Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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New Creation in Christ
Galatians:  6:11- 16

For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a New Creation is everything (V.15)

                   Since Paul used most of his letter to the Galatians to urge them not to be circumcised , it may surprise us that, towards the end of the letter he write. Neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision means anything. To understand this,we must see the difference between the physical act of circumcision and their reason for  doing it .The reason for the letter was to explain as clearly as possible that Christians don't need to obey, the Jewish ceremonial law. Once we understand that a Gentile Christians fully accepted by God through repentance and faith in Jesus' atoning sacrifice, we should not act as though there is more than needs to be done to obtain that acceptance. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. There is nothing to gain from being circumcised and nothing to gain from being uncircumcised .The Galatians error was to believe that there was something to be gained from being  circumcised.

         As Paul wrote earlier in this letter, " You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus , for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves  with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free man, male  nor female, for you all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you Abraham's seed, and heirs  according to the promise ".
(Gal: 3: 26 -29) .  A free man is not better or worse than slave, and a  man is not better or  worse than a women. Similarly , a Jew is not better or worse than a Gentile. We all stand or fall before God in the same basis: repentance and faith .Of course there are  differences between Jews and Greeks, between slaves and free man , and between males and females, but our adoption as children of God is on exactly  the same basis, and we are of the same value to God. Our nationality, our employment, whether we are a male or female does not make us more or less acceptable to God. Instead what count is a "new creation " . 

    What makes as Christians is  inward, not out ward. We are Christians  not because of circumcision, or any ceremonial observation  but because  we're experienced a radical change to our nature.  If you're not a new creation, then you're not a christian. Paul wrote this to Corinthians. (2 Corinthians ,5 :17 )."If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation : the old has gone, the new has come ".That is what counts, a New Creation. Have you allowed God to make you new person ?.Has God forgiven you, washed you clean, adopted you as His child, given you Holy Spirit and joined  you to His Church .

Prayer : Lord help us to show others, we are anew creation as we live our  lives day to day....Amen

Thought of the day:  Be a New  Creation in Christ'. 

                 Skariah Zachariah .Trinity,M.T.C. Edmonton .

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