I’ve been reading Galatians the past few nights, and here are the few things I have learned from it, which I decided would be best to share with you all.

1. We definitely are not on this planet to please men. We are here to please God.

           -If you check out chapter 1 verse 10, Paul talks about pleasing God rather than men. I think that one the most human tendencies we have is the desire to fit in, to be included. I’m certainly most guilty of it (probably because I am a teenage female, but that’s just a minor detail). We live our lives obsessing over thing that aren’t important: the latest trends in hair styles, clothes, and cars. We obsess and crave information over stupid, irrelevant things! We take pleasure out of trashing celebrities we don’t even know, and then we try to mimick them. It doesn’t make sense. But, all I know is that we are here to please God, and that’s what we should strive to do no matter what.

    2.  The Old testament is our teacher, not our definite law. 

           -Just check out verses 21-25 of chapter 3. Not much to say here.

    3. When we are baptized into the faith, we put on Jesus.

           -First of all, not literally. This is a metaphor. Paul was very in tune with literary devices. I am referencing verse 26 of chapter 3. When we are baptized, we are pledging to follow God, and acknowledging we are sinners and are completely imperfect. In this way, we “put on Christ” in that we are trying to live the way He did: perfectly in tune with God’s will. That’s the point of baptism. We are entering into a relationship with God, following the example given by Jesus, which we can find in the the first four books of the New Testament. 

    4. The only things that are against the fruits of the spirit are people who are             not followers of God.

           -Referencing verse 22 of chapter 5. The only thing that tells us it’s wrong to love  everyone, to be happy, peaceful, patient, and all the things that make up the fruits of the spirit in the world. And if we go back to point 1, we realize we aren’t here to please the world, but God. So go on following the fruits of the spirit. I find life is more easier that way. God is so awesome.

    5. We’re here to bear one another’s burdens and do good to all.

         -This is the basic message of chapter 6. Specifically verse 2, which if you noticed I posted last night under the tag that I would most likely post about it in the near future. This verse really speaks to me because lately, I just see the world to be full of caring people, and full of selfish losers. I personally prefer the caring people, but being around them makes me feel like I am a selfish person, so I turn to the Bible to find out how to not be that way. And in Galatians 6, I am told that in order to not be selfish, I must be selfless. I have bear the burdens of others, and treat everyone with goodness. What? You read that right. In order to no be selfish, we must be selfless. And I have to tell you, there is some reward in that. God is so great.