Castle's Keep

“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” (Gal. 4:4, 5, NASU)

Paul wrote these words to the Galatians describing Jesus as being the perfect man for the mission He was sent to accomplish. There was truly no other person who could fulfill this role, and no one else can claim His position as Lord. This eternal truth is proven in four different ways by Paul.

Impossible to Comprehend

In truth, it is impossible for man to fully comprehend the ramifications of eternity. We can attempt to use metaphors and illustrations to describe such a concept, but for man, who is trapped in the happenings of time, the concept of limitlessness is beyond our own experience. It is into this realm that God not only promises, but has purposed for His created beings to enter. While we are not eternal beings in the ultimate sense having had a beginning (unlike God who has no beginning), a part of us is created to last beyond the coil of this earthly frame.

A Fatalistic Philosophy

There is a popular philosophy that can be described with the phrase: “live each day like it is your very last.” This philosophy is somewhat fatalistic in approaching the uncertainty of everyday living, but is commonly used to emphasize a positive outlook. By approaching each day in such a way, one is expected to treasure the very best each particular day has to offer.

A Powerful Transition

When new converts first come to Christ there is a transitional period of change between the old life and a new life in Christ. This can be a difficult period as many things which defined who a person was, ways they enjoyed spending their time, habits and behaviors all must be either reevaluated or replaced by something holy and wholesome. In truth, this process never really ends and lasts throughout the Christian walk, but its biggest impact should come at the time of conversion.

An Old Legend

According to the ancient writer Plutarch, “When Alexander heard from Anaxarchus of the infinite number of worlds, he wept, and when his friends asked him what was the matter, he replied, ‘Is it not a matter for tears that, when the number of worlds is infinite, I have not conquered one?’” (Life of Alexander). This quotation describes an interesting attitude in a man who had conquered much of the known world at a young age. His weeping betrayed a glimpse of reality that not even Alexander likely truly appreciated.