Skip to main content

The mirror shows us up

Ever seen yourself in the mirror? Of course you have. Even in the remotest places, people see themselves in the mirror through the reflection in some water.  Most are concerned about what they look like. We need to see ourselves to be able to help correct something before we look lousy and perhaps embarrass ourselves. The law of God is no different. It is also a mirror.

In this chapter, it is evident that Paul is having trouble with the church in Galatia that has reverted to following the law for their salvation. He keeps referring to the promise of Abraham and that we need the faith promise of Abraham to have salvation. Paul emphasizes that the law came 430 years after the promise was given by God to Abraham. The law has not canceled the promise. The promise is fulfilled through Jesus Christ' death and resurrection!

Galatians 3:17
And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.

The law is given so that you have a "mirror" to show how bad you look. If the people of Israel could follow the law, there would be no need for animal sacrifice. You CANNOT be justified and receive salvation by following the law. Impossible! You need Jesus!

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.

The Lord preserved His message through a remnant of the people of the world, and the promise was carried through their lineage until Jesus. Now that promise is blessing the nations.  This is evident in the prophetic Psalms as well:

Psalm 117
Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!

For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!

Don't be confused by poor teaching. I am again so sorrowful for a major faith that was founded after Christ on this poor theology of works without understanding the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham through Jesus.

Father speak to my friends who need Jesus. Works cannot correct the "bad reflection" in the mirror. I cry out to you!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

My Journey of Faith

Sreedhar standing to the left of his grandfather in the center Almost 55 years ago a son was born to a Hindu family.  The parents were 2nd generation Malaysians raised in a rubber estate near a small town called Sungei Petani in Northern Malaya at that time.  This first child was given much love and care by their parents and had the privilege of growing up in 3 different states of Malaysia, most of which was in Petaling Jaya.  He was blessed with his first domestic airplane ride when he was 10 years old, and made his first trip by airplane to Bangkok at the age of 11.  In the mid 1970's the family moved to a large house in a relatively exclusive neighborhood in Petaling Jaya. This was a result of the favor his father, aged about 35 at that time, had in the workplace,. As a result, this son grew up in a mostly multicultural environment with Indian, Chinese and Malay children.  In the process, his perspectives became cosmopolitan and racially neutral.  On...

Seek a good personal testimony

In the same way you can have professional wedding planners, you also have funeral planners. I know some of you who are superstitious will be saying "touch wood". I have written something on this before and you can read it here. Have you planned your funeral? I have not and neither did Abraham plan his wife's funeral until her death. Don't get me wrong. Nothing wrong with planning your funeral but there is something interesting here in this chapter. Genesis 23:6, “Hear us, my lord: You are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold from you his burial place, that you may bury your dead.” Abraham is recognized as a Mighty Prince. He is about to have his first big funeral, and it is for his wife. The people of the land were ready to give whatever Abraham wanted. He gained huge respect because of the favor that God had given him. He insisted on paying full price for the burial ground and he paid in cash. G...

He has plans to prosper you

Over 30 years ago I was contemplating my plans for the future while helping a dear Brother in the Lord do some minor repairs around the house. Nothing serious was moving in my applications for jobs in Canada or the US. At a Monday night College and Career Bible Study at Stone Church , Toronto, I got my direction through this passage and some other information God placed there that night. And so within a week I bought my one way ticket to Malaysia. That was a significant move for me as a 23 year old.  Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. The move to Babylon was probably quite significant for the people of Judah that were taken captives and there was great uncertainty as to when they could eventually return to their homeland. Jeremiah was clear. Be ready to stay for a while. You are going to stay in Babylon for a bit. Just like the people of Judah, God can take...

You will look good

In today's world many are not happy with how they look naturally. They do everything possible to get it "right". Some of these include almost permanent changes that affects their bodies for the rest of their lives. This includes tattoos. I am not going to saying anything about this but we need to be careful about the agenda of people that do these things. There is something better. Revelation 22:4, They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. How God's name is going to be on our foreheads, I am not sure. But it would be like wearing a uniform of an organization that you are very proud of, and want to be associated with publicly. There will also be the tree of life. There will be no more pain. No more sorrow. God's presence will be so tangible that we can see His face. Revelation 22:12-13, “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and t...

You are powerless

Years ago I watched a movie that played out the end times based on Revelations. It was quite dramatic and scary, but had a happy ending. This is what has been planned from the beginning of time. This chapter in Revelations gives a quick snapshot of the end. Revelation 20:4, And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. It did not occur to me until much later in my Christian life that there will be a thousand years when followers of Christ will reign on earth. Satan will be bound at this time and he will not be able to touch the saints that will be resurrected at this time. Yet there will still be those who reject God. These will be destroyed as mentioned in verse 9. Revelation 2...

What is your number?

There are many Chinese people, especially businessmen, who try to get good numbers for their home, business, phone numbers and cars. Even dates for important transactions are fixed based on this. The number 8 is especially well used because it sounds like the word for prosperity in the Chinese language. There is also another set of numbers that is commonly used. 666. However, it means something else in the Bible. Revelation 13:18, Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. 2 beasts and a dragon are pictured as doing everything possible to speak against God and force everyone to worship them to the point of killing those who refuse. There will be great trouble at that time, and it will not be pretty.  Were these literal beasts?  Or, perhaps John's spiritual eyes were opened to see what these were.  To the ordinary man they may not see the demonic nature of these individuals. Revelati...