Gospel Freedom in Galatians
Background: What was the key issue in the early church? Race. Culture. Issues that are still with us today. The church at its inception on Pentecost was essentially 100% Jewish and the Apostles and the church in Jerusalem seemed content to keep it that way. Then God called a Pharisee named Saul to salvation and set him aside as an Apostle to the Gentiles. Over the next 30 years, the church became primarily Gentile with a Jewish minority, and many Jews fought it.
Galatians was Paul's first letter, written at the end of his first missionary journey when Gentiles began to come to Christ in droves. A group, sometimes called Judaizers and sometimes the circumcision party, opposed the inclusion of Gentiles in the church. If they were to be part of the church, they needed to become Jewish - follow the law and Jewish rituals. Paul fought them tooth and nail his entire ministry. The gospel was for the whole world.
Galatians is a powerful argument for a gospel free from the works of the law.
As often as time allows, the reader is encouraged to read the entire book - it will not take more than a few minutes. Each day we will work our way through the book passage by passage.
Today's Reading: Galatians 1-6 Focus Passage - Galatians 3:15-18
Brothers and sisters, I’m using a human illustration. No one sets aside or makes additions to a validated human will. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, who is Christ. 17 My point is this: The law, which came 430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously established by God and thus cancel the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise; but God has graciously given it to Abraham through the promise.
Through the Bible Readings: Ezekiel 13-14, 2 Timothy 1, Psalm 119:109–116, Proverbs26:27–28
If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.
Devotional: Christ Alone
Paul loved the Jewish people - his people - and his desire was for them to come to Christ, to find salvation. He even says in one place that if it were possible, he would go to hell himself if that would bring salvation to his people. There was no question that he loved the Jews. Still, he realized that they had strayed far from the truth.
Here, in this passage, he illustrates one of the problems. They honored Abraham, as they should. They also honored Moses and David, and many of the prophets their forefathers rejected. They honored their ancestors and their traditions and their rituals. They put their faith in people and that which people did. While they claimed their faith was in God, too often they gave prime honor to the Patriarchs and other great heroes of Israel.
Here, Paul uses Abraham as an example. In John 8, Jesus argued with Pharisees who pointed to their devotion to Abraham as a reason to reject Jesus. Paul makes a forceful point. Jesus is the heir of Abraham and promises of Abraham are mostly fully fulfilled in him. These promises both predate and preempt the promises of the law.
There is an important application here, one we see regularly in churches, denominations, and all religious organizations. It happens often in this day that accusations are made against famous Christian leaders and people refuse to believe that such things could be true. Unfortunately, time often proves the accuser to be truthful. Our religious leaders often have feet of clay.
Why do we refuse to believe accusations? Because we often put too much faith in people. As Israel elevated Abraham above Jesus, we elevate people to an unhealthy and undeserved status. Faithful pastors and those who lead us should be honored, but they must not be deified. Israel suffered for putting Abraham in a place of glory over the Messiah. We must never give a human being a place of authority in our lives over that of Jesus Christ.
Father, help me be a man worthy of honor and respect, but never one who seeks to be glorified by others.
Think and Pray:
Do you tend to engage in hero-worship, giving leaders you like an unhealthy level of respect, refusing to see the truth about them?
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