Day 10 - Galatians 4:8-16

8 Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. 9 So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world? 10 You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years. 11 I fear for you. Perhaps all my hard work with you was for nothing. 12 Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles—free from those laws.

You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you. 13 Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News. 14 But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God or even Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. 16 Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?


Terrie's Comments:

I am a Gentile... Most people I know fall into that category... so why do we as Gentile's struggle with letting go of a law that was given to the Jews?  Paul was writing begging them to become like Gentiles... who were free from the law to begin with!  Why do we struggle with the freedom from the law that Paul writes about?  We can't please God by following the law unless we follow the whole law.  Living by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ is way easier.  As humans we tend to justify ourselves by what we "do"... with faith everything is already "done" there is nothing left to "do" we just simply need to have faith that "it is done" and rest there.


Tori's Comments:

Okay, it's now word study day, but I wanted to understand the use of "know" here because it struck me as odd. It is meant as an absolute sort of knowing, and is the same as used in John 10:14 when Jesus said "I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me". 

To me, this again confirms that we are a part of God's flock. And that means we are free from the laws, instead given the Spirit to live by. 

"my condition"?

Verse 15 is an amazing testament to their generosity, and also a rather funny way of doing so. 




Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!