Paul recounts a time when he went to the leaders of the church to confirm the gospel message he had been taking to the Gentiles. Apparently all was good and they were an encouragement to Paul and his ministry. There were some who tried to come in and rob them of their freedom in Christ by demanding that Titus, one of Paul's companions on this trip, Be circumcised.
How often do we do this same type of thing to new believers in the church today? Back then, 2000 years ago, a Jew was not to even sit and eat a meal with a gentile. We tell new believers all the time to stop hanging out with your old friends. We are your family now, we say. Or if someone is not conforming to the way we believe they should posture themselves during prayer or not raising their hands during worship. We have all kinds of religious traditions that are nothing more then a added burden to one another and has nothing to do with living in a true relationship of intimacy with Jesus.
Let us encourage one another to live a life of intimate relationship with God, through His Holy Spirit. In so doing we can shake of the bonds of religion and ceremony and be free to worship with our lives as a living sacrifice to God. You are called to God and your confirmation is sure. We don't need a pastor or great man of God to tell us this fact. God has called you!
Pastor Patrick
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