Galatians

Introduction

The book of Galatians is written to churches in Asia Minor, which the apostle Paul planted on his missionary journeys. It was written to address specific issues happening in those churches, yet it is included in the bible for us to learn from today.

The theme of Galatians is freedom from the law, or as we would call today, legalism. The Galatian churches had started off well, having freely received the gospel by grace through faith (5:7) and were very favorable to the apostles (4:14). They were a church zealous to serve the Lord (4:17),but a shift had happened in Paul's absence.

A movement began to take place within the Galatian churches that was moving them away from a grace based gospel, and entangling them in what Paul calls, "the yoke of bondage" (5:1). As it turns out, a combination of "false brethren" (2:4) had snuck into the churches and distorted their teaching, and false teaching coming out of the Jerusalem church had begun to make its way to Galatia.

Both issues are addressed in the letter. The Galatians were charged with purging out and 'cutting off' (5:9, 12) the false teachers from among them, and Paul had taken a trip to Jerusalem to discover the source of false teaching coming out of there (2:1). In this book, Paul recalls a time when he also confronted Peter on this same issue which had crept in the church at Antioch (2:11).

Galatians is a manifesto on Christian liberty (5:1), which along with the book of Romans, gives us great clarity on what we should do with the law and the Old Testament: 'cast it out (4:30) as though we are dead to it (2:19)! Keeping the law has no place in Christian churches as it concerns righteousness and the gospel. It is clear that born again Christians with the Holy Spirit of God are "not under the law" (5:18). Instead we are charged to "walk in the Spirit" (5:25) which will result in fulfilling the law (Rom 8:4).

Chapter 1 – The Gospel and the Apostle

Galatians begins with a brief introduction, but it differs from Paul’s other epistles. This one isn’t written to a specific church, but instead to a group of churches in Galatia, modern day Turkey. The introduction quickly addresses the issue and reason for writing, which was to correct a false gospel which was being taught in these churches. Here Paul defends the gospel as “not after man” (v11) and reveals the supernatural means whereby God gave it to him.

V1-5 Greeting

Paul writes “unto the churches of Galatia” (v2) that he planted on his first missionary journey (Acts 13-14). He begins with his credentials, “an apostle” and “not of men… but by Jesus Christ” (v1). He wanted to make it clear that his ministry was not of human invention and it wasn’t because of his training in Judaism (Acts 22:3). He was appointed as an apostle by Jesus Himself, as one “born out of due time” (1 Cor 15:8).

This introduction gives him credibility with his audience, along with “the brethren which are with me” (v2). He had other witnesses with him at the time of writing who attested to his ministry, and the conclusions of this letter, ensuring accountability in the “multitude of counsellors” (Prov 11:14).

He reminds the believers in Galatia of their forgiveness in Christ, “who gave himself for our sins” (v4) and their sanctification, “that he might deliver us from this present evil world” (v4). These were Christians that he was writing to, and he would treat them that way. We should note that it is God’s will that, “every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Tim 2:19), as is said here that it is God’s will, “according to the will of God” (v4), that all believers be set apart.

V6-12 The Gospel

The real issue for this entire letter is to clarify and protect the gospel in these churches. Paul had caught word that the Galatians had been “removed” (v6) from it and replaced it with “another gospel” (v6). This had really surprised him, as he marveled at what had happened. Even churches that start out by great men like the apostles were susceptible to false teaching, therefore we ought not to be surprised when it shows up in our churches.

The Galatians did not come to these conclusions on their own, as there were “some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ” (v7). These “false brethren” (2:4) had ‘perverted’ the gospel. It is such a strong choice of word, but it reveals how God feels about its distortion – it is warped, corrupted, and turned away from the truth. The introduction here does not include the specific way in which they corrupted the gospel, that will follow.

We can tell Paul is sincerely troubled by this perverted gospel. He says not to believe anyone who teaches anything differently, “than that you have received” (v9) whether it was a letter forged in his name, “but though we” (v8) or a supernatural revelation, “or an angel from heaven” (v8), they were to consider the messenger of a false gospel “accursed” (v8). The Christian church would do well today to heed Paul’s words. If there are people in our churches teaching anything other than Christ’s atoning death and resurrection on the cross for the forgiveness of sins “by grace… through faith” (Eph 2:8-9), then “let him be accursed” (v9). Repeating this phrase indicates the seriousness of it: to be accursed is to be kicked out of fellowship for destruction, “anathema” (1 Cor 12:3). False teachers are to be treated an unbeliever, as they likely are.

A brief issue with the false gospel is revealed in verse 10, “do I seek to please men?” (v10). The problem with the false teachers in Galatia is they produced a gospel which would not offend the Jews because it would require circumcision and keeping the law. A grace based gospel though, would be offensive and cause its followers to “suffer persecution for the cross of Christ” (6:12).

Paul essentially says, ‘I didn't preach the gospel to please anyone but the Lord Jesus’, which is where he received his gospel from, “the gospel which was preached of me is not after man” (v11). This leads us to the origin of the gospel – it is not the work of men, and was therefore not delivered by men, but Pual’s gospel, which he calls, “my gospel” (Rom 16:25), was revealed to him “by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (v12).

