Who are the Saints?

Ephesians 1:1-6

Today, my attempt to write on one of the deeper truths of the Bible, and one that many scholars and teachers have been tentative in addressing.  The first two verses are a greeting to the churches of Ephesus, and it is of interest that Paul calls them saints.  Saints were anyone who had entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ, both the apostles, Paul and John call believers in Christ, saints.  We have gone the way of the world when we begin to place one over the other in the church, are we not many parts but one body?  It is not the faithfulness of men, but the faithfulness of God that we look to!

If you and I, who are the Church, just believe verse three it would be a victorious Church!  Verse three states that “… God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,” It is not something we are going to get in heaven, it is not something we have got to earn, it happens when we enter into Christ and He enters into us, at that moment in time, you and I received every spiritual blessing, and we had not done one act of righteousness.  The Holy Spirit knew that our flesh would want to earn blessings, so He put into the mind of the apostle Peter these thoughts; “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” (2 Peter 1:3-4)

Brothers and sisters in Christ, our security is not in our performance but in God’s faithfulness!  John 5:24, states this truth, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my words and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”  We have this promise in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”  If Christians do not understand whose they are, how can we expect them to understand that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has given them every spiritual blessing?  Often we are like a child who has been given a new bike, the best money can buy, and each day we go back to our dad and ask if we can have a bike, a new one just like the one in our garage.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A Watchout from Paul

Galatians 6:11-18

I was the third and last child of Lily and Sam, and often I heard these words; “how many times do I have to tell you, this is your final warning.”  Unlike my Mother, this is the apostle Paul’s final warning to the Churches at Galatia.  It is a summary of his letter, and the main point is, “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.  For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor Uncircumcision, but a new creation.”  Paul is saying that because of the Lord Jesus Christ, and His victory over death and sin, it has set Paul free from the control of the world, and that his identity is not in what schools he has attended, how much he has acquired, who he is married to, but his boast is in the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ, the victory of the cross.

In the first part of these verses Paul is warning us to watch-out for anyone, preacher, teacher, or street sweeper, who is teaching a gospel that requires you to add any conditions to grace through faith, it is a gift of God and Jesus is the only way to the Father.  In fact the apostle Paul is clear that these Jews are wanting to be part of Christ but do not want to be put out of the temple, they do not want to identity with Christ if it brings suffering.  Paul, Peter and Jesus told us that if we entered into Christ, if our identity was in Jesus Christ, then we would suffer from the religious people and the people of this world.  “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as thought something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice that you participate in the suffering of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.  If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Do you grow Weary of doing Good?

Galatians 6:9-10

Verse nine begins in this manner; “And let us not grow weary of doing good,” what are the reasons a Christian would grow weary?  If we feel that our acts of goodness are not rewarded, if we feel we are the only one who is doing any acts of goodness, or if our act of kindness is misunderstood and people are saying hurtful things about our motives.  All of the above are centered in feelings, and not the root reason for acts of goodness.  People will take advantage of our acts of goodness, people will misunderstand your reason and say all kinds of hurtful things about your motives, and often you will be alone in your acts of goodness.

First, let me say that in fleshly acts of goodness one will always grow weary, they are centered in being acknowledged and appreciated for the act of goodness.  Often, I’ve fallen victim as a husband, washing the dishes without being asked, or making the bed, cleaning the house and my dear sweet wife seems not to notice, it is amazing she did not have the “big one”.  Yes, it is in our nature to want a pat on the head for any act of goodness, especially those acts that cost us something and are not in the norm.

Could our problem be that we do not understand whose we are, and have no thought that each day, a great cloud of witnesses surrounds us.  Could it be that we are not looking to Jesus, that we do not understand our calling, that we do not understand the shame He endured on the cross, that Jesus is the perfecter of our faith.  Could our problem with growing weary in doing good, come from our focal point?  When my mind is focused on Jesus, I do not grow weary or fainthearted, I am in the race for the prize, my eyes are on the finish line.

