The worship service commenced with Lia Lunsangkim reading from the book of Colossians 4:2, followed by the Praise & Worship team, and the offertory dedicated by Upa H Zabiak. This session concluded with the monthly pastoral prayer led by Pastor Dr Suankhanhau Gualnam, followed by a special item in the form of a song titled ‘Ka Nuntakna’ given by Tg Paulalmuang.
Today’s worship service was also a Sunday school presided over by Pastor T Lamkhanthang. He took lessons 10 through 14 from the Hilhchianbu, which consisted of bible verses from Galatians 3:1-25.
The teaching was done in a line-upon-line(or a vers- by-verse) style, beginning with the first verse where Paul calls the Galatians fools. In calling them this, Paul did not mean they were morally or mentally deficient. Rather, he had the idea of someone who can think but fails to use their power of perception. The next line, “…who has bewitched you”, bewitched has the idea that the Galatians were under some type of spell. Paul didn’t mean this literally, but their thinking was so clouded – and so unbiblical – that it seemed like some kind of spell had been cast over them. Next line, “…before whose Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified”. The idea behind clearly portrayed is that Paul wondered how the Galatians could have missed the message because he certainly made it clear enough to them. Second verse, “…Having begun in the flesh, are you now being made perfect by the fkesh?...” The Galatians were deceived into thinking that spiritual growth, or maturity could be achieved through the works of the flesh, instead of a continued simple faith and abiding in Jesus. Verse 4, “…Did you experience so much for nothing…” Perhaps a better translation of this phrase is “Have you had such wonderful spiritual experiences, all to no purpose?...” This may fit the context better. Paul wondered if all the gifts of the Spirit they had received would amount to no lasting value because they tried to walk by law, not by faith. Who supplied the Holy Spirit? Obviously, the Spirit was given as a gift from God in response to faith. Miracles are wrought by faith. Yet the Galatians were deceived into thinking that real spiritual riches lay in pursuing God through a works relationship. Paul wanted to emphasize that there was a choice to be made. Which will it be? Do you believe you will be blessed by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Verse 6, “…Just as Abraham…”, among the Galatian Christians, the push towards a work-based relationship with God came from certain other Christians who were born as Jews and who claimed Abraham as their Spiritual ancestor. Therefore, Paul used Abraham as an example of being right before God by faith and not by faith plus works. “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Paul here quoted from Genesis 15:6. Abraham’s experience shows us that God accounts us as righteous, because of what Jesus did for us, as we receive what He did for us by faith. Verse 7, “…are sons of Abraham”, this was a strong rebuke to the Jewish Christians who tried to bring Gentile Christians under the law. They believed they were superior because they descended from Abraham and observed the law. Paul said that the most important link to Abraham was not the link of genetics and not the link of works, but it is the link of faith. Verse 10, “…For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse.” The Christians from a Jewish background who believed Gentiles should still live under the Law of Moses thought that it was a path to blessing. Paul boldly declared that instead of blessing, living under the works of the law put them under the curse. Verse 11, “…But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident…” Paul had already proven this point in the Scriptures by examining the life of Abraham (verses 5 though 9). Now he brought in another passage from the Old Testament, Habakkuk 2:4, which reminds us that the just live by faith and not by law. Verse 13, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law…” Redeemed has the idea of ‘buying back’ or purchasing out of’. It isn’t just rescuing, it is paying a price to rescue, Jesus bought us out from under the curse of the law. “Having become a curse” This explains how Jesus paid the price to rescue us. Jesus became cursed on our behalf; He stood in our place and took the curse we deserved. “That the blessing of Abraham might come…” It would be enough if Jesus simply took away the curse we deserved. But He did far more than that; He also gave a blessing that we didn’t deserve. Verse 19. “What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions…” Part of the reason the law was given was to restrain the transgression of men through clearly revealing God’s holy standard. God had to give us His standard so we would not destroy ourselves before the Messiah came. But the law is also added because of transgressions in another way; the law also excites man’s innate rebellion through revealing s standard, showing us more clearly our need for salvation in Jesus (Romans 7:5-8). Verse 22, “…the Scripture has confined all under sin…” Paul paints a picture of imprisonment. The bars of the cell are sin, keeping us confined. The Scripture put us in the prison, because it pointed out our sinful condition. So we sit imprisoned by sin, and the law can not help us, because the law put us in the prison. “…given to those who believe.” Only faith can break us out of our confinement to sin. The Law of Moses can show us clearly our problem and God’s standard, but it cannot give us the freedom that only Jesus can give. The freedom is given to those who believe. Verse 23, “Before faith came…” Before we were saved by faith, we were kept under guard by law. Here, Paul uses a different word and a different idea than when he wrote the Scripture has confined all under sin in the previous verse. The idea behind confined is imprisonment; the idea behind under guard is protective custody. There is a sense in which we were imprisoned by our own sin under the law; but there is also another sense in which it guarded us in protective custody. “But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” Once we have come to a relationship of faith, we no longer have to live under our tutor, though we remember the behavior he has taught us. So we respect our tutor, the Law; but we don’t live under him. We live under Jesus by faith.
In conclusion, firstly, the Gospel teaches us that we are justified by faith alone, not by works, and that our justification rests on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who dies in our place, taking the curse we deserved. Secondly, believers live a new life not on their own strength but by the power of the Spirit, not to gain merit before God but because of God’s gracious work in their lives.
After Pastor Thang’s Sunday School class, the Praise & Worship team took to the stage, and the worship service was concluded with the benediction given by Upa T Roumuan.
