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PRACTICAL DIVINITY (GALATIANS 2:11-21)

Paul stresses justification and living a new life in Christ through faith.

REFLECTION

Practical divinity is the theme for our reflection today. Practical refers to an idea or a concept that is made manifest through an observable action. Divine means proceeding directly from God,  therefore divinity is a state of quality of being divine. We can therefore rephrase the theme as manifesting God in our lives. The only way we can manifest God in our lives or possess practical divinity is to have Jesus live in us. 

The key lesson of the day is that self-righteousness and justification by works of the law cannot lead to practical divinity. Hypocrisy and outward practice of righteousness can only deceive people to think that we are living godly lives but certainly not God (Galatians 2:11-14) Psalm 44:21 says “would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.” To qualify as a believer to live a life of practical divinity Paul wrote in Galatians 2:15-16 that “We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” In other words, faith in Christ who is divine and from whom we derive our divinity is the only means that enables us to live a life of practical divinity for the world to see and indeed know our identity as true disciples of Christ. 

Practical divinity is Christ living in us and we reflecting His perfect image in our daily interaction with people and impacting the lives of the lost to come to the saving knowledge of Christ. It is for this reason Paul again wrote in Galatians 2:20-21 that “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” My dear friend the only way we can share the divinity of Christ is to believe in Him and through the power of the Holy Spirit He will be made manifest in us and the world will see the Lord at work in us and give glory to God.  Practical divinity is living and possessing the image of Christ in us because through repentance and faith in Him, He lives in us. Shalom

PRAYER

ALMIGHTY GOD, WE HAVE NO POWER OF OUR OWN TO LIVE A LIFE OF PRACTICAL DIVINITY. WE SURRENDER ALL THROUGH FAITH AND WE FULLY DEPEND ON THE HOLY SPIRIT TO ENABLE US TO REFLECT THE IMAGE OF CHRIST AND TO CONTINUALLY SHARE IN HIS DIVINITY. AMEN.

Jean-Paul Agidi (Rev)