#296 After Action Report on CCS & More

Galatians 2:4-6

Paul is recounting to the Galatians his story of approaching the apostles 14 yrs after his encounter with Jesus on the Road to Damascus. 

”I met with them privately because false “brothers” had been secretly smuggled into church meetings. They were sent to spy on the wonderful freedom that we have in Jesus Christ. Their agenda was to bring us back into the bondage of religion. But you must know that we did not submit to their religious shackles, not even for a moment, so that we might keep the truth of the gospel of grace unadulterated for you. Even those most influential among the brothers were not able to add anything to my message. Who they are before men makes no difference to me, for God is not impressed by their reputations.“

There are two threads that I want to pull on from this passage - the first is that even in the church in its most nascent form, there were people who were trying to adulterate the message of the Gospel of the grace of Jesus. This is not something new that we are experiencing now, with so much anti-Biblical theology being taught. And look at the intention of that - it’s to bring us back into the bondage of religion. It’s so men and their rules can control us instead of allowing us to live in the freedom that Christ paid for on the Cross. This is something we should be very vigilantly watchful for in the teachings that we accept and in the way we live our own lives. We can easily and really without realizing it pick up this religious attitude and mindset that brings us back into bondage. So ask the Lord to help you examine who you are allowing to teach you and the mindsets you have around what is required of you by your faith. The second thread I want to pull on here is that last line - who they are before men makes no difference to me, for God is not impressed by their reputations. I love this. It’s such a great reminder that the Lord made each of us in His own image. And whether people have an influential profile or not they are subject to the same scrutiny of Holy Spirit and have the same responsibility to be faithful to carry the pure and simple message of the freedom of the Gospel of Christ’s Kingdom. So let’s not get caught up in name brand ministers. Let’s instead judge whether their message aligns with scripture.