May 16, 2019
"You are all children of God through faith." -Galatians 3:26
Such a simple One Verse today. However, this short verse has three deep layers we must understand.
1. This is your identity
You are a son or daughter of the Most High King. This is who you are. Do you understand that? Does your life reflect this fact? Or do you wonder where you stand? When we don't understand who we are, we will always struggle with anxiety, worry, and even depression. We will develop a "scarcity mentality" where we never think there is enough, even though God promises to provide all of our needs. You are a child of the God, and He is a good, good, Father.
2. You are ALL children
Listen, it doesn't matter what you look like, the color of your skin, your past mistakes, or how you vote. If you have faith in Jesus, you are a child of God. There is NO racism, sexism, or bigotry allowed in the Christian faith. If faith is used for these purposes, I promise you it is NOT faith.
3. Faith, not rules
In the previous verses, we find Paul is comparing the law to our faith. In the past, people had to follow the law, always wondering if they were right with God. We are children of God through our faith in Jesus, not following rules. Your relationship with God is not based on if you do enough, go to church enough, or follow all the rules. Yes, we have guidelines as Christians. Those come after we are a child of God, not before. You are a child of God based on your faith and faith alone. It is by grace through faith, not your good works. If you trust in Jesus, you ARE a child of God!