The apostle Peter had this advice for us; “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?  But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason fro the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that when you are slandered those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.  For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will than for doing evil.”  (1Peter 3:13-17)  Galatians 6:10, “So then as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The impossible life, lived outside of Christ.

Galatians 6:7-8

The natural Christian life has its foundation in the world, and the things of the world, the flesh and the devil have tainted it.  The natural Christian has rights and freedom with a strong desire to become strong so they can help those whom they judge need help.  What a contrast to the Spirit-filled Christian, who understands that his flesh is and always will be in a battle with the Spirit of Truth that lives in them.  The Spirit-filled Christian understands that to live you must die, to be free you must give-up your rights to freedom, and the more you give the more you will receive.  As the Spirit-filled Christian matures they understand that independent living is of the flesh, and centered in a gospel of the world, and they must be totally dependant on the Father for everything.

Today, the church is full of the natural man, the one who is contaminated by a love for the world, and that person has a gospel built on the world’s system and the goal is to improve and get better without dying to self, or being lead by the Spirit.  This is not a new thing for the Church; it has battled the natural Christian life from its earliest days, and that is why the apostle Paul states, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8)

Should we not hold to this admonishment that Paul made to Timothy, “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you.  Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge” for by it some have swerved from the faith.”  So we were warned, live this life as dead men, dead to your flesh and it desires.   Always go to the Father for all your needs, never forgetting, a person reaps what they sow. 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Tom Sawyer & the Gospel

Galatians 6:4-5

I hope you read the classic Tom Sawyer, because that’s what came to my mind as I read these verses.  Tom lived with his aunt Polly and she had this white fence that seemed to need white washed frequently.  Now Tom had friends that he would entice with one of his schemes to carry that burden for him.  About the only time Tom did any self-examination was when Huck Finn and he got into a lot of trouble. 

Verse four might have been helpful for Tom; it is a guide to examining self, to not only look at your actions, but the reason for such action; to look inside at your thought life, not to try and justify our actions by comparing or blaming someone other than yourself.  Do you recall Jesus telling us not to judge others, and that we often see a speck in our brothers eye but do not notice the log in our own eye, that is what the apostle Paul is telling us, we are not to be eye inspectors.  Each of us would be wise to listen and act on 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.  Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test?”

As you read the adventures of Tom and Huck, your heart had to go out to aunt Polly, she just wanted the best for Tom and she had compassion for that poor son of the town drunk, Huckleberry Finn.  Aunt Polly desires and goals was to guide these two lost souls to becoming, to some degree, responsible for their actions and in Tom’s case, to be responsible.  Maybe if Tom would have not slept when the preacher was giving this account of Job, “If it is true that I have gone astray, my error remains my concern alone.” (Job 19:4)  Tom’s life was not centered on responsibility, he was about adventure and fun, but often aunt Polly had to hold him accountable.  God our Father is not the push-over that aunt Polly was and Jesus spoke very clearly on the subject of carrying our own load and that each of us would be held accountable.  “ I tell you, on the Day of Judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/

Conciet in the Chicken Pen

Galatians 6:3-4

Have you every watched a rooster in a chicken pen, he has an attitude and from that attitude comes the phrase, “Cock of the Walk”.  He comes across as the most important thing on this earth, but he is just a chicken with longer tail feathers and one part the hen needs to make her eggs fertile.  It is a fact that the rooster’s importance hinges on his owners desire for baby chicks, and another rooster can easily replace him.

Have you ever acted like you were the “Cock of the Walk”?  It has been my experience that often very insecure folks come across with such an attitude, the third verse states, “For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”  My dear friend Bob Keese often said of himself, “I never have to worry about being a has been, I’m a never was.”  If you spent time with Bob, you knew he was gifted with many talents and he not only was my barber for 28 years, he also was the man who God used to introduce me to Christ, and he has a very special place in my heart.

