The last week or so I’ve been going through the book of Galatians specifically and for the first time, after reading through a book, I can go back and see the central theme. That could be because the book of Galatians isn’t that long (only 6 chapters), or maybe it’s because I’ve been underlining my way through the entire book. Regardless, God has been giving me little reminders, mostly about the same thing. So this is the conclusion I’ve come to about the book of Galatians: it highlights the absolute importance and necessity of inward change, NOT outward change. It’s a matter of the heart, not following rules. Paul hammers his readers over the head with the same point, just in a multitude of ways—FAITH, FAITH, FAITH. This is what is most important. He specifically uses examples of circumcision at the end of chapter 6, and how circumcision (outward change) is meaningless, it’s about the inward change of the heart and faith in Christ. He also talks a lot about faith vs. observance of the law, specifically and bluntly outlined in Gal. 2:15-16. He puts Abraham as one of the biggest proponents and examples of this faith vs. observance of the law battle. So much so that he even calls those who believe in Christ, “children of Abraham” and makes statements like “so those that have faith are blessed along with Abraham.”
He goes on, in a sub-point I think, to talk about how this faith in Christ gives us freedom in Christ! Kind of ironic for those reading at that time, because the law was what they used to believe in, and in trusting and hanging on to the law, it brought lots of rules and do’s and don’ts. But putting your faith in Christ gives you freedom? “How is this possible?!” I’m sure some of them thought! Although putting my faith in Christ is something I have done and I firmly believe in, one thing that I am growing in my understanding and application of is the freedom we have in Christ and what that looks like in every day life. One of my fellow teammates Teresa, shared this picture with me in terms of what the concept of freedom in Christ looks like. God places us in a wide-open pasture with lots of room to explore, with a well in the center. HE of course is the well that we need to come back to in order to be refreshed and filled again, but he wants us to play, skip, run, explore and enjoy this pasture and wilderness he placed us in: it is his gift to us! Like I said, it’s something I’m learning about on this Race, bear with me.