V13-23 Paul’s History

Here Paul gets personal with his ministry training and preparation, which was somewhat unique. Since he wasn’t converted until AFTER the resurrection (Acts 9), he needed to be schooled by Jesus Himself.

His Past

First, Paul is not shy to reveal the man that he was before he met Christ, “how that beyond measure I persecuted the church God” (v13) and “profited in the Jews religion above many my equals” (v14). He was a well-trained Pharisee that was “exceedingly zealous” (v14) of his tradition, which led him to irreparable harm in the church. Luke, who was Paul’s friend and companion that wrote the book of Acts called the season of Paul’s tyranny against the church, “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples”  (Acts 9:1). In his own words, Paul was “a persecutor, and injurious” (1 Tim 1:13). It takes quite the humble person to so vulnerably share this kind of behaviour. No doubt he did so on purpose to reveal how the preaching of his gospel was not his own invention, but one what he surrendered to as, “he which persecuted us in times past now preached the faith which once he destroyed” (v23).

His Conversion

So what changed Paul’s mind? God had to reach far inside of him and reveal it to him, “it pleased God… to reveal his Son in me” (v15-16). A cursory reading of his conversion in Acts 9 reveals a supernatural change, which is also present for anyone who puts their faith in Jesus Christ. God is the revelator through His word and His Holy Spirit to draw us to His Son (John 12:32). Upon salvation, one is able to fulfill the life that God has planned for them, as Paul says that God had “separated me from my mother’s womb” (v15). No doubt God knows all people from the womb (Psalm 139:13) and has created each with a purpose if we would so submit to the calling into “his grace” (v15).

His Preparation

Upon conversion, how did Paul respond? How did he learn what to do next?  He “conferred not with flesh and blood” (v17) and instead “went into Arabia” where he was taught of Christ Himself in the desert. It is only briefly mentioned, but this time is critical. No doubt it was full of both sorrow and joy to discover the gospel, “by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (v12).

Paul wisely spent considerable time alone with the Lord to discover for himself an entirely new worldview. It would be wise for all Christians to spend significant time with Jesus before ever attempting to undertake significant spiritual responsibility. Of this time Phillips says…

So, we can well picture Paul as he headed for the place for solitude. In his bag, he had his copies of the Torah, the Psalms, and the Prophets. He found a shady spot for himself, perhaps beneath the ramparts of Mount Sinai, and there he read again Psalm 22; Psalm 69; Isaiah 53; and Genesis 22. Ought not Christ to have suffered? he asked himself. He reconstructed the promises of the Messiah in the Old Testament [1]

After time in Arabia, he “returned again unto Damascus” (v17), which is where his conversion took place. The first time that he attempted to preach in Damascus immediately after his salvation (Acts 9:20-22), he was met with resistance. Now he had determined to go back there. When Christians are saved, the best place to start their ministry is right at home, in the very place in which they were called (1 Cor 7:20).

Paul had waited three years before going “up to Jerusalem to see Peter” (v2) and eventually “James the Lord’s brother” (v19). These were the leaders of the church in Jerusalem, which had been flourishing with the absence of his persecutions. He did not spend considerable time there, but instead went to “Syria and Cilicia” (v21) where he would later be found by Barnabas and brought to Antioch (Acts 11:25).

Why does Paul reveal all of this? It gives him ‘street cred’. He knew the apostles in Jerusalem. He was saved by the same gospel of grace that he preached, and he had a multitude of witnesses that “glorified God in me” (v24), so he had a good reputation. There is a lot in Galatians about Paul that doesn't get revealed elsewhere. This introductory information helps us piece together more about the great apostle’s life and shows us that God can change and use anyone for His glory.

Chapter 2

In this chapter we get a clearer picture of what had been corrupting the gospel. “False brethren” (v4) had come into the church and taught that the law was necessary for salvation and that the Gentiles needed to be circumcised. Paul and Barnabas visit Jerusalem to discuss the matter with the other apostles and then they are commissioned by the Jerusalem church to share their conclusions with other churches. Even Peter was caught up in some of the controversy, as Paul refers to a time when he corrected Peter who, “walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel” (v14).

V1-10 Confronting Jerusalem

Paul references a time when he “went up again to Jerusalem” (v1) with Barnabas and Titus. This event takes place in Acts 15, which we commonly call the ‘Jerusalem Counsel’. Paul’s home church in Antioch had received “certain men” (Acts 15:1) from the Jerusalem church who had been teaching that it was necessary to “be circumcised after the manner of Moses” (Acts 15:1) to be saved. Paul quickly took issue with these men and went to Jerusalem to discover the root of this teaching. Upon arrival he “communicated unto them that gospel which I preach” (v2), which he will go on to clarify is one without works and circumcision.

Paul had intentionally brought Titus with him, who was an uncircumcised Greek Christian (v3), whom Paul would later call “my brother” and “my partner” (2 Cor 2:13,  8:23). It would be deeply offensive to Paul to say that Titus was not saved and that his gospel was ineffectual because of a lack of circumcision.