When I was in Junior High School one of my nicknames was little prince, not because I was of royal birth, but I had a need to be the leader.  I was one of those very insecure people who came across with the attitude of being someone important.  The only problem with that attitude is you; you know it is not true or you are deceiving yourself, and maybe a little of both.

The apostle Paul is referring to our brothers and sisters in Christ; is he not saying that they are conceited, and does that have any place in the family of God, in the bride of Christ, the Church?  The Bible has a lot of ink on conceit, in Romans 12:16, “Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.”   The prophet Isaiah had this to say, “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.” (Isaiah 5:21) 

We are told in Scripture to examine ourselves, we are never told to think highly of self, therefore we have this warning; “The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.” (1 Corinthians 8:2)  Watch-out for anyone who has all the answers about God, the person who can tell you precisely what to do at any given time or circumstance.  God is not like us, He is higher than us, and no matter what box you try to place Him in; it is never going to work.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Only to those who hear

Galatians 6:2

Have you found the longer you do something the more you understand the task; it may be a subject in school, or a new duty at work, or heaven help you, working on your car.  But when it comes to giving up our rights, (Jesus calls that dying to self) we struggle, or at least I do.  Galatians 6:2, addresses this subject, but the casual reader may read right past this challenging truth.  You may have heard it called the golden rule, but Paul the apostle calls it the law of Christ, in verse two, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”  Now I have no way of knowing your heart, but I do understand flesh, and my flesh often does not want to bear my burdens much less those of some other person.

I have often heard preachers or teachers say that the Christian life is impossible to live, that only Christ has lived that life, and it requires you and I to ask Jesus to live it in us.  I believe that to be totally true, in that for many years, I’ve struggled with the teaching of Christ, and I bet you have too.  It is one thing to say, I believe that to be true, and it is a total different thing to die to your rights.  Shall we look at what is required in the fulfillment of the law of Christ?

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.  To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.  And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”  (Luke 6:27-31)  Our flesh is not going to just say Ok, in fact, our flesh is going to get a gun, or at best tell everyone who will listen, how that evil person has taken advantage of them. 

It is easy to love those who love us, it is easy to do well to those who do well to us, and it is easy to lend to those who we expect to receive credit, but Jesus said even sinners do that.  Most of us refuse to hear what Jesus has commanded in these verses, and that is why He said; “But I say to you who hear”.  Jesus took on flesh, so He understood the desires of the flesh, but not once did he submit to His flesh.  He died to the flesh and depended totally on His Father, and that is why He left us the Spirit of Truth so that we also would hear and submit.

Are their any benefits to giving up our rights, to putting to death our fleshly desires?  Jesus tells us the following in Luke 6:35,36, “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.  Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.  “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you.  Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.  For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

I often stopped at Braum’s on my way home from Dallas, and ordered a pint of chocolate pecan fudge ice cream that was hand packed.  I wanted it pressed down, shaken together, running over, and it was gone by the time I got thirty miles down the road.  Jesus promises a life of abundance to all who hear and give what they cannot keep, to gain what they cannot lose, by letting Jesus live the only life you have.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

How to know a Spiritual person?

 

Galatians 6:1

One of my passions is working with wood; I enjoy building things, but to do it with precision requires a good measuring device.  How can you and I measure a person in Christ or maybe a better question is, how can we be sure we are spiritual?  First, it may be easier to remove what is not spiritual; going to church does not make one spiritual, living a good moral life does not make one spiritual, being a good husband or wife does not make one spiritual, but all of these things should be part of a spiritual person.  Being spiritual has not one thing to do with any religious activities, so how can we know if we are spiritual?

One day Jesus mother and brothers were coming to see him but the crowd would not allow them to get to him, and he was told about it and this was his reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:21)  Therefore, I can ask myself this question, am I in the word of God, and am I obeying what I am hearing?  If not, I am not walking in the Spirit.  A spiritual person knows they are in a battle and the apostle Paul often referred or compared our walk with Christ to a race in 1Corinthians 8:24-27.  He instructs us to run for the prize, and doing that requires self-control in all things.  Paul ends the thought in this way, “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”  But self-control is only one of the fruits of the Spirit, and so I must ask myself, am I dead to the control of my flesh, do I see the evidence of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness in my daily life? 

