Today we are going to
deal with the Book of Galatians. This book is most probably the most
used book in trying to prove that the Law is no more.
By taking this book out
of its proper context and not understanding basic Torah principles, one
of Paul’s greatest writings has been turned into a license to do
whatever people feel is right.
Lets dissect this book
and see what it really says……..
This is mainly an
introduction of Paul and review of his life before his redemption.
In verse 13 Paul speaks
of his life in Judaism, its very important to remember that we are not
teaching Judaism. Judaism does not obey the Law, Judaism obeys the
Rabbi’s interpretation. More than likely you will be accused of
following Judaism.
This is mainly an
introduction of Paul and review of his life before his redemption.
This is where much of
the misunderstanding of Paul’s writings begin.
So lets jump into
chapter 2 and see what we find
Gal 2:1
Then through fourteen years, I again went up to Jerusalem with
Barnabas, also taking Titus with me.
Gal 2:2
And I went up according to revelation. And I put before them the
gospel which I proclaim in the nations, but privately to the ones seeming
to be pillars, lest I run, or I ran, into vanity.
Gal 2:3
But not even Titus, the one with me, a Greek, was
compelled to be circumcised.
Gal 2:4
But it was because of those false brothers stealing in,
who stole in to spy on our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, they
desiring to enslave us,
Gal 2:5
to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, that the
truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Gal 2:6
But from those seeming to be something (of what kind they
were then does not matter to me; God does not accept the face of
man), for those seeming to be important conferred nothing to
me;
Gal 2:7
but on the contrary, seeing that I have been entrusted with
the gospel of the uncircumcision, even as Peter to the circumcision,
Gal 2:8
(for He working in Peter to an apostleship of the
circumcision, also worked in me to the nations),
Gal 2:9
and knowing the grace given to me, James and Cephas and John,
those seeming to be pillars, gave right hands of fellowship to
Barnabas and to me, that we go to the nations, but they to
the circumcision;
Gal 2:10
only that we might remember the poor, which same thing I was
eager to do.
Gal 2:11
But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face,
because he was to be blamed.
Gal 2:12
For before some came from James, he ate with the nations. But
when they came, he drew back and separated himself, being afraid of
those of the circumcision.
Gal 2:13
And also the rest of the Jews dissembled with him, so as even
Barnabas was led away with their dissembling.
Gal 2:14
But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly with the truth of
the gospel, I said to Peter before all, If you being a Jew, live
heathen-like, and not as the Jews, why do you compel the
nations to Judaize?
Gal 2:15
We, Jews by nature, and not sinners of the nations,
Gal 2:16
knowing that a man is not justified by works of Law, but that
it is through faith in Jesus Christ (we also believed
into Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in
Christ and not by works of Law, because all flesh will not be
justified by works of Law). Psa. 123:2
Gal 2:17
But if seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also
were found to be sinners, is Christ then a minister of
sin? Let it not be!
Gal 2:18
For what if I build again these things which I destroyed, I
confirm myself as a transgressor.
Gal 2:19
For through Law I died to Law, that I might live to God.
Gal 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ, and I live; yet
no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now
live in the flesh, I live by faith toward the Son of God, the One
loving me and giving Himself over on my behalf.
Gal 2:21
I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness
is through Law, then Christ died without cause.
Several parts in this
chapter could make someone think that Paul has abolished the Law.
However when read in its proper context, things take on a different
perception…….
In verse 3, Paul
says that Titus, a Greek, was not compelled to be circumcised….
For most modern day believers, this is proof that Paul said it was
ok to disobey these commandments. However, no where does Paul say
that.
So what was Paul
saying???? What was his context????
In order to understand
that, you have to go back to chapter 1 in verses 6 and7….
Gal 1:6
I wonder that you are so quickly turning back from the One
having called you by the grace of Christ to another gospel,
Gal 1:7
which is not another; only there are some troubling you, even
determined to pervert the gospel of Christ.
A false doctrine had
crept in….. The doctrine that salvation came by obedience to the law.
This was a very destructive doctrine that brought a lot of confusion and
tension.
This was a doctrine that
Paul battled his entire life.
