Galatians – Chapter 4

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? Galatians 4:9 – Often I have heard from people that the scariest passage in all of scripture is found in Matthew 7. There Jesus says that not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord” will enter into Heaven. That many will do great works in Jesus’ name, yet the response Jesus gives them in return is chilling. “I never knew you.” While doing many good work in Jesus’ name, they never committed to following Jesus and submitted to Him as their Lord. The result was coming to the end of their life and Jesus closing the doors of Heaven to them saying He never knew them as His children. Yet see the glorious truth displayed for us in this verse. Paul tells the believers in Galatia that they had become known by God. Jesus knew them! Not because they had followed flawlessly the elementary principles of this world, which were whatever lies the enemy was telling them on how to be known by God. Not because they did great works in God’s name or following the law perfectly were they known by God. As in our Matthew passage, such individuals found themselves with the door of Heaven closed to them. We are known by God when we follow Jesus and accept the salvation He offers. We must come to the point of accepting it’s not our actions that make us known by God and welcomed into Heaven. It is only thought the actions of Jesus that earned us the right to be known, loved, and welcomed in by God. Know then if you have chosen to follow Jesus, you never need to fear Jesus ever saying, “I never knew you.” You are known by God and His arms are ready to embrace you when you enter Heaven one day. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3415

So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4:7 – It’s graduation season and what we are going to be seeing is students going from being a high schooler to being a graduate. This summer though would any of those graduated seniors still refer to themselves as high schoolers? No, because that’s not what they are anymore. If someone is getting married they become a wife or husband. After the wedding would they refer to themselves as single? I sure hope not because that’s not who they are anymore. So is it with you and God. When we step into a relationship with Him we no longer are slaves to sin and the law, but are sons and daughters of His. Begin referring to yourself as what you are. Because of Christ in your life, you’re not some worthless sinner like the enemy leads you to believe. You are a perfected, forgiven, loved by God saint and child in His eyes. Live out the right label. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 534

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? Galatians 4:8-9 – Paul, in his own words within verse 20, is “perplexed” about the Galatian church. Like all people are before following Jesus, the church here was “enslaved to those that by nature are not gods,” meaning they were following and held captive by things not God. For this church, it was Jewish law. Jewish law couldn’t save them and could grant them eternal life, but they were following the law and enslaved by it because they thought it was their means of salvation. Now though, after coming to know the truth of the gospel and that only Jesus can save, this church SHOULD have let go the things they were trusting in before they started following Jesus, but clearly they didn’t. They still held fast to the law and trusted in the law for their salvation. This perplexed Paul, for how could someone turn back to something weak and worthless as things of this world when they have Jesus right in front of them. I don’t know exactly what used to have your heart before you started following Jesus. I also don’t know how the enemy is seeking to deceive you and lure you today away from following Jesus. However that may be happening in your story, keep those two words in mind that Paul uses to describe such things…weak and worthless. They cannot help you, sustain you, nor grant you life. That can only be found in Jesus. If there is going to be a turning in your life, make a turn to a more steadfast following of the only one who is worthy. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2393