Author: Jim Cantelon

Key Verse: Galatians 5:6 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.”

Free means free — without qualifications. That’s why Paul says, in this discussion of freedom (vv.1-18), that “indulging the sinful nature” (v.13) is an option available to the truly liberated. But there is a strong caution here. And it relates to the “libertines” (Gnostics) I mentioned in the introduction.

The Gnostics separated the world of matter from the world of spirit. They believed that all things material (including flesh and blood) were evil. This is why they had an erroneous view of Jesus — “how can Jesus, the Son of God (perfect in everything) take on flesh which is imperfect and unholy?” they asked, in effect. Therefore, Jesus must have been an illusion in terms of His humanity: “He could not have been born of a woman”. So they spiritualized Jesus and “dehumanized” Him. He became a kind of “super-angel” but not “God in flesh”.

This had a profound impact on their morality. Because their bodies (and all matter) were evil, all that could be expected of their flesh was evil. Thus, they  indulged their fleshly appetites with impurity while, at the same time, “soaring to the heavenliness” in their spirituality. Inwardly they were “angels”, outwardly they were “devils”; all because they saw themselves as “free” in Christ Jesus.

So here you had the antithesis of legalism. Paul took issue with it as much as he did with his Judaizing “brethren”. The issue of freedom, as Paul presents it, is not how much we get out of it, but how much we give because of it. We’re not only to “serve on another in love” (v.13) because of it, but we’re also to understand that “the only thing that counts in faith expressing itself through love” (v.6).

Key Verse: Galatians 4:9 “But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?”

Paul’s discussion about the role of law and faith, as they relate to righteousness, continues. He reminds his readers that the promise God made to Abraham preceded the law given to Moses by 430 years (v.17). God, “in His grace”, gave a promise to Abraham (v.18), and it takes priority over any subsequent introduction or qualification of law. The law was introduced purely because those who were inheritors of the promise were so sinful (v.19). it established the standard — a standard which was unreachable, even if it did (in human terms) reflect the awesome status and expected behaviour of those who were heirs of the covenant.

However, the law also introduced despair — for none could measure up. It showed us our moral bankruptcy and eroded hope.  But therein lay its genius. In exposing our spiritual poverty, there law “led us to Christ that we might be justified by  faith” (v.24). In Christ, we who believe are seen as sons of God rather than slaves of law. There is no discriminatory factors — Jew, Greek, slave, free, male, female are all meaningless distinctions; we have become “heirs” of God.

Jesus the Son, “born of a woman, born under law” (v.4), came to “redeem those under law”, in order that all who believe in Him might “receive the full rights of sons” (v.5). We are now sons and heirs and out relationship with God the Father is so personal and intimate that we can call Him “Abba” (Hebrew for “Daddy”).

So it’s not a case of performance of law determining our relationship with and knowledge of God. Rather, it’s a case of God’s grace, God’s initiative and God’s knowledge of us. There is liberation in the knowledge that we are “”known by God”.

Key Verse: Galatians 3:6 “Consider Abraham: ‘He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.'” (NIV)

The key verse occurs in a context that stretches from chapter three, verse one to chapter four, verse seven. The discussion is about the role of law and faith as they relate to righteousness. And remember, Paul’s readers are Gentiles.

As I said in the introduction, there were two competing faction in the Galatian churches, both undermining Paul’s work: the legalists (Judaizers) and the libertines (Gnostics). Most of Paul’s counterattack, however, is against the legalists.

He comes on strong, wondering how the Galatian Christians could have been “bewitched” (v.1) by the legalists. They were actually beginning to believe they had to be circumcised and obey they ceremonial law in order to be accepted by God. Paul asks them a fundamental question: “Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? . . . After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” (v.2,3). He then goes back beyond the lawgiver (Moses) to Abraham,  “the man of faith”. The point he makes is clear and powerful, “those who believe are children of Abraham” (v.7); and this does include the Gentiles because God’s promise to Abraham was, “All nations will be blessed through you” (v.8).

He calls the law “a curse”. Not because it’s bad, but because it’s good — so good, in fact, that no one can measure up, and all are thereby “cursed”, not blessed, by its uprightness.

The only way to righteousness is if someone takes the curse of the law upon Himself in our place. That has happened, in Christ (v.13,14). So we put our faith in Him, and the cure becomes a blessing. More than blessed, we are redeemed by belief in Christ. We believe, and the righteousness demanded by the law ours — all because of faith in Jesus.

Key Verse: Galatians 2:10 “They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.”

The first ten verses of this chapter ideal with Paul’s acceptance as an apostle by the leadership in Jerusalem. The discussion actually begins in chapter one, verse 11. In verses 15 and 16, he speaks of his conversion and then, three years later, going upon to Jerusalem “to get acquainted with Peter” (b.18). The “fourteen years later” of 2:1 probably refers to fourteen years after that visit to Peter. He went up to Jerusalem again to “set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles” (v.2)

Paul’s ministry was under scrutiny for a few reasons. One was that the idea of preaching the gospel of the Jewish Messiah to Gentiles seemed irrelevant and out of context. Another reason was related to become a Christian he first of all had to become a Jew (and be circumcised).  These “Judaizers” were also adamant about kosher law and other rituals and ceremonial concerns which Paul appeared to be flouting. The Jerusalem leadership therefore wanted to carefully check Paul’s credentials. And he passed the test.