As one who works with wood, it has been my experience that it is much easier to build something new, than to restore a piece of furniture.  Restoring is hard work and often tedious, if you try to go too fast you may do damage that cannot be undone; the same is true with a person caught in sin or a transgression.  That is why we are instructed to restore in a spirit of gentleness, but never forget to watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.  The apostle Peter instructs us to, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”  (1 Peter 4:8) I’m a dude that needs the covering that love provides.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

my blog; http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/

The Choice is Your's

Galatians 5:16,17

How often have you heard the example of the white dog and the black dog living inside of you and the one you feed is the one who is going to win, that’s not only a poor example, it is wrong theology.  The old man dies when we enter into Christ, we do not have a civil war going on in our spirit, there is not an old and new spirit living inside of a Christian.  Therefore, what is the problem, because it seems as if a war is going on in my mind, and Galatians 5:16-17 tells us it is between our flesh and our spirit.

Often, I wonder what is the real meaning of a word, take flesh, it is the material under my skin, is it muscle and fat?  How can that be warring with my spirit?  But the flesh being referred to often in the Bible is; (the flesh) the human body and its physical needs and desires, esp. as contrasted with the mind or the soul.  God knew that we needed clarity on how the flesh works so God put these thoughts in the apostle Paul’s mind to give us understanding of the flesh.  “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.  I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” 

My dear friend and teacher, Bill Gillham often used the example of a baby, to illustrate how we show-up on planet earth with flesh; a baby only has one person in mind, and it is not mom, the baby wants it’s needs met, with no consideration of anyone else.  And if you want to see some flesh, put some toys in the room with a couple of two year olds, you’re going to see some flesh.  It matters not your station in life, king or beggar, you come with your unique version of flesh, and though you would never engage in orgies, you may be impure in your thought life, you may have strife with your mate, or children.

Verse sixteen states; “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”  How can we know when we are walking in the Spirit; verses 22-23, gives us a clear understanding on walking in the Spirit.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”  What is so amazing is that joy and peace will be in a person’s life in the middle of the worst of storms.  God has given to each member of His family the ability to choose, when Christ came into our life, God chose to crucify the old man, and put into us a new Spirit.  God has given us the ability to renew our mind or transform our mind, that is clearly stated in Romans 12:2, so all who are in Christ have the ability to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires.  It comes down to your choice, will I live by the Spirit, if so, I will walk by the Spirit.  Verse 26, tells us not to become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another, that is what flesh does.  God is not honored in the flesh; in fact the flesh will never please God.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The ends and outs of Spiritual Freedom

Galatians 5:13-15

You and I were called to freedom; this has nothing to do with physical freedom, all of these people, including Paul were under Roman occupation and control.  This Scripture is referring to spiritual freedom, freedom from the rules of the law, and the religious rules of men, but Paul is saying you have been set free, and yet who are you; the real you, is Christ. It is easy to over look this truth that our flesh is always going to war with our spirit.  The apostle John warns us in 1John 2:15-16, to watch out where we focus our affection because the world will draw our love away from the Father.  Verse 16, “For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the price in possessions – is not from the Father but is from the world.” 

Often God has spoken to me by a message from a pastor or teacher, he has also used friends both Christian and non-Christian and often my wife, to instruct me and give me direction, for my life.  So the question is always the same, am I walking in truth, because Romans 8:2, tells us that in Christ, the law of the Spirit of life set us free from the law of sin and death.  Christ will never use that freedom to cause another to fall into sin, and neither should you and I; always remembering that our flesh is not interested in the things of the Spirit.  That is not saying that the flesh will not be religious, the flesh loves to look good in the eyes of men, but it will not summit to the Spirit of freedom.

