Abraham’s two sons as a comparison between slavery under the law (Ishmael) and freedom in Christ (Isaac).  The work of Christ made it possible for Abraham’s spiritual seed, the church, which includes all nations (Abraham was to be the father of many nations), to be promoted from slaves to sons to full-out heirs.

Sonship dramatically changes how we live our lives.  For example, when Christianity is reduced to a set of rules legislated by a Christian school, youth group or parents, it is relatively easy for teenagers of Christian parents to rebel.  But as their parents continue to love them in spite of their wrong choices, the strength of that relationship can eventually draw them back to right living.

This passage says that our relationship with our Father is so intimate and personal, we can cry out to Him Abba, Father, which in our vernacular translates “Daddy.”  When I think of our holy God, the Creator of the universe, as my dad, rebellion is out of the question.  We’re no longer reduced to a set of rules and regulations; we’ve been elevated to a very real relationship with God Himself.  And the inheritance we share includes the promise of His Spirit in us, helping us live holy lives.

“Lord, may I never be drawn back into the paradigm of legalism, where rules are meant to be broken.  I want to obey You because I love you - relationships are not meant to be broken!”