What was the root issue here? There were “false brethren” (v4) who had come into the church “privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus” (v4). These teachers were spreading a form of the gospel that would “bring us into bondage” (v4) in the keeping of the law – their gospel would effectively end the grace and become works. Paul ensured that they had no “place” (v5) in the church to protect “the truth of the gospel” (v5). We must always be on the lookout for these ‘brethren’. They show up to churches and bible studies with “another gospel” – whether intentionally or not, they cannot be allowed to propagate a works based salvation, for it will multiply unto further problems. A good leader will go out of their way to seek out the source and put it to an end.

When confronting central issues on the gospel it is important that we do not seek the approval of men, they “added nothing to me” (v6) and remember that anyone can be wrong, “God accepteth no man’s person” (v6), so even if false teaching arises from a trustworthy source like the church in Jerusalem, we must in fact sort out the issue.

What were the results of this confrontation in Jerusalem? The apostles had come to the right conclusions together to protect the grace of God in the gospel and had sent Paul and Barnabas out of Jerusalem with “the tight hands of fellowship” (v9). This indicates that they departed in peace and with the blessing of Peter, James and John who were the leaders of the Jerusalem church (v9). Jerusalem had officially recognized Paul’s status as the “apostle of the Gentiles” (v7-8, Rom 11:13). Just as Peter was given a specific role to minister to the Jewish people with “the gospel of the circumcision” (v8), Paul was likewise sent to “the heathen”, or non-Jewish people (v9). This does not mean that Peter and Paul had different gospels, just different people in which they ministered the good news to.

V11-15 Confronting Peter

Paul now refers to a time when Peter visited the church at Antioch and “livest after the manner of the Gentiles” (v14). Peter had been used by God to open the “door of faith unto the Gentiles” (Acts 14:27, v18) through his experience with Cornelius so he was able to exercise Christian liberty apart from the law until “certain came from James” (v12) to visit Antioch. Then he dissented by refusing to eat with the Gentiles. Paul calls this “dissimulation”, which Barnabas was also “carried away with”(v13). It would seem that Jews and Gentiles were able to get along in Antioch until Peter's friends from Jerusalem came to visit. He then thought he needed to appear ‘more holy’ and separate himself from the Gentiles in the church there, “fearing them which were of the circumcision” (v12). We ought to be careful not to fear men and to behave ourselves differently when our company changes, lest we lead others accidentally into a fear based decision that is not representative of the gospel.

When Paul noticed what was going on with Peter he “withstood him to the face” (v11) and called him out for not walking uprightly “according to the truth of the gospel” (v14). He presented Peter with questions, “why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?” (v14). When we have to address an issue in another person’s life it is best to keep a logical train of thought, as Paul did here. He wasn’t emotionally erratic. The gospel, though not man’s wisdom, is definitive and something that we can know, understand, and reason with. Since Peter’s actions caused others to dissemble, he was confronted publicly, “to the face” (v11) and “before them all” (v14). While the church discipline model of Matthew 18 has us start with confronting a brother in private, we learn here that we should also deal with issues on a matter of public scale. Is it a private matter? Or is it a rampant church wide issue? If the issue is carrying others away, it must be brought to the surface in a reasonable and loving way lest more be drawn away.

V16-21 Confronting the Law

This chapter concludes with some lovely verses which reminds us what is true of believers in Jesus Christ. We are “not justified by the works of the law” (v16), Paul argues with Peter in mind, because we are “justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law” (v16). Christ took away the “handwriting of ordinances that was against us” (Col 2:14). All that the law could do was reveal our sin, it had no power to save, “by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (v16).

Paul argues that if our justification is of Christ and we attempt to “build again” (v18) the things of the law in our lives then we would be attempting to make ourselves a “transgressor” (v18) all over again. Of course, attempting to apply the law after salvation would not take away your status as a child of God, it would be effectively going backwards because now we are “dead to the law” (v19). The magnitude of this phrase is likely lost in a cursory reading. Paul was a devout Jew, “I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee” (Acts 23:6). For him to say that his entire upbringing in the law was “dead” to him would mean all of his identity and background. Yet in his view, he was also dead, “I am crucified with Christ” (v20), so it did not matter how he felt about it. His new life in Christ was not “unto God” (v19) and “by the faith of the Son of God” (v20).

For some of us it may be more challenging than others to realize that we no longer need to apply religious standards to our Christian life. Though there are clear moral guidelines in the word of God, the issue at hand is clearly justification by faith. If we have called upon Jesus Christ to save us through the gospel. Then we “do not frustrate the grace of God” (v21), as we have been immersed into endless forgiveness for what the law would reveal – that we are sinners. If, when we are truly honest with ourselves, we are attempting to ‘keep’ ourselves right with God through the execution of moral standards, what we are essentially saying is, “Christ is dead in vain” (v21), as we would be relying on our own power for righteousness and not the gospel of grace.

Chapter 3 The Seed of Abraham

In chapter 3 Paul reasons with the Galatians who had been deceived by false teachers. They had received the gospel by faith but were being corrupted to apply the law to the gospel. Paul uses Abraham as an example that those who are born again in Jesus Christ are of His seed, which is not a result of keeping the law. Just as Abraham was justified by faith and inherited undeserved promises of grace, so is the believer in Jesus Christ, apart from the law.

1-5 Reasoning vs the Law

Paul saw the Galatians falling away from the gospel of grace as if somebody had charmed them, “who hath bewitched you” (v1). They had clearly seen the gospel by faith, “before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth” (v1). Though Jesus did not visit Galatia, they had seen Him “crucified among you” (v1) by having their eyes opened with the saving power of the gospel (Acts 26:18).

