A Regressing Faith

Read the Text: Galatians 3

Memorize the Text:  

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me

(2 Corinthians 12:9, CSB)

Consider the Text: Galatians 3:7-11

Christians often battle the threat of becoming legalistic. When this occurs, believers attempt to define one’s relationship with the Lord or the depth of one’s relationship with the Lord with a series of rules and regulations for one to follow. A legalistic approach to Christianity removes the ability to live in genuine freedom and places one under the imprisonment of the law and the flesh. The apostle Paul warned the churches in Asia Minor of such an issue if they were to return to following the Mosaic Law. Paul understood that if the believers reverted to legalism, their faith would regress instead of mature and addressed this in Galatians 3:7-11.

REMEMBER THE OLD SELF

The apostle Paul charged believers to remember the former way of life before they entered a relationship with Jesus. He called them to notice how they lived without knowing God. This previous way of life served idols that appeared to help them but were dead and helpless. They lived under the blindfold of darkness that kept them from seeing their need for the Light. As a result, the people set themselves up as a god and attempted to live by their desires.  

The old self enslaved them. They served and gave allegiance to false, empty gods that did not provide anything for them. Each person lived under the tyranny of sin that dominated their life. Sin separated them from their Creator and kept them focused on living for the self. Though idolatry resulted from sinful nature, sin was the fuel that promoted idolatry. Thus, the old self lived in the trap of the temporary and fleshly.

The apostle Paul called on believers to remember the old self because it lays a foundation to see the joy in a relationship with the Lord through Jesus. When the believer recalls the depravity of their life and the hopeless nature of it, then they set themselves on a course to overcome the threat of returning to the former way of life. Today, believers need to remember the former condition so we can battle the danger of falling back into that form of life.  

RECOGNIZE THE NEW SELF

Paul charged believers to recognize that they now live in the new self. This occurs because they know the Lord and are known by the Lord. In knowing God, the believer goes beyond knowing about the Lord and has an intimate relationship with the Lord that exists in the heart and not the head. The new self launches at the moment of conversion and progresses in the knowledge of the Lord. The blindfold of darkness disappears, and the believer begins to see and understand what has been unknown before.

The believer also lives known by the Lord. In Jeremiah 1:5, the prophet declared how God formed and knew him. This knowledge goes to a level where one sets their affection upon them. This affection drove God’s promise of redemption and the work of Christ on the cross and in the resurrection. At the same time, at salvation, the Lord transforms the believer into the new self that becomes defined by the Lord and not by sin. Today, believers must know the Lord and recognize he knows them. Such recognition allows us to experience and sees the new self that the Lord forms. 

SEE THE REGRESSING DILEMMA

Paul remained concerned that the believers would attempt to revert to their former way of living. He questions why they have allowed the entrance of the Mosaic law to enter and threaten the message of the gospel. The re-entrance of the law probably occurred subtly, but the presence carries the effects of regression.

Regression occurs because the believer begins to build their life on a weak foundation. Instead of constructing a life on the solid foundation of Christ, they begin to rest in the letter of the law. As a result, they start to trust in the weak and timely instead of resting in the firm and timeless person of Christ. As a result, they seek to construct their life on a worthless foundation instead of on Christ.

 When regression occurs, a person re-enters slavery instead of moving forward in freedom. Believers begin to become self-righteous and base their Christianity on the metric of legalism. This mirrors the Israelites' desire to return to Egypt instead of moving forward to the promised land. A regression leads people back into slavery instead of living in freedom. Today, we must battle not to fall back into the regression of faith. When we falter, we step back into a state under the law. Thus, we must fight to live in freedom and overcome the threat of regression.

This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.