The three key leaders, “James, Peter, and John”, gave Paul and Barnabas “the right hand of fellowship” and “agreed that [they] should go to the Gentiles” (v.9). But they had one key concern. It was not a doctrinal concern but social: “they asked that we should continue to remember the poor.” When you get right down to it, concern for the needs of the poor is the foundational material of a balanced ministry. Ivory towers, philosophizing, and preaching to the converted all are neutralized by a prior concern for the poor. Preach to the poor, love the poor, meet their needs. Do this, and the Gospel will come alive and achieve balance.

Key Verse: Galatians 1:11 “But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.”

The new Archbishop of Canterbury is a remarkably refreshing man who believes in “the physical resurrection of Christ” and calls the 1990’s the “decade of evangelism”. I called his office just after his election to see if I could arrange an interview and was told, “The Bishop has decided he will give no interviews to the media until after he actually becomes Archbishop. People were treating him as if he were already in office, and that would have been discomforting to the present Archbishop.” It seemed this new man was highly regarded.

If the Apostle Paul were alive today, he’d probably wrestle a bit with envy. Rather than bask in high regard, he was constantly under attack from would-be apostles and false teachers. His credibility was forever being questioned and he was forced to defend himself and his ministry again and again.

So, as he begins the letter to the Galatians, he’s at it again: “Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead),…” He’s stressing the exclusive nature of his calling as contrasted to other teachers who were “perverting the gospel of Christ” (v.8). These men were obviously making headway with the Galatians (v.6, 7a), so much so that Paul its prepared to consign them to eternal damnation (v.9).

He sees in these false teachers a false gospel that is merely a man-made fabrication. And he’s angry that they are having such success with his congregations. So Paul speaks out forcefully. He reminds them that the gospel he preached to them was not the product of fabrication but of revelation. It is superior to anything else, and its source is none other than Jesus Christ Himself (v.12). The revealed Word of God must always take priority over the constructed word of man.

Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 13:8 “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.”

The key verse occurs in the context of a challenge from Paul to the Corinthians that they “examine” themselves to see if they are “in the faith” (v.5). They are to “test” and see if “Christ Jesus is in” them. He then expresses the hope that they will discover that Paul himself has not failed the test (v.6). Next, he prays that they and he (implied) “will not do anything wrong” (v.7) Then comes the key verse.

I don’t know if Paul was being philosophical here, but there is no question that what he says about the “truth” is profoundly true. On one hand he is saying that he (and hopefully all the Corinthian Christians) are compelled to do what is right. On the other hand, he is saying that “Truth” ultimately wins every battle. Because two of the many attributes of God are truth and justice, we can be sure there is coming a day in the history of man when every lie will be exposed. On that Day of the Lord only Truth will be spoken. And that truth will liberate every victim of injustice and vindicate the righteous.

The reason Paul couldn’t “do anything against the truth” was that he was living with eternity in view. He knew that he was, as all people are, immortal. He would have to stand before his Maker one day and give account. Her would have to answer the question, “what have you done with the Christ?”

Any untruth now will be revealed on that day. Any rejection of Christ now will mean rejection for us then. We are living in a closed system. A system that will utterly destroy wickedness one day.

That’s why Jesus came to this planet. In light of that awful day when Truth will judge all men, Jesus died to provide atonement for all those who will receive it. These “blood-washed ones” will be declared righteous as the Truth is revealed. that’s why we must only act “for the truth” now. It’s a matter of life and death.

Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Paul continues reviewing his credentials. “I must go on boasting” says the NIV (v.1). “There is not a lot to be gained by this”, Paul says, “but now I’ll take about some of the spiritual credentials I have in terms of visions and revelations.” Then, for no apparent reason (perhaps modesty?) he switches into the third person to tell of an experience he had — “in the body or out of the body I do not know” — where he was “caught up to the third heaven” (v.2). He goes on to identify this “third heaven” with “paradise” (v.4).k There, he “heard inexpressible things, things that a man is not permitted to tell” (v.4). You can be sure this experience was enough to make anyone, regardless of any developed humility, think he was rather special. That is why Paul goes on to say, “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassing great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me” (v.7). He does not say what the “thorn” was, but it was enough of an aggravation that he prayed three times for healing, with no success.

You would expect a man who has had such a remarkable spiritual experience to be specially favoured when it came to prayer. You would think he had the kind of faith that would make any affliction flee. But he didn’t. And that’s the point.

Paul is boasting of his weakness. He is just like you and me. We all share a desire to be independent, physically and spiritually. But God makes sure His children stay children. Growing children, yes, but children none-the-less. We are dependent.

Dependent on His grace. Dependent on His will. Dependent on His love. When you get right down to it, that takes the pressure off. The sufficiency  is not ours. It’s His.