One of my many checklists is; am I concerned with who gets the credit. Our flesh, yes, yours and mine, never want to be of service or be a servant to others unless it gets some recognition.  Galatians 5:14 tells us the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbors as yourself.”  In Romans 13:10, we are told, “Love does no harm to its neighbor.  Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”  Verse 15 gives us another watch-out, “But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.”  So we who are free must not use that freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

You were doing so good

Galatians 5:7

“You were running well.  Who hindered you from obeying the truth?”  Do you have someone in you life that knows you intimately, and loves you enough to ask that question?  It only requires a small light to dissipate the darkness, but often I forget that my light, no matter how small, is all the light some whom I come in contact with have seen.  Has not Jesus commanded us to; “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)  Jesus tells us we are the light of the world, but so many of us forget that this is not our home, and that we are strangers and sojourners, and that each day a battle is taking place for our minds.  That is why we are told to put on the armor that God has provided in Ephesians 6:10-20, it has no visible properties and often the enemy of our soul tells us not to waste our time with the unseen.  But it is in the unseen armor that gives the Christian warrior the ability to withstand the comic powers, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Never forget that the demons and the angels see if you’re prepared for the battle.  We are told to get dressed for today’s battle, and be alert, keep talking with the Father and listening to instruction from the Holy Spirit.

I’ve been blessed, to have a few men, who loved me enough to ask me that question; John Davis, is one of those men.  John was my prayer partner in Spring, Texas and though we moved miles apart we still have a bond that only God can give two men.  Do you need a John who loves you, who will encourage you and who will ask this question; how is the race is going?  The danger lies in believing we have come to maturity, that we can sit down and let others fight the battle.

Often we are hindered not by our flesh, but by some brother or sister in Christ who has lost sight of the purpose, one who is not thinking about the kingdom of God; Jesus gives us insight in such a time in Matthew 19:13-14.  Many Christian men have removed themselves from “running well” by not living with their wife in a understanding way, showing honor to her and their prayers were hindered, 1Peter 3:7, gives an example of this.  So how are you running?  I hope and pray you are running well.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice my blog; http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/

Defining Love

Galatians 5:6

The most over used word in the English language and the most misunderstood word is “Love”.  We use the word love to explain what color we want to paint our house; I love that color, and we use the word love when ordering our food; I just love that bread, and we use the word love when we go to church; I just loved that sermon, and we use the word love to proclaim our love for our children; and we use the word love to state our love for God. In view of the fact that love is used to explain your feeling and emotion for paint, and the same word is used to describe your affection for you Father in heaven, it leaves one to wonder; do they love paint that is going on the wall in the same manner as they love the God who created and redeemed them?

My premise is built on observations of people in all aspects of life; at church, at home, in the work place, and at the mall, they use the word love all the time, and it is used as a method to distinguish between likes and dislikes, most of the time, and most of us are not passionate or emotionally involved, with a color of paint.  Now your argument might be that people that we come in contact with just know what we mean when the word “Love” is used, but is that not absurd, in that our word are so often misunderstood, and often it is the misunderstanding of words that cause families and friendships to be broken?  Is it not illogical to believe that a small child can understand the definition you have put on a word like “love,” when you use it to describe your love for them, and in the same breath you say how you love, the neighbors new yard. 

In Galatians 5:6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor Uncircumcision has any value.  The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”  Would it not seem important to have and to use the correct meaning of the word “love” if it is the only thing of value when living by faith?  Now faith is very important in that both Romans 14:23 tells us, that whatever is not from faith is sin, and Hebrews 11:6, tell us, that without faith it is impossible to please God.  The apostle John was very concerned about our understanding of the word “Love” so much that he defined love for us. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1John 5:7-8)  If you keep reading in 1John 5:16, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. (It is only at this point we begin to have the freedom to love and be loved) God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” 

I like you have grown up with the word “love” being used to describe most anything we like; food, clothing, toys, friends, mother or dad, and also God, but is that the message of Galatians 5:6, and does it give the lost world any understanding of the expression of love that God showed for us by asking his Son to take our place and die for our sin?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice my blog; http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/

A guide to lead us each day

 

Galatians 5:5,

“For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.” 

