Change My Conduct or Change My Name! (Galatians 3)
Galatians 3.28-29 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. [nkjv]Alexander the Great, one of the greatest military generals who ever lived, conquered almost the entire known world with his vast army. One night during a campaign, he couldn't sleep and left his tent to walk around the campgrounds. As he was walking he came across a soldier asleep on guard duty. This was a serious offense, one punishable by death! So serious was the offense that in some cases a commanding officer would pour kerosene on the sleeping soldier and light it as a warning to all.
As Alexander the Great approached, the sleeping soldier began to stir. Recognizing who was standing in front of him, the young man feared for his life. "Do you know what the penalty is for falling asleep on guard duty?" Alexander the Great asked the soldier. "Yes, sir," the soldier responded in a quivering voice. "Soldier, what's your name?" demanded Alexander the Great.
"Alexander, sir." Alexander the Great repeated the question: "What is your name?" "My name is Alexander, sir," the soldier repeated.
A third time and more loudly Alexander the Great asked, "What is your name?" A third time the soldier meekly said, "My name is Alexander, sir."
Alexander the Great then looked the young soldier straight in the eye. "Soldier," he said with intensity, "either change your name or change your conduct."
Unbelievers had a name for the early followers of Christ. They called them 'Christians' or 'Christ ones' because they were seen to live and speak exactly like Christ would have. They saw these radically passionate people tortured, beaten, and eaten alive for daring to identify themselves with such a name.
But today the name 'Christian' carries with it a totally different meaning. It has been watered down by religion so as not to upset others. It has been tarnished by people of poor character in the pursuit or riches and power.
As a person who professes to be a Christian, I need to ask myself, "Do I really understand whose name I am carrying?" How much of His nature and influence is evident in my life? Am I really His? Have I allowed complacency, selfishness and pride to cause me to live less than who I really am?
Maybe the challenge given by Alexander the Great is one I need to heed. If I am not prepared to change my conduct then perhaps I need to change my name.
4 comments:
Verse 16 says: The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ.
When I read this I was a little discouraged. I wanted to claim God's promises too!
But then...Verse 29: If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
How exciting!! We are heirs!
Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?
To be granted salvation through Grace and to begin a new life there is still the danger of the lingering doubt. The doubt – can we really be saved without doing something? It is foolish to have been given such a wonderful gift and then through insecurity think we can only receive it by our own efforts.
Yes we are called to follow the example of Jesus and lead a righteous life but this is not the basis of our salvation. We behave as Christians because we believe that Jesus gave His life for our eternal life.
Observing the Laws is contrary to being saved because we can never meet those high standards that God has for us. God knows we cannot meet those standards but because He has provided our salvation we do not have to fully comply with His laws, especially as we have already broken them. We can try to live by higher standards than we have in the past but this will not gain us salvation. That will only occur through Jesus.
GAL 3:27 (AMP)
For as many [of you] as were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union and communion with Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah] have put on (clothed yourselves with) Christ.
I need to remember to put on my spiritual clothes when I get up the morning.
Gal 3:29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you. (NLT)
To be connected to Abraham connects us to some amazing blessings. Because Abraham believed and obeyed God he was promised in Gen 12:2-3 "I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those that bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you."
These amazing promises were made to Abraham and just because we are of his family - being all those who believe in Jesus - those promises are ours by right of family ties!
And here's one that I really love -in James 2:23 it tells us "And so it happened just as the scripture say: Abraham believed God, and God counted him righteous because of his faith. He was EVEN CALLED THE FRIEND OF GOD!
So we are the heirs to Abraham and the promises God made to him - and even able to be called a friend of God! Isn't that thrilling!!!
They say it's not what you know but who you know - take heart we have friends in high places!!
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