Galatians 3:24-29 We are Family

Format for Your Devotions

Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.

Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.

Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.

Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.

Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?

Step 5: Apply this to your own life.

Step 6: Prayer

My Example Devotion: June 9, 2020 Galatians 3:24-29

Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.

So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

(Understanding the Text) This is the culmination of the other arguments.  Point 1:  The promise to be descendants of Abraham was given 430 years before the law was given, so it had prior legal authority.  Point 2:  The promise was made that one offspring would bring many descendants, and that offspring was Jesus, so Jesus’ acceptance of believers (especially Gentiles who had no genetic claim to Abraham) through the Holy Spirit was adoption into being Abraham’s descendants.  Point 3:  The purpose of the law was never salvation from sin.  That was what the sacrifices pointed to because the law itself could not accomplish salvation.  Instead, the purpose of the law was to show where the sinner failed so that the remedy could be applied.  From these points, Paul comes to the conclusion that the law was like a guardian, controlling people’s actions until something better came, which was Jesus Himself.  Having Jesus with us is our salvation.  There is no need for a multiplicity of laws to control our behavior.  Instead, there is the Spirit living in us that will curb our selfish ways.

(Revelation of God) Paul says that it does not matter who you are.  If you accept Jesus’ as your Lord, you are Abraham’s offspring.  In God’s eyes our situation before we became Abraham’s offspring is irrelevant.  We are all of one kind in Jesus.  We are all descendants of Abraham.

(Application / Prayer) My application for myself is that each of my Christian brothers and sisters is a descendant of Abraham through accepting Jesus as their Lord.  They each have the Spirit living in them and guiding them.  I do not need to try to change them.  I only need to share what the Spirit has revealed to me and act in love and be guided by God.  They are God’s responsibility, not mine, so I shouldn’t be too bossy or manipulative.  They are only my responsibility to love as God loves them.  I need to trust God to work in them to do His pleasure and just live according to Jesus’ will. Dear God, teach me to love and let You do the heavy lifting.