I was ten years old, and our family was going on our first real family vacation, it was not to granddads in Murray, Texas.  Not that I was not excited about going to see my Granddad, but once you had been to Murray, at the intersection of Farm roads 209 and 578, fourteen miles southwest of Graham in southwestern Young County, you had seen red dirt, old barns and the little mercantile store that sat at that intersection, there surely must be more to see.  Dad announced that this year he was going to take us to New Mexico to see the white sands and Carlsbad Caverns, where thousands of bats darken the sky as they leave each evening and we would be able to go into the many rooms in the great cave and see all kinds of limestone structures, and then we would be off to the Royal Gorge and walk across a bridge that spans this vast canyon and what looks like miles down, is a river that runs through it.  Dad said that was only the beginning of our vacation, next it was Colorado and mountains, I had never seen a mountain; we did have a bluff in Corpus Christ and from downtown it seemed like a mountain to my young mind.  But dad was not through, after leaving Colorado we were going to drive to the Continental Divide, a place he had always wanted to see.  It seemed like the months turned into years waiting for this vacation.

As I looked back to that trip and the eagerness of a ten year old, is that not what Galatians 5:5 is referring to?  Jesus promised when He left that He would send the Spirit of Truth to guide us daily into truth, and that each day would be a new trip and an exciting opportunity and that our Guide the Holy Spirit would lead us into faith, hope, and love, and abundant life.  Are you and I eagerly waiting, I mean we can’t wait to see God fulfilling His promises, as Abraham did, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” (Romans 4:18) 

Is it that we are looking with eagerness for our home, the one that Jesus has gone to prepare for us, that we are missing the excitement of today’s adventure?  The apostle Peter tells us how to be prepared for today’s adventure, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

I gave Skipper my Baptist dog bad information

Galatians 5:4

Growing up in a Baptist home that believed in the postman’s motto, “neither rain, nor snow, nor heat, nor gloom of night, nor the winds of change”, would keep us from being at the church when any services were being held.  It mattered not that we did not own a car and walked about three miles each way, and often mother was the one that got us up and dressed, because dad worked shift work and was often, either sleeping or working.  It was in that environment, that I first heard the term “they have fallen from grace”. 

I’m not sure the meaning of that term was ever discussed at our home but you knew it was really bad, and we did not talk about really bad things at 3738 Liberty drive, unless a deacon and his wife came to play forty-two.  It was one of those times that the kids were expected to play outside with the mosquitoes and the lighting bugs, but sometimes I would sit near the front door and listen.  I must not have been good at the collection of information because this became my understanding of the meaning of “falling from grace.”  It was someone, who also lived by the postman’s motto and never missed a service and then one day they stopped coming on Sunday nights and maybe even on Wednesday, they had fallen from grace.  Now my self imposed job was to make our dog skipper a good Baptist dog, so I would share these deep truths with him, and because it was not the kind of things we ever discussed at our home, I always knew skipper would keep it between the two of us.

How does a person fall out of grace?  If you are going to fall out of grace, then you must have been in grace, or it would be impossible to fall out of something that you were not in.  Is it referring to backsliding?  It might be of some value to define the word backsliding, it is the relapse into bad ways or error.  Jesus took a dim view of such a person, “Jesus replied, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”  (Luke 9:62)   Hebrews 10:38, gives us more information; “But my righteous one will live by faith.  And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.”  It seems as if my talks with skipper, the Baptist dog, were not that far off course.  But before you wag your tail like skipper, maybe we should dig somewhat deeper.

Maybe we should have explored the word grace to understand what we were falling out of; what is the meaning of grace?  This is how my computer dictionary defines grace, (in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.  Therefore, grace is something no one deserves or can earn, it is a free gift from God to man, and that is what they are falling out of.  The Scriptures are also clear that the only way to enter into God’s grace is by faith, it is not about you, but is a gift of God.  You might want to check out Romans 5:1, and 1 Corinthians 6:11.

