1 / 10

Presented by Bob DeWaay November 24, 2013

The Danger of Turning Back Galatians 4:8-11. Presented by Bob DeWaay November 24, 2013. Our Previous Status in Unbelief. Galatians 4:8 (NRSV) Formerly, when you did not know God , you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods. .

india
Download Presentation

Presented by Bob DeWaay November 24, 2013

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. The Danger of Turning Back Galatians 4:8-11 Presented by Bob DeWaay November 24, 2013

  2. Our Previous Status in Unbelief Galatians 4:8(NRSV) Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods. • They had gone from slaves to sons through the gospel, they had been slaves to the stoicheia • These “beings” were at the same time sham “gods” and demons (1Corinthians 10:20) • “know” is relational as in the next verse

  3. Known by God Galatians 4:9a Now, however, that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, • Verse 8 “formerly” contrasts “now” with the difference being conversion • Paul uses a literary device of “rhetorical self correction” to emphasize God’s priority in conversion

  4. Back to the Stoicheia Galatians 4:9b “NRSV” how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits? How can you want to be enslaved to them again? • “turn back” (epistrepho_) is a term used in Acts for conversion, here it would be reverse conversion • A return to Torah is considered a return to paganism! • The stoicheia are demonic beings feared by the people of Asia Minor as the source of bad fate

  5. There is no Religious Calendar under the New Covenant Galatians 4:10 (NRSV) You are observing special days, and months, and seasons, and years. • They were evidently keeping the Jewish calendar • Days of worship are a matter of Christian liberty under the New Covenant • To keep the Old Covenant religious calendar is to be under demonic slavery

  6. Paul’s Serious Concern Galatians 4:11 (NRSV) I am afraid that my work for you may have been wasted • Reversion to the Law of Moses would be apostasy • However, God will preserve us from apostasy by issuing serious warnings like this • Paul addresses the Galatians as ‘brothers’ (1:11; 3:15; 4:12; 4:31; 5:11; 6:1; 6:18)

  7. Implications and Applications • Faith is about Christ and what God has done for us in Christ, not what we do for God • Works righteousness is a poison pill to faith • If we are unthankful for freedom, we shall blaspheme God’s work of salvation by opting for religious slavery

  8. What God has done for us 2Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. • Verse 20 says; . . .we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. • Conversion is turning to God from idolatry (1Thessalonians 1:9)

  9. Works Righteousness is a Poison Pill Galatians 5:4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

  10. Thank God for Freedom and do not go back! Galatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

More Related