Paul also talks about a
point of contention between himself and Peter…..Peter would not
socialize with the Gentiles while around the Jews. He was afraid of what
they would think….. Paul had to confront Peter on this sensitive
issue……
Galatians
2:17-21….. These verses are also used to try and abolish the
law…..
Gal 2:17
But if seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were
found to be sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? Let
it not be!
Gal 2:18
For what if I build again these things which I destroyed, I
confirm myself as a transgressor.
Gal 2:19
For through Law I died to Law, that I might live to God.
Gal 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ, and I live; yet no
longer I, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the
flesh, I live by faith toward the Son of God, the One loving me
and giving Himself over on my behalf.
Gal 2:21
I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness is
through Law, then Christ died without cause.
Did Paul say that the
Law had died???? No he didn’t. He was simply saying that his life was
no longer like it was before. He was saying that he lived like the
Messiah did…. He obeyed Torah.
Paul also in the last
verse of this chapter makes sure to repeat that the Law did not provide
salvation. He made sure to say that if the Law had provided salvation,
then the Messiah died in vain……
Many times we are told
that the Law provided salvation but when the Messiah came, a new method
of salvation was adopted…..??????
If obeying the Law
provided salvation, then why did the Messiah have to die? Why
He did God not just spread the Law as a means of salvation
instead of His Son enduring what He did????
If God provided a way of
salvation for one group of people and then changed the way of salvation,
doesn’t that God changed???
Perhaps the modern day
believers understanding of the Law and what it is is where the problem
lies!!!!!
Gal 3:1
You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes
Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
Gal 3:2
This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you
receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
Gal 3:3
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being
perfected by the flesh?
Gal 3:4
Did you suffer so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain?
Gal 3:5
So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works
miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with
faith?
Gal 3:6
Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Gal 3:7
Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons
of Abraham.
Gal 3:8
The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by
faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying,
"ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU."
Gal 3:9
So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the
believer.
Gal 3:10
For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for
it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS
WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM."
Gal 3:11
Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for,
"THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."
Gal 3:12 However, the Law is
not of faith; on the contrary, "HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY
THEM."
Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us
from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is
written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"--
Gal 3:14 in order that in
Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that
we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Gal 3:15 Brethren, I speak in
terms of human relations: even though it is only a man's covenant,
yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to
it.
Gal 3:16
Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does
not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather
to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ.
Gal 3:17 What I am saying is
this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not
invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the
promise.
Gal 3:18 For if the
inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God
has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.
Gal 3:19 Why the Law then? It
was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels
by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise
had been made.
Gal 3:20
Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only
one.
Gal 3:21
Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be!
For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then
righteousness would indeed have been based on law.
Gal 3:22
But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the
promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
Gal 3:23
But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law,
being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.
Gal 3:24
Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to
Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25
But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
Gal 3:26
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27
For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed
yourselves with Christ.
Gal 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free
man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ
Jesus.
Gal 3:29
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants,
heirs according to promise.
Paul sounds
frustrated… He calls the Galatians ‘Foolish’. He then asks them a
question…… How were you saved? By faith or by works of the Law. They
had blurred the line between these concepts so much that they could no
longer see the difference.
In verse 6 Paul
shows them that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him
righteousness….. In other words, Abraham believed God and was
saved.
Verses 10 – 14 are
often used to try and show that the law is cursed and is if you try to
obey it, then you have to obey it perfectly.
A plain reading of the
passage, while keeping this in its proper context will prove otherwise.
Gal 3:10
For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for
it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS
WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM."
Gal 3:11
Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident;
for, "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."
Gal 3:12
However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "HE WHO
PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM."
Gal 3:13
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a
curse for us--for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A
TREE"--
Gal 3:14
in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come
to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit
through faith.
We have all
transgressed, we have sinned. We are now cursed according to the Law.
The Law is not at fault, blaming the Law may appear to take the
spotlight off of us but in the end, the Law simply states what is right
and wrong and what the consequences are.
In verse 12, Paul
states that no one is justified by the Law…. We have been saying
that since day one. The last part of that verse is often
misunderstood.