8:14 p.m. Today's project was to get up by 6 a.m. to do some edits on my book Galatians while the other members of the household were still asleep. I knew that by 12:00, my dad would be arriving with a watermelon as promised, and we'd be barbequeing hamburgers. The small white beans that had soaked overnight would need to start simmering with molasses, maple syrup, bacon and a few other cupboard staples.
My editor had asked me to add some anecdotes apropos to the sections of each lesson. I worked once again on the introduction to the book, keying in on the Apostle Paul's love for his "spiritual children" in the church he founded. He couldn't bear to see them slip away from the truth of the gospel, that Christ died for our sins that we might have eternal life. Men who taught that even non-Jewish converts had to keep the laws of Moses in order to become Christians had wreaked havoc in the church. Paul's severity in this very personal epistle came from his great love and concern for the Galatian believers.
The Lord reminded me of a time in my life when my younger daughter Heather, then 3, thought it a real laugh riot to unfasten the seat belt that kept her car seat in place. So throughout the day, I'd be out on erramds with her and her infant brother Steven, and click! I'd pull over, scold, smack her hand and fasten the seatbelt again.
One day, after picking up our Kriss and Heidi from kinder and 1st grade at Emerson Elementary, I decided to stop Heather's dangerous practice. I drove to the back area of the Canyon Crest Towne Center parking lot at about 2 miles per hour, and heard the click, the other kids tattling, and Heather laughing. I stomped on the brake, she tipped forward into the back of my seat, and was so shocked--though unhurt-- that she never unhooked her seatbelt again!
Sometimes drastic action and strong wording are needed for the Lord to keep us from serious error and sin. As for those who lead others away from the truth of the gospel, God will not tolerate their wickedness. Notice Paul's strong language in Galatians 1:7b-9:
There are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
God loves us too much to let us drown in legalistic errors, whether caused by the Judaizers of Paul's day, or the door-to-door cults of today. The enemy of our souls is at the root of all perversion of our faith.
Listen and learn the lesson of Galatians: Jesus Christ gave Himself for our sins; thus we can be saved for all eternity--period.
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