Why is the apostle Paul dealing with this subject?  Because some false teachers were coming into the Gentile church and teaching Christ plus circumcision, read Galatians 5:2-4.  When a person backslides, it does not mean they have fallen from grace; poor skipper was given a wrong understanding of what falling from grace meant.  Falling from grace is man believing that faith is not enough and that some actions on his part is required to enter into a relationship with God.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Will you choose to sin?

Galatians 5:1,2

How patient and merciful is our God!   That is the thought that came into my mind as I read past this first sentence of Galatians 5:1, on my way to see what God wanted to say to me this morning.  It is not a long sentence; “For freedom Christ has set us free; Stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”  What is being implied in these first seven words of this sentence?  First, I must ask what is “Freedom” and second I must ask when was I not a free man?

The dictionary gives this definition of “Freedom”: the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint: we do have some freedom of choice.  It also adds this; the power of self-determination attributed to the will; the quality of being independent of fate or necessity.  Accepting this definition of freedom, it incurs that you and I who are in Christ have the ability to choose, and the power of self-determination attributed to the will, that is freedom!

Therefore, if Christ has set us free, then I must surmise that at some point I was being held captive and in slavery to something or someone!  Isaiah the prophet of God stated the mission of Christ in Isaiah 61:1 and then Jesus stood in the synagogue and read from Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  And the Scripture tells us He rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  “And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Therefore, Isaiah prophesied and Jesus fulfilled freedom from slavery but what was it that held us captive?  I found the answer in the book of Romans 6:6, “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”  Romans 6, goes on to tell us that we are dead to the power of sin, that it no longer has authority over us, it does not say that we will not choose to sin.  I must add this note: when we sin it should break our hearts, almost always it brings shame on the name of Jesus.   As we look at Galatians 5:2, we see the object of sin and that was adding the ceremonial act of circumcision to the requirement of being a Christian.  Colossians 2:20-23, gives clear direction that we died with Christ to these regulations of men, and churches, and that they have an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion, but they have no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. 

So we are free in Christ, and are no longer under the control of sin!  It may take a few days before we get to Galatians 5:13, “For you were called to freedom, brothers.  Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

From The Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A Picture is worth

 

Galatians 4:21-31

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words; I found that to be true as a salesperson that sold technology.  Often words seemed to be so empty but being able to see or touch the item answered many of the engineer’s questions.  The apostle Paul used the example of two women; Hagar the slave women and Sarah the free woman to paint the picture of slave versus free, or grace versus law.  “Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?  For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a free woman.  But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise.  Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants.”

Often, I’ve asked this question, why would anyone put themselves in that situation or why would anyone with a free will submit to that type of life?  It seems that what is familiar is always easier than the unknown, it maybe the woman who is married to a drunk that beats her and her children, but there is great uncertainty in leaving, so she chooses the life of being beaten, rather than the freedom of uncertainty.   These Jews were familiar with the law, and this grace through faith seemed so free, in fact, it seemed to be without structure.   So it was easy to come to that understanding, the law had rules, rules they did not keep, in fact if they could have kept them; they would have been pure before God.  And that is why they, as well as we need the woman of promise, the free woman, she represents, hope, peace and a personal relationship with God the Father, through Jesus Christ.

The analogy of the woman who lives with the drunk is so clear to us, but how blind we are to our own religious rules.  Often the unity of a fellowship of believers is destroyed by a slight change in the order of worship, the changing from hymns to what is called praise or worship music.  Earlier in chapter four Paul states; “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years!”  (Galatians 9-10) Yes, many live the life of the slave woman, who represent the flesh, they observe days and rules, rules not by God but by men, and never cross over to the free woman who lives according to the promise, and walks by the Spirit.  Freedom brings us to obligation, but not to structure or rules, but to thirst for fellowship with the Father.  When we walk by the Spirit, we have freedom in Christ, read Galatians 5:16-17.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice