Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Redeeming Christ
Galatians 6: 11-16
Vs. 15 For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything but a new creation is everything. 
            Quaker John Woolman was an itinerant preacher who waged his own personal campaign to end slavery in Colonial America. Woolman felt that slaveholding was inconsistent with Christianity and spent his life travelling, observing and advocating against slavery. He met with slave holders to speak of the injustice of holding other human beings as property. Although Woolman did not eradicate slavery completely, he did persuade many masters to free their slaves.
            Christian Freedom is the main theme of this epistle. Martin Luther said: “This is a letter to me. I am betrothed to it.” The context in which the letter was written is clear from the letter itself. When Paul left Galatia the Jewish Christians who belonged to the pharisaic group approached the Gentile Christians and told them that it was their Christian duty to observe the Jewish law. They were very particular that the Gentile Christians must accept circumcision.
                     The word redemption signifies buying again or repurchase. So the redeemed are said to be bought unto God by the blood of Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:13 says “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.”  It is only through faith and God’s grace that we get the status as Children of God and not by observing the law or doing good deeds. But the fanatic Jewish believers forced the gentile believers to obey circumcision to become a believer in Christ. Through this they were dehumanizing the value and identity of gentile people who were also created in Gods own image.
                  In Luke 15:8-10, Christ tells us a parable of the lost coin- a valuable coin, which was equivalent to a day’s wages. The woman who lost the coin was so concerned about locating it that she lit a lamp, swept the house and carefully searched until she found it. Then she told her friends and neighbours: “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I lost. “ Then Jesus says, which is the thrust of the parable: “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents”
             Human beings are of great value to God. They are the crown of His creation. Those who don’t know him are lost in their sins. Christ paid the ultimate price by dying on the cross for their redemption. Those who have been saved and redeemed from bondage like the Jewish believers should be the way for redemption of others in bondage but here they were acting in the opposite way.  

As a saved community are we standing for or obstructing the redemptive work of Christ?
PRAYER
Dear Lord, Make us the channel of your redemptive purpose .Help us to encourage the new believers to grow in you. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“In the act of dehumanizing others, we dehumanize ourselves.”
Rajan Koshy, Emmanuel MTC, Udaipur
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

Popular posts from this blog

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
  Constant, patient and welcoming love of God   St. Luke 15: 11-32  V.21: And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ The parable of the ‘Prodigal son’ is one of the most frequently quoted parables that Jesus told His disciples. The parable contains the rich mine of human virtues and emotions. This parable is lived and re-lived in progressing civilizations from time immemorial and continuing. It brings out in vivid detail the pathetic depth of human sinfulness and the glorious heights of God’s forgiveness.      As a story of human nature, fathers are generally merciful to their children in any circumstance. They are very protective and are eager to provide for and secure the lives of their offspring. Jesus is telling this parable to underscore the superlative love of God to His children. The nature of such love is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 7:11. Humankind wh...
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Revelation for Liberation Acts 27:18-26 Sherine Thomas Long Island MTC, NY 20  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. “After winter comes the summer.  After night comes the dawn.  And after every storm, there comes clear open skies” so said a Scottish clergyman from the 1600s. It’s been said, that hope can sometimes be the most dangerous weapon.  However, it’s sometimes the hardest weapon to carry when you’re living with the loss of a loved one, something that almost feels like a terrible nightmare that’ll never go away.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry when day in and day out no one seems to hear or see those tears that are shed or silent cries that are made during a heartfelt prayer. It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you see your loved one lying on that hospital bed.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you search and seek out answers to tel...
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
PRIESTHOOD: THE ANOINTED MINISTRY Exodus 40:12-16 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting... wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest (Exodus 40: 12-13). Priesthood among the people of God was a divine command and initiation. God wanted some people to be separated for the special ministry among his people. God appointed Aaron and his descendants to take up this kind of ministry among the people of God. Priests are always separated and appointed as channels that connect God with his people. All throughout the history of Israel, priests played an important role in connecting people with God and to lead and guide them in the statutes of God. But there are incidents in the Bible where the priests failed in their duties and that led the people to go away from God. So the priests have a special and significant ministry to perform in this world among his people. Two important things...
Read more