No Longer Children

Is Paul saying we don't have to follow the law anymore?

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. -  Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7

Paul is credited with spreading Christianity throughout Europe and Asia with his letters to the churches being established in these rural towns and cities. 

He spent most of his time with the Gentiles, people who did not know the law, people who were not raised in the law.

So, it makes sense that he would say that you don't need the law to be saved.

People did not need to be circumcised and become Jews to become followers of Christ. That's good news for the church since that is how the Gospel spread to all of us.

It is also the beginning of the split between Christians and Jews, a split that led to horrible bloodshed and a holocaust. 

So, what starts out as something good can go very badly. 

Ninety years ago, after the death of the president of Germany, Adolf Hitler was elected both chancellor and president, combining those roles into one, Fuhrer. In December of 1934, SS Chief Heinrich Himmler created the Inspectorate of Concentration Camps, formalizing the concentration camp system that was begun in July of 1934.

It would take ten years and countless executions before the United States would wake up to these atrocities, even though word had been sent numerous times to our leadership.

So, what began as an invitation to Gentles to join the followers of Christ became a bloody divide between believers in the One True God.

Oh, and to cement the division, Hitler rewrote the Bible to make Jesus Aryan, erasing his Jewish heritage.

Paul is not to blame for this. 

Many believe we are seeing a repeat of this ascent to absolute power in our country today, and they would like to see us move away from Democracy (one person, one vote) to prevent it.

But Jesus taught us there is an easier way to prevent abuse of power and that is to come together in love for one another and love of God. 

So, maybe Paul was a bit premature, saying we were mature enough to abandon the law and be heirs of God. Maybe we need to be treated like children a little longer.

More to come...