Paul reasons with them with a series of questions:

“received ye the Spirit by the works of the law”? (v2)

In other words, did the law give you the Holy Spirit? The answer is no. He came by faith in the gospel (Eph 1:13).

“are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (v3)

If you were saved by grace will you then attempt to keep yourself perfect in accordance with the law? No, you cannot for it is the “ministration of death” (2 Cor 3:7).

“have ye suffered so many things in vain?” (v4)

The Galatians had suffered for their stance on salvation by grace through faith. Would they choose to give up on it now and make things easy for themselves?

“he.. that ministereth the Spirit… doeth he it by the works of the law?” (v5)

Were the gifts evidence among them being performed by the law or through the power of the Holy Spirit? Every believer is given a spiritual gift upon salvation (1 Cor 12:7). These gifts were evidence of the genuineness of the gospel and nothing like the law had ever produced.

V6-14 Faith vs the Law

Paul invokes a staple in every Jewish home: Abraham. He was a massive and incredible figure in Jewish history and his example of justification by faith, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (v6, Gen 15:6). The argument is made that if God would “justify the heathen through faith” (v8) then they would be justified the same way as the great patriarch was. This promise was given to Abraham by God, when He “preached before the gospel unto” (v8) him. God’s goal was ultimately to reach all nations as was said to Abraham, “in thee shall all nations be blessed” (v8). Abraham certainly did not fully understand what that would mean, and in one case he would have a very real offspring follow after him (the nation of Israel), he would also on the other hand become the “father of us all” (Rom 4:16), who put their faith in the gospel.

Faith is then the root of the issue in the gospel, as “The just shall live by faith… and the law is not of faith” (v11-12). What we learn here is interesting. That for all this time that the Jews were keeping the law as a foreshadow of what would one day come in Christ, it was not necessarily done in faith the same way as us. The law was something physical and tangible, which is what most people want out of religion. But the law itself cannot save, as is repeated in this epistle, for it is a curse, “cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written” (v10). We know, of course, that it is impossible to keep, and therefore it earns the description of “the curse of the law” (v13). This is why Christ had to come, to “redeem us from the curse” (v13).

Praise God Almighty! Jesus Christ fulfilled the law and was “made a curse for us” (v13) by hanging “on a tree” (v13, Deut 21:22-23). Jesus died on the cross to take away the curse of the law and the sin which the law revealed. He literally became sin, “for he hath made him to be sin for us” (2 Cor 5:21). The exchange made on the cross was Christ’s righteousness for our sin. If all sin was placed on Jesus on the cross, why would we attempt the law which was also crucified with Him?

V15-29 Promise vs the Law

In these verses we see the difference in the “promise” made to Abraham (v16) and the “covenant” in the law (v17). God had made a promise to Abraham that was unconditional and based upon his faith, which resulted in an “inheritance” (v18) that would come through the “seed” (v16) of his offspring. The seed is “as of one… which is Christ” (v16), who will fulfill God’s promise to Abraham and impart the blessing of Abraham to all that believe in Christ. That blessing is the gospel and reconciliation with God through faith in Christ, without the law.

Abraham’s promise was activated long before the law had come, and even in according to the wisdom of men, once a covenant is made, “no man disannulleth or addeth thereto” (v15), therefore God’s promise to Abraham was not changed by the coming of the law, and the many years after (v17), because “if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise” (v18). The law was unable to save, and God did not give His promise to Abraham based upon the law or even based upon his faith – it was simply by grace, just like the gospel.

What is the purpose of the law then? “It was added because of transgressions” (v19). The law was unable to save by grace. Even though it was “ordained by angels” (v19) and God had used it, it is not ‘made void’ (Rom 3:31), but instead used to reveal our sinful state, “the scripture hath concluded all under sin” (v22). Now that the promise of Abraham had come, there are not multiple ways to God, “but as of one” (v16). The promise is given “by faith of Jesus Christ… to them that believe” (v22). We cannot add the law to the gospel because it would violate the basis of grace by which the gospel would come! Righteousness could not come by the law (v21) therefore it had to come through the promise of the “seed, which is Christ” (v16). See also Gen 3:15, Gen 17:7.

For all the time that the law was active, it still could not produce salvation, as we were “shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed” (v23). God had used His word in the law during that time, but it pointed towards a future event in the coming of Christ (Deut 18:15). The law “was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ” (v24). God was using it to bring us up to a place in which we would be “justified by faith” (v24). This is a brilliant example by Paul, which he will elaborate more on in the beginning of the next chapter. Just as a student is brought up by a teacher, they eventually grow and accomplish their schooling and “are no longer under a schoolmaster” (v25), such is the law bringing us to faith. Once we have graduated from the law by faith in Jesus Christ, we need not go back to it for righteousness just as we need not go back to finish school once it is completed.

These last concluding verses in this chapter reveal to us why we do not need to go back to the law. We have become “the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (v26) and ”been baptized into Christ” (v27), which changed the “seed” that we are from. We are now “in Christ Jesus” (v28), where there is “neither Jew nor Greek” (v28). The seed “according to the promise” (v29) is “one” and includes all who believe, even the Gentiles (3:14). All who believe now become one new seed in Christ through the promise that God made to Abraham.

