HAVE WE FAILED TO USE THE POWER OF OUR PERCEPTION AS CHRISTIANS? LESSONS FROM PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS
HAVE WE FAILED TO USE THE POWER OF OUR PERCEPTION AS CHRISTIANS?
LESSONS FROM PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS
Bible Reference: Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Good morning everyone,
We thank God for such another beautiful day full of His blessing and love. We thank Him for the life he has given unto us freely through Christ Jesus our Lord and savior. May His name be praised now and forever more.
Paul begins this chapter with the use of strong words, which today in our modern Christianity when used to address congregation will be seen as been arrogant or disrespectful. Though the word foolish used by Paul in addressing the people in Galatian might not mean as people who are mentally lacking or people who are morally not sound.
In the book of Mathew 7:26, Jesus uses the same word to describe people who hears his word and does not do them. Again in Mathew 25:1-13 the well-known parable of the ten virgins of which five of them were foolish and the other five were wise.
From these two examples one can say that the use of the word foolish by Paul to the people of Galatians is in line with what Christ said in the above two references. This means that the people of Galatia were people who had the power to think and act but they failed to use their power of perception (Spurgeon) as if they had never heard the gospel before.
These were people who have been presented with truth of the gospel, but acted as if they never knew the truth.
In todays Christianity as many will agree, most of us act exactly the same way as the people of Galatia, our way of life, our speech, our dressing etc present to the world as though we have never been bought by a precious blood.
The things of the world carry us away so easily and this is what Apostle Paul described as BEWITCHED.
Though Christianity in general is increasing but the rate at which we are increasing in number is inversely proportional with the power of God we should exhibit. We have the truth presented to us but our ways and actions reflect exactly opposite to what the truth of the gospel teaches us.
Paul in this verse didn’t mean the people of Galatia actually saw the crucifixion of Christ, but the truth that was preached to them, the work of the Holy Spirit after they received was made clear to them so that they should have no reason to doubt.
The word of God is preached almost everywhere, we hear it in our youth meetings, on Sundays in our churches, on social media platforms and many more yet sin and evil deeds are dominant among us as Christians than the people of the world.
We have the power to be able to live a holy and blameless life as Christians, the justifications for our wrong doings and actions are enough. Very soon the Son of Man will be coming, the grace of God may be no more and even if he doesn’t come, the question we have to ask our self is how many days do we have on this earth.
This is the time, tomorrow might be too late, God still loves us, He is still reminding us to live our life as people who have been bought with a precious blood, as people who have been presented with the truth.
Today it is not the Galatians but it is we, are we able to use the power of our perception as Christians or we have failed to think as the Galatians, has the world bewitched us that we cannot obey the truth?
These are the questions we should all ask ourselves and if we are victims then we have to run to the Lord for forgiveness and I know He is still the loving God who is willing to accept us.
God bless you
Antwi Bosiakoh Isaac