Claiming the Real You

1 You foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by the Spirit, are you now finishing by the flesh? 4 Did you experience so much for nothing—if in fact it was for nothing? 5 So then, does God give you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law? Or is it by believing what you heard—

The Galatians had been lied to. They felt that their salvation was about the law that they performed, From what they did. We are a society that is based off of what you do same as the Galatians. This society that is primarily “Christian” is based off of what we do. I am know for the fact that I go to school or work in a factory, or preach, or stay at home, or retired or what ever.

We as a society honor doing.

We honor a system that actually encourages people to believe that they can work their way into heaven or vise versa out of heaven. If I donate a van to the church, if I give this much, if I spend that much time at a nursing home. If I am good enough. And this society we are in encourages that.

Or if you are bad enough you won’t to heaven. But then again in that kind of thinking love conquers all so there is no real such thing as hell. We are all basically Good except for an extreme few. Which is a lie we are fallen and bad. Have to be made New and good.

It’s like dieting.

We are a society that honors dieting. If you just follow this diet, or if you do those exercises. Then you will have that Ideal body that no one who actually likes to eat can have. We actually glorify the doer.

And it translates into our churches

We glorify the doer. Those who do all the great things. And in truth that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

But in glorifying those we get caught up in what do I have to do in order to be a Christian or to not go to hell. For some that’s enough. That’s what the Galatians did.

Believer

Galatians 3:6–9 CSB

6 just like Abraham who believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness? 7 You know, then, that those who have faith, these are Abraham’s sons. 8 Now the Scripture saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and proclaimed the gospel ahead of time to Abraham, saying, All the nations will be blessed through you. 9 Consequently, those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, who had faith.

Notice it isn’t about the doer though in the Bible its about the believer. It’s about someone who believes. Because it’s not what we do but what God does in us that matters. And through his doing it’s what we become.

Abraham is known as a man of faith. Not of a doer of great things. Even though he did. No he is known for what he became. What he was.

That’s the real kicker is that God Makes us into something else. And that is where we must focus. Not on what we do. Even though we live in a society that focuses on the doing. We focus on the Fruit. And forget that we must become a tree instead of a weed first and only God can do that in us.

How do we do that? And already we are back to the what do I do

First thing is believe

Galatians 3:13–14 CSB

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. 14 The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles by Christ Jesus, so that we could receive the promised Spirit through faith.

Christ was cursed to take our curse so that we could have the blessing of Abraham.

What’s the blessing of Abraham. Adoption into the family of God. We have to believe and be part of the family of God.

Micah 6:8 CSB

8 Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.

Walk humbly with your God.

Those other two things come out of this.

What does it mean to walk with God?

Spend time with him. Be in relationship with him. Read, pray, talk, worship, sing, study. All those things.

Walk with God and he will move you to a better place. He will show you a better road. He will make you into a child of his. Not someone who is focused on what he does. But on what he is.

Look at dieting.

Doesn’t work really it’s when we change our lifestyle and become healthier people do changes become reality. I’m still working on that one

Same with Christ it’s when it becomes who we are not something we do. That change becomes reality. And it doesn’t matter how long you live.

Methuselah was 969 when he died. Doesn’t matter what you do. Look at Moses, David, Salomon. All great doers for God.

It’s about how you walk with God

Genesis 5:24 CSB

24 Enoch walked with God; then he was not there because God took him.

Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

Walk with God and Become the Real You

Walk with God and you will claim the real you.

What does that mean?

You are a new creation in Christ. Walking with him and will we become the new you.

2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!

That old is passed away you are new creation. Walking with God and you will become the new your

And that’s what we want.

We are coming up on the time of year we make resolutions to become thinner, or work harder, or read the bible more, all good things. What we really need to do is claim the you that God is making you out to be.

Walk with God.

Talk with him

Study

Fellowship

Trust that he will work in you and create in you the you he wants you to be

Don’t fight him. How can you tell if your fighting him. Not talking is a good hint. Not listening. Got this since of guilt that won’t let you go. Don’t fight.

Next Steps

Walk with God

And be the real you the new you That God is creating

Pray

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