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Pathways Through Paul, Vol 2
Daily Devotional
February 1
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Today's Pathway:
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I want to go back to something from yesterday's passage. In Galatians 3:28-29 Paul states that when people get saved there should no longer be any concerns about societal differences because believers are all one in Christ. It does not matter if we are Jews or Gentiles by physical birth, because we are all Abraham's seed by spiritual birth. Therefore, according to verse 29, we have a common spiritual father, and also a common spiritual inheritance. If this be the case, why should we be concerned about differences in race, ethnicity, gender, or occupation? These issues should not matter at all among brothers and sisters in Christ.
It is interesting to note the three "differences" that Paul refers to in verse 28: Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female. The Center for Christian and Jewish Learning at Boston College provides the following information.
"Rabbi Yehuda ben Ilai, who lived in the second century AD, taught that every Jewish man was obligated to recite three blessings daily. These express gratitude for one's station in life: thank God that I am not a gentile, a woman, or a slave... these blessings are found in the earliest preserved Jewish prayer books."
It is certainly possible that this attitude may have already been around in Paul's day, and thus, under the inspiration of God, he included it specifically in this letter to counteract the Judaizers. Romans 2:11 tells us,
"For there is no respect of persons with God."
All humans, regardless of their background, are sinners. All Christians got saved the same way, and they all are promised the same inheritance. Therefore, there is no place for any type of prejudice among believers. If there is any place on earth where people ought to be treated equally it should be in a local church that believes and practices the Bible. Warren Wiersbe had this comment:
"The Law created differences and distinctions, not only between individuals and nations, but also between various kinds of foods and animals. Jesus Christ came, not to divide, but to unite. This must have been glorious news for the Galatian Christians, for in their society slaves were considered to be only pieces of property; women were kept confined and disrespected; and Gentiles were constantly sneered at by the Jews....This does not mean that our race, political status, or sex is changed at conversion; but it does mean that these things are of no value or handicap when it comes to our spiritual relationship to God through Christ. The Law perpetuated these distinctions, but God in His grace has declared all men to be on the same level that He might have mercy on all men."
In the beginning of chapter 4 Paul returns to his discussion of the purpose of the Law, and specifically expands on his illustration of a child's coming of age (Galatians 3:24-26), where he contrasted a Christian's life before salvation with his life after salvation. He opens verse 1 by stating that, during his childhood, an heir is no different than a servant. A child, even though he will someday be the heir of his father's estate, does not have authority over it yet. He is still being "told what to do", just as a servant would be. He is, according to verse 2, still under guardians ("tutors") and house-managers ("governors"). Under Roman law, it was normal for boys from birth to 14 years of age to be under the charge of legal guardians, and then from age 14-25 their property was administered by managers. Roman law did, however, give Roman fathers some discretion in setting the time of their son’s transition from boyhood to manhood. This would be "the time appointed of the father". Thoralf Gilbrant explains:
"The father established a time when the tutorship of the child would end. At that time the child would no longer be treated as a minor but as an adult. The time was prearranged by the father for his child to assume adult responsibilities and family heirship. Paul used this analogy in reference to the believers’ condition prior to God’s intervention in Christ.”
We will discuss this further tomorrow.
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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