Have you ever been in the grocery store and watched people shop? It is very interesting to see how people make decisions about the products they buy. Manufactures and food makers by law have to list the ingredients on their products. The labels have to clearly state each ingredient along with the products nutritional information. Having these things clearly labeled gives us the opportunity to buy their product with the full knowledge of what has been put into it, there are no surprises…most of the time.
The apostle Paul writes to the Galatians a letter that gives us a key “ingredient” to becoming a member of God’s family, a child of Christ. He writes, “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.” (Galatians 3:26). Did you see it? Through faith, faith in Christ Jesus, that is how we are adopted into the family of God. Paul, writing to the people of Galatia uses what may have been a controversial three letter word in that time, the word “all”. He expands on this in verse 28, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” What a beautiful picture of a family, of the relationship between the children and their Heavenly Father. Through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives we all have the opportunity to be a part of this family.
It is important to understand that the “ingredient” of faith does not stand alone when we become a part of God’s family. Paul continues to teach the people to have a hope in the righteousness that is promised, a heart filled with love for others and a humble attitude of service for one another. As a parent and as a leader, it is exciting to see these ingredients increase in the lives of our children and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our world today offers a “mega-store” of different faiths and religions to shop from. Do not be distracted by the “products” that are put front and centre on the shelf just because they are popular, look closely at the ingredients, be sure they include the key ingredient of faith in Christ Jesus.
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