"The Apostles In Plain English Vol. 1: the Apostle Paul” by Rev. Paul J. Bern
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Which Is Better, Being Lawful Or Being Faithful?
[Galatians chapter 3, verses 1-14]
As we begin this week's study we'll be looking at the first half of
Galatians chapter three. In it the apostle Paul continues to take the
church at Galatia to task because of certain heretical teachings that
were going on at the time. Newly converted Gentile Christians were
intermingling with newly converted Jews who embraced Christ as the
Jewish messiah. Evidently the non-Jews were being instructed by
unnamed Jewish converts to practice and live their new faith while also
adopting the Jewish customs of their new brethren in Christ Jesus. Paul
continues with his blistering criticism of this practice as we begin at
verse one.
“You
foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus
Christ was portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing
from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by
believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the
Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you
suffered so much for nothing – if it really was for nothing? Does God
give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the
law, or because you believe what you heard? Consider Abraham: 'He
believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness'. [Genesis 15:6]
Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The
Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and
announced the Gospel in advance of Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed
through you'. [Genesis 12:3] So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” (Gal. 3, verses 1-9)
Here we see Paul summing up his point in one sentence when he wrote, “Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?”
Since the observation of the Law of Moses – the first five books of the
Old Testament – was fulfilled by the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ,
Paul is simply stating that to continue observing the Old Law and its
customs is both pointless and unnecessary. The crucifixion, death and
resurrection of Christ is the embodiment of the new law, replacing the
old. After spending all the time converting them and teaching them and
founding a church, Paul is clearly exasperated with the church at
Galatia because they had strayed from what he taught them was the
Spiritual foundation of that church, none other than Jesus himself. It
is not possible to obtain salvation through Christ by our good works
alone, although it is good that we all do so whenever and wherever we
can. We can do so only two ways according to Scripture; the first is by
maintaining a totally committed faith in Christ and his Salvation, and
the second is by grace that God bestows upon us through his Son. Grace
is defined as unmerited favor, the spiritual equivalent of a free pass.
Even though none of us deserves it due to our sins, grace is given to us
freely as a token of God's love for us when we accept Jesus as your
Lord and Savior. So if you ever need evidence that God really does love
you, just think about His grace as you bask in its warm light. If you
are already a believer, just focus on that in your mind. And if you
aren't yet a believer, now would be a good time to become one. Simply
ask Jesus to come and live inside your heart, and to stay there forever.
The other thing the apostle Paul explains (or more likely reiterated)
to the church at Galatia is the concept of unity between Jew and Gentile
when he wrote, “Understand, then, that those who believe are
children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the
Gentiles by faith”... Paul is clearly citing this as another reason
to put away the traditions of old and replacing them with the then-new
concept of Jesus Christ as the Jewish and Gentile messiah and as the Son of God. If any of you read my studies on the book of Romans, Paul touched on that same topic when he wrote, “For
you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but
you received the spirit of Son-ship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'.
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs with God and co-heirs
with Christ ...” (Romans 8: 15-17) So you see, Paul was literally
telling the Galatian congregation that they were already adopted into
the family of God, and that there was nothing extra or special that they
needed to do to join the family. Moreover, since our adoption into
God's eternal family is through Jesus Christ, whose lineage can be
traced all the way back to God, that makes us all Jewish by adoption
just as it says in Romans. I don't know about you, but I find the
prospect of being an adopted Jew quite appealing. If that is the
genealogy of my Lord and Savior, then that is good enough for me. Let's
continue now and conclude today's study beginning at verse ten.
“All
who rely on observing the Law are under a curse, for it is written:
'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in
the Book of the Law.' [Deut. 27:26] Clearly no one is justified before God by the Law, because 'the righteous will live by faith'. [Habakkuk 2:4] The Law is not based on faith; on the contrary, 'The man who does these things will live by them'. [Lev. 18:5]
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for
us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.' [Deut. 21:23]
He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come
to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive
the promise of the Spirit. (Galatians 3, verses 10-14)
The apostle Paul repeatedly quotes the Old Testament – or more
accurately the Law of Moses, which was still very much the religious
tradition of that time in that part of the world – in order to finish
making his point. Paul's literacy was the exception rather than the rule
in those days, and he uses his educational level to his advantage right
here. Clearly, Paul writes, “ … no one is justified before God by the Law, because 'the righteous will live by faith'...”.
This is the crux of the matter, which is that no one can enter into
God's kingdom – or the third heaven, as Paul called it – based on their
good deeds and legalistic achievements. The only way to salvation is
through our uncompromising and undiluted faith in the saving power of
the blood of Christ. There is no other way by which any of us may enter
heaven, and there are no exceptions allowed based on the teachings of
Christ. If anyone tries to tell you any different, get away from those
people and those churches because they are teaching a false doctrine,
and they will be held accountable. But it is the truth, Jesus said, that
will make you free, and anyone who is free in Him is truly and
irrevocably free. And that's the best news of all.
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