Paul was upset with the Galatians:
"You crazy Galatians! Did someone put a spell on you? Have you taken leave of your senses? Something crazy has happened, for it’s obvious that you no longer have the crucified Jesus in clear focus in your lives. His sacrifice on the cross was certainly set before you clearly enough." (Galatians 3:1-2, the Message)
The Amplified extends the adjectives: "you foolish and thoughtless and superficial Galatians..."
They had gone away from a Christianity that was focused on a personal encounter and relationship with a person (Jesus), to legalism. In terms of theology, legalism is "dependence on moral law rather than on personal religious faith." (link)
For Paul, and for the New Testament entirely, there is only one kind of true Christianity: it not as much a religion, as a relationship. In fact, the early disciples believed that their religion was Judaism. (Gal. 1:13) It was a cultural shock and major historical event when the Jews eventually decided that Christianity was not a part of Judaism, but rather a heretical sect claiming Jesus was the Messiah...
But Christianity never claimed to be a sect of another religion, or another religion entirely. (As an aside, this is the claim of Islam- that Islam is the fulfillment of the first two major religions...) Jesus never said, "on this rock I will build/found my new religion." He said, "My Church," which comes from the Greek ἐκκλησίαν, transliterated "ekklēsia," which means, basically, "an assembly." (link)
Actually, early Christians called themselves "the Way." (Acts 9:2; 18:25; 19:9) They were called "Christians" by others around them. (Acts 11:26) They were known as followers of the Messiah, the "anointed one," or Christ..."those Jesus people," "that crazy group that worships Jesus," you can imagine. Sounds familiar...
See, historically, there was a man, named Jesus, who by all accounts hailed from Nazareth. He was the "son" of a carpenter...but there was something about Him. Anyone you talked to would say, "you just have to meet Him to understand." Andrew took Peter to Him like this. How could he have said, "we have found the Messiah!" (John 1:41) so soon? He hardly knew Jesus at this point...
And yet, when they were in the boat, working at their father's fishing business, when Jesus walked by, they simply dropped their nets, got out of the boat and walked after Him. They left their father, Zebedee in the boat, probably dumbfounded with his jaw down to the floor! Perhaps Mark's Gospel says it most clearly:
"Immediately Jesus called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him." (Mk. 1:20)
There must have been, indeed there was, something about this Jesus. And the thing is, unlike any other historical person, you can still meet Him today...He is more present now than ever by the Holy Spirit. All you have to do is try it...what if what we are saying is real? What if Jesus (who all the history books say was a real person, that actually lived), is really Who the Scriptures say He is...? What if He could come into your heart today, and transform everything...give you the peace you've always looked for...the love that you need?
The truth is, Scripture makes clear that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) That means, the same Jesus that raised people from the dead, healed Peter's mother-in-law, walked by James and John and affected them so much that they immediately walked away from their father's business...can touch you right now.
Christianity is not about "do this, do that," or "don't do this, don't do that..." It is about meeting a real Person, who changes you from within so that you actually want to be good. You actually become transformed into a good person, where it wasn't possible before no matter how you tried. He does it by His Spirit, He does it out of love.
All it takes is surrender. Lord Jesus, come into my heart...(link)
Hallelujah
Dan Devine, M. Div
Identity Crisis Management (Outreach for Men)
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