Do I Bear The Marks?

Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in Galatia. Its purpose was to discredit the Judaizers, the individuals who instructed that the Gentile adherents should comply with the Jewish law to be saved, and to call all Christians to believe and have faith in Christ and the freedom that he brings.

The world is loaded with temptations. We are faced every day with both inconspicuous social tensions and open propaganda. We are continually bombarded with worldly enticements. The best way to escape these damaging impacts is to request that God assist us with removing our desire in them, similarly as Paul did. We should ask ourselves, how much do the interests of this world truly have influence on us? (Romans 6:2-3, 6:6; 1 Corinthians 2:2; Colossians 2:20)

• Galatians 2:20, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

It is not difficult to get caught up in the outward facades. Be careful with the people who accentuate activities that we ought to or ought not to do, with no worry or concern for the internal state of the heart. Those who are living a "good" life without an internal change are prompted to have a spiritual walk that is superficial and void. What is important to God is that we are to be totally transformed from the inside out.

• 2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

• Galatians 5:6, For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Paul's letter to the Galatians intensely proclaims the freedom that the Christian has. Without a doubt, these early Christians in Galatia live and grow in the Christian life, however they were being deluded by the people who said this could only be possible by keeping specific Jewish laws.

How unusual it would be for a convict that had been set free to stroll back into his cell and decline to leave. How peculiar it would be for an animal, let out of a snare, to return inside it. How dismal for a believer in Christ to be liberated from the subjugation of wrongdoing, just to go back to unyielding compliance to a bunch of standards and guidelines.

If we have faith in Jesus Christ, then we have been liberated. Rather than returning into some type of bondage, regardless of whether legalism or sin, we should utilize the freedom that has been given to us to live for Christ and serve him in the manner that he wants us to.

• 2 Corinthians 1:5, For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

• Colossians 1:24, Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Paul states in verse seventeen, “for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” What type of marks do we have or display in our lives?

A Birthmark:

A birthmark is a skin abnormality that is usually present at birth and often fades over time. Some call it a spot or a blemish. Does our salvation show the Christian marks in our life? Have we or are we using some type of concealer to hide our Christian birthmarks?

A Watermark:

A watermark is an identifying image or emblem which is usually on paper. It may appear under different shades of light, like when photocopying a sheet of paper to determine if that paper is an original or not. It is also a sign of the depth of a body water. Water baptism is outward sign of an inward changed condition. Does our walk with Christ show a watermark that displays how deep in the faith that we are?

A Benchmark:

A benchmark serves as a standard point of measure that all others are compared to. It may be a test that serves as a basis for evaluation, or it indicates an elevation. Is the level of our Christian belief encouraging us to be reaching higher goals within our Christian faith? Is our life as a Christian reflecting the mark of Christ for the world to see?

A Bookmark:

A bookmark is a marker for finding a specific place within a book that we may be reading. In the computer world, it is a record of a website to enable quicker access. What bookmarks, if any, can we find in our own Bible to show that we have been active in Bible study? What bookmarks do we display that people can read about our lives? Do we show fiction or non-fiction?