Chapter 4

In chapter 4 Paul continues to confront the core issues with the gospel in the Galatian churches. He relies heavily on Jewish imagery of known characters and concepts and appeals to them from the heart based on their mutual experiences together. These churches were zealous and wanted to serve the Lord, but they ended up leaving idolatry for legalism which is clearly revealed here.

V1-7 From Servant to Son

Paul uses the illustration of a child. Even if a child is an “heir” (v1), he “different nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all” (v1). The child is “under tutors and governors” (v2) until he is ready to lead at the “appointed time” (v2). Such is the case for us, “even so we” (v3) were all under the authority of the law, which was the “bondage” (v3) of religious obligation in the “elements of the world” (v3) via ritual and offering.

Christ came to save and redeem us from the law, as was seen in the previous chapter. He did so by becoming the ‘seed of Abraham’ (3:16, Matt 1:1), being “made of a woman” and “made under the law” (v4). Christ came as a Jew and fulfilled the law (Matt 5:17) so that He could “redeem them that were under the law” (v5) and free us from its tutelage. If it were not for Jesus, we would continue endlessly to serve under the “ministration of death” (2 Cor 3:7), which could never take away sins (Heb 10:4). What then of the Old Testament saints? They were justified by their obedience to the law at that time, but were not redeemed of their sins until Christ died on the cross as is well said by Ryrie:

“The basis of salvation in every age is the death of Christ; the requirement for salvation in every age is faith; the object of faith in every age is God; the content of faith changes in the various dispensations” [2]

Conversion in the time of the church age results in immediate redemption into grace by “the adoption of sons” (v5) when we are translated from one kingdom to another (Col 1:13). This adoption was not possible by the works of the law and could only come after atonement was made on the cross. When we are born again God sends “the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (v6), whereby we are now reconciled to God and have become part of His family, being “an heir of God through Christ” (v7). This unique privilege we call ‘sonship’. Though others have been called the “sons of God” in the bible, Christians redeemed by the blood of the lamb get to experience the uniqueness of our day with a present and immutable position in God’s grace, including the permanency and seal of His Holy Spirit within us (Eph 4:30).

V8-12 Concern in Galatia

The Galatians represented well the “heathen” which God intended to save through Christ, Abraham’s seed. They were given to idolatry before accepting the gospel, “ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods” (v8), but now having been in grace, began to “turn… again to the weak and beggarly elements” (v9). The “false brethren” (2:4) with “another gospel” (1:6) had been encouraging them to “observe days, and months and times, and years” (v10) which brought them into the “bondage” (v9) of the law again.

Paul feared what had happened among them, “I am afraid of you” (v11), wondering if perhaps he had laboured in vain. It obviously brought him great travail to plant churches in Galatia (v19), so it had to be difficult to watch them so quickly wander away from the basis of their salvation. We must vehemently protect that Christians need to ‘do nothing’ to keep their salvation. Religious observances may have some merit, and even commanded things such as baptism are good and right, but as it concerns the freedom available in Christ and the redemption of sins, it happens at the moment in time of faith in Christ (Rom 10:9-10, Eph 1:13), which produces and eternal and unchanging status of perpetuated grace based on their confession and God’s response of birthing the new creature in them (2 Cor 5:17).

V13-15 Paul’s Injuries

We get a brief glimpse here at how the Galatian churches received the apostle Paul. When he arrived in Galatia to preach the gospel, they received him “as an angel of God” and “as Jesus Christ” Himself (v14)! Paul found Jesus’ words to be true, “he that receiveth you receiveth me” (v40). This is the kind of open doors that we are looking for when preaching the gospel, which is exactly what Paul did upon arrival, “preached the gospel unto you at the first” (v13). Although people need not exalt us, they should at least be open and welcoming to receive the message or else we need to dust off our feet and move on (Luke 9:5)!

They “despised not” his infirmity of the flesh, which would have made him weak in ability and likely appearance. There is more insight here into Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor 12:7). Many would say that his eyes were his problem, as the Galatians were willing to “have plucked out” (v15) their own eyes to give to him. This is certainly hyperbole, but it is also telling. If this is the case, Paul’s infirmity happened very early in his ministry. He planted the Galatian churches on his first missionary journey (Acts 13-14). God would have humbled him early on and then he would continue to preach, teach, and write faithfully under great affliction of the flesh. It is humbling to consider how much Paul accomplished while also being weak and ‘tempted’ in the flesh (v14). We have no excuse in comparison!

V16-20 Paul’s Care for the Galatians

With the great care that Paul and the Galatians had together, he could now implore them, “Am I become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (v16). Many would think so, but getting the truth to those we love is the most loving thing we can do because love “rejoiceth in the truth” (1 Cor 13:6).

The Galatians were a zealous people, they wanted to serve God, but their false teachers had compelled them to a zeal contrary to the scriptures (Rom 10:2), “they zealously affect you, but not well” (v17). Paul says zeal is good, “it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing” (v18), but it must be the right thing, and it should not be half-hearted or temporary, only when others are looking, “not only when I am present with you” (v18). When Paul would arrive, the Galatians would get more serious about their faith and then lax when the accountability waned with the exit of his presence.

When we invest deeply in people, we want what is best for them! Paul considered the Galatians like his own children, which he likely did not have, “my little children” (v19), and in growing them up in the Lord he considered it to be like birthing a child all over again, “I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” (v19). This is the work of discipleship, to invest deeply into people’s lives so that they would be “conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom 8:29).

Paul hoped that upon his next visit to Galatia that he would find them in faith, “I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice” (v20). Maybe what he was hearing wasn’t true, he thought? There is a chance, and everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt! But he knew in his heart and had begun to fear that these things were true (v11).

V21-31 The Allegory of Covenants

Next we see the “two covenants” (v24) compared and contrasted with “an allegory” (v24), which is a teaching illustration. The life of Abraham now continues but to his wife and more descriptively of his seed. The stories of Hagar and Sara (Gen 16, 21) are used to describe the nature of Abraham’s “two sons” (v22). The one Ishmael, whom Hagar bore, called the “bondmaid” (v22) because she was not his wife, represents the law which the Galatians wanted to return to (v21). The other, born of the “free woman” (v22), which was Sara Abraham’s wife, represents those that have been born again through the gospel as “the children of promise” (v28).

Since Abraham “cast out the bondwoman and her son” (v30), we also should cast out the law for righteousness sake and be the “children… of the free” (v31). Our righteousness is now fulfilled in Christ, and we now look for a home in heaven in the “Jerusalem which is above” (v26). This shift away from the physical place of Jerusalem and the tangible rituals of the law would be difficult for many and just as in the story of Isaac and Ishmael, it would produce conflict. Those that reject the gospel by faith and attempt to fulfill their righteousness in the bondwoman of the law, will persecute “him that was born after the  Spirit” (v29).

Friend, if you are trusting in Christ alone for your salvation, and you have rejected the works of the law and the works of the flesh to please God, it is only a matter of time until that which is contrary meets you in opposition. And do not be surprised when you find it in your own self, in the flesh, as we will see in the next chapter.

Chapter 5

Chapter 5 helps us understand what happens when the law goes away? The answer lies in the indwelling Spirit of God. Upon salvation, believers are given a new means of fulfilling God’s word in the way that He intended. Although He indwells us, our sinful nature remains and we see the conflict in those two natures, and the choice that the believer has on which they will obey.

V1-6 Stand in Liberty

The issue with legalism, and attaching the law to the gospel, is that it takes away the freedom of justification by faith and brings us into the “yoke of bondage” (v1). We have already seen in Galatians that the law is a curse (3:10) and that we are dead to it (2:19) – why would we want curse and death? God has made Christians “free” and given us “liberty” in Christ (v1). We ought to use it rather!

Paul uses the issue of circumcision as an example for keeping the law, “if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing” (v2). This doesn’t mean that Christians should not be circumcised, but rather that it simply doesn’t matter, for it will not justify us before God. Circumcision is only one issue from the law, which was a big one for the Jews! But nevertheless, there was much more of the law to apply, and if someone was to seek justification by obedience to the law, “he is a debtor to do the whole law” (v3), therefore making one issue more important than another is a moot point.

The issue being addressed is what justifies a person before God – is it adherence to the law or by faith alone without the law? If we say that our adherence to the law makes us righteous before God, we are “fallen from grace” (v4), not that we can lose our salvation by falling into legalism, but rather that we are no longer trusting in Christ by “faith which worketh by love” (v6).

A good question to ask someone in evangelism to discover if they truly understand the gospel is: ‘why would God let you into heaven’? If the answer is anything other than because Jesus paid for my sins on the cross, then their salvation is suspect. The answer from most is, ‘because I’m a good person’. What Paul is saying here is that if someone thinks that they have kept a high standard of morality, whether by the law or otherwise, “Christ is become of no effect unto you” (v4), as they are trusting in their own righteousness instead of His alone.

V7-12 Who Did Hinder?

Again. we are reminded of the basis for the law creeping back into the Galatian churches – there were false teachers among them. Paul says these churches started well, “ye did run well”, but ended up being turned away, “who did hinder you” (v7). Though he may have been looking for names of false teachers, he was satisfied to reveal the source, “this persuasion cometh not of him that called thou” (v8). Whoever was doing this teaching, “he that troubleth you” (v10), he wasn’t from God!

The charge to the Galatian churches concerning this issue was serious, “a little leaven leaventh the whole lump” (v9). We saw this same illustration used in Corinth whenever they needed to “purge out… the old leaven” (1 Cor 5:7) from among them, which was an adulterous person. The use is the same here, that they should expel these from their company, that they would be “cut off which trouble you” (v12). Friends, we cannot afford to allow false teachers with another gospel in our midst, for they will only hinder our liberty and crippled our walk with God. Once they have been discovered, they must be corrected and expelled if they do not repent.

V13-15 Love One Another

Christian liberty was a new concept in the first century. God’s people had been bound to the law for centuries and now they were free from it. How would they respond? What was not the ‘right’ thing to do? With so much freedom, the Galatians needed to be reminded that liberty is not a ‘license’ to sin or do whatever we want, being “called unto liberty” means what we use it well, to “serve one another” and not for an “occasion to the flesh”(v13). Liberty would seem then to lean towards feeding our own personal desires and preferring ourselves over others, so Paul reminded the Galatians that the ultimate purpose of the law was to love your neighbour, “thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (v14, Matt 22:38-40).

Our churches today have both sides of the liberty spectrum as well. There are some folks that are trusting in their own righteousness instead of Christ’s alone, and there are others who have wholly swung to the other side of the issue and were not taking responsibility for their liberty. Both are wrong! And both will produce irreparable results, “take heed that ye be not consumed one of another” (v15). Legalism and ‘fleshly liberty’ will both result in carnality and a lack of love for each other in the body. Afterall, it is hard to care for and value each other when we despise how vastly different our perspectives are – especially if they are both wrong!

V16-26 Walk in the Spirit

The answer to standing in Christian liberty without giving the flesh an “occasion” (v13) to serve itself is to “walk in the Spirit” (v16). Every Christian is given the Spirit of God whereby to obey and walk with the Lord, but we must make a choice every day to submit to His leadership. Doing so will “not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (v16). Instead of keeping a list of rules, Christians need simply to submit to the Spirit of God.

That doesn’t sound so difficult, right? We cannot forget our sinful nature. Just because we are saved and justified by faith, doesn’t mean that it goes away, “for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit” (v17). That nature remains within us and ‘wars’ against the Spirit of God within us (Rom 7:23). The flesh, unrestrained, will keep us so that we “cannot do the things” (v17) that we should be doing.

A comparison is drawn between the works of the flesh and the works of the Spirit. Beginning with the flesh the list presented in verses 19-21 are the most heinous and vile sins which we would suspect from demonic activity, but these are all present and rooted in the sinful human nature. Even things like “witchcraft” (v20) and “heresies” (v20) have a fleshy basis whereby they work. Although these works can be powered by the force of darkness as well, they are easily supported by our flesh and satisfy it in ourselves instead of in the Spirit of God.

The Spirit of God on the other hand produces a dramatically different result. The contrariness of these two natures is apparent. There is not “love” in the flesh, only the opposite. These could be easily drawn up in comparison. The Spirit of God will always function according to God’s character and edify us, leaving us better than the flesh ever could, “against such there is no law” (v23). For those that need a ‘list’ of things to do, work on this list in v22-23. There is no law against goodness, faith, etc. We can spend the rest of our lives growing more accustomed to our new nature in Christ, as opposed to looking back at the law for how to make moral decisions.

But how does one walk in the Spirit? First is the crucifixion of the flesh, “they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh” (v24). This is not a murderous plot against your body, but rather an acceptance of what has already happened upon salvation. When a Cristian is born again, they are “crucified with Christ” (2:20) and become a “new creature” (2 Cor 5:17), which enables them, based upon their new identity and power in the Holy Spirit, to gain victory over “the sin which doth so easily beset us” (Heb 12:1). To see the flesh ‘crucified’ is to be dead to its nature. We must “reckon” ourselves to be “dead indeed unto sin” (Rom 6:11). Seeing that our sinful nature is “contrary” and will not go away, we must make intentional decisions to “mind the things of the Spirit” (Rom 8:5).

What constitutes ‘living’ in the Spirit (v25)? Submission to the Spirit of God within us through a clean conscience, prayer, the word of God, and Christian fellowship (James 5:16). Since the things of the spirit can become subjective, it is important to remember that the Spirit of God will always function in accordance with the word of God! There is no thing that He will ever move you to do contrary to God’s character and clearly written word.

Chapter 6

This chapter rounds us out with some famous verses. In Paul’s usual fashion, he ends with a series of charges that are very practical to the Christian life. He then reiterates his reason for writing, which was to address the issues of the law, specifically circumcision, which were being added to the gospel. The farewell address doesn’t mention any others by name, so it is easy to conclude that this letter was purposeful and not personal.

V1-5 Christian Living

The result of walking in the Spirit, instead of “provoking” and “envying one another” (5:26) was to consider others. Christian liberty is not just for self, it should seek to reconcile others with God, or in this case to “restore such an one in the spirit of meekness” (v). As we get our focus off ourselves, we can see clearly and help others that are “overtaken in a fault” (v1). There is a warning that comes with this, “lest thou also be tempted” (v1). Since we all have a sin nature still within us, it is possible that any Christian, even a strong one, can fall into sin and ‘deceive themselves’ (v3). If we are in the Spirit as we approach others with their issues, it will be done unto others in the way that we would want it done unto us, “in the spirit of meekness”(v1). Meekness comes from the Holy Spirit (5:23), so if we carefully maintain our own walk with God, it will give us the strength and character to help others through their issues. In doing so, we can “bear… one another’s burdens” (v2).

There is a delicate balance here, not to overly focus on the issues of others as we are simultaneously reminded of our “own work” (v4) and our “own burden” (v5). Do we have a duty to others? Absolutely, but even more so God has given each of us responsibility in our own live and we would do well to focus more so on the work of our own hands. We don’t want to be busybodies always nosing around in other people’s business. Instead, when we focus on our own lot, we can “have rejoicing” in the work of our own hand instead of rejoicing in the works of others.

V6-10 Christian Giving

Now we deal with Christian giving. Those that would claim any maturity in Jesus Christ have a duty to share in material things, to “communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things” (v6). The word communicate is not always used in the same sense, it is at times a way of transferring information (Eph 4:29), but at others it refers to giving, sacrifice, and distribution (Phil 4:14-15, 1 Tim 6:18, Heb 13:16). Those that know the word of God, “him that is taught in the word” (v1) should see within it a willingness to give: for God gave the world His Only Son (John 3:16) and the Son gave His life away for others (John 15:13). Giving is a choice, yet it is commanded here, as Christians have the duty of keeping up the church and the ministry of the gospel. We should use our physical means to propagate the gospel and support others that are getting it to the world.

Verses 6-7 are a continuation of the concept of giving and care for other believers, not necessarily just about the war of flesh and Spirit. We are all going to invest in things in this life, and fortunately in the modern day, we get to choose how we spend our resources. Paul says we get to choose how we ‘sow’, to the “flesh” or to the “Spirit” (v8). This is certainly true of our actions in the body, but it is also true with our giving. If we will be selfish and restrain our resources to satisfy our own agenda, insecurities, lusts, etc. then it will produce “corruption” (8). This is seen clearly in Proverbs 11:24, where one “withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty”. Instead, Christians can reap “life” (v8) through the blessing of giving, “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). If we do not sow, however, cannot reap. What is God doing with your resources? Are you sowing into spiritual things that will produce the life of Christ in others?

A good warning is given in verse 9, which reminds us that it can be tiring to do the right thing, especially as it concerns giving and caring for the burdens of others, “let us not be weary in well doing” (v9). What encouraging word these are! For doing the right thing doesn’t always ‘feel good’ and sometimes giving and caring for others over long periods of time can produce a strain on our lives. The “faint not” (v9) part of enduring in well doing is how we plan to maintain our good works. What is your plan to continue in it? As we walk in the Spirit, with the liberty given us in the Spirit, we are not under a law of an amount of giving or serving, so it would be wise to live our lives in such a way that we can survive for the long-haul, and with a good attitude.

A good balancing principle is here in verse 9. We should help and invest in spiritual things, “as we have opportunity” and begin first with believers, “especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (v10). There are so many causes in the world, and so many people that need help, that it is impossible to support them all! We can first start with “opportunity” (v10). We need not imagine or get creative with our efforts but simply wait for God to make way for us to “do good unto all men” (v10). We could start with situations in our lives as they come up. Secondly, we are selective with our investments to first begin with Christians, “the household of faith” (v10). There are a great deal of charities in the world, and many good things that people raise money to support or recruit in volunteering, but the bible says man’s greatest need is spiritual, that they would be saved by the gospel, and that Christian people get priority in our giving and service. Therefore, we ought to focus our efforts on the mission of God and the people of God! If you aren’t currently giving or serving in your local church, that’s where you should start! No amount of ‘care’ for the world will save it.

V11-18 Christian Glorying

Paul used an amanuensis to compile his letters (Rom 16:22), but here seems to grab the pen and write himself, “how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand” (v12). He wanted to get his point across and so he summarizes the content of the letter in these finishing verses.

What was the issue in Galatia again? There were some in their churches that “desire to make a fair shew in the flesh” (v12), to continue in the law requiring circumcision, “they constrain you to be circumcised, lest they should suffer persecution” (12). The liberty given to Christians in Christ would produce vitriol in the opponents of the gospel, “specially they of the circumcision” (Titus 1:10), the Jews. Keeping the law would ‘make everyone feel better’, but it would severely compromise the gospel and salvation by faith alone.

What was the answer? To “glory… in the cross of our Lord Jesus” (v14). Paul says that there is no other thing in this life that should be lifted up like the cross. Circumcision? Profits nothing (Gal 5:2). The law? Brings death (Rom 8:2). The cross on the other hand, produces salvation and the “power of God” (1 Cor 1:18). The cross therefore is the focus of the Christian life (Heb 12:2). To the Christian, the “world is crucified unto me” (v14) and we are therefore set free from its “ordinances” (Col 2:20). Why would we ever focus on them? They will all fail to produce salvation and godliness, which only “Christ Jesus” and the “new creature”(v15) can produce.

Those that would continue to advocate for the law would be realized as hypocrites, for they will only “glory in your flesh” (v13) and fail the law themselves, for “neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law” (v13).

Paul concludes this letter rather abruptly, wishing peace to all that read and obey it, “as many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them” (v16). Assuring that he was for the Jews and their salvation, he writes “peace be… upon the Israel of God” (v16). This is certainly not a reference to the church, as they nation of Israel and the church are distinct entities (Rom 11:25-26). Even though he wrote vehemently against the keeping of the law for righteousness’ sake, Paul wanted nothing more than for Israel to accept their Messiah and be saved (Rom 9:3).

The scars in Paul’s body were a reminder to the cost of standing fast in the gospel, for he experienced the “persecution” (v12) which he mentioned, as will all who will hold fast this epistle and the grace in Christ whereby, we are saved (2 Tim 3:12). “Grace” (v18) then is how the letter ends, as is a consistent theme in this book.

[1] John Phillips, Exploring Galatians: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publishers; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Ga 1:17b.

[2] Charles Ryrie, Dispensationalism, pg. 134