Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“Paul, an apostle not from men nor by men but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead, and all the brothers with me, to the churches of Galatia. Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins in order to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Galatians 1:1-5)

Galatians was written in Rome around either 53-56 AD or 48-49 AD by Paul to the Gentiles of the church in Galatia. Someone had come to them saying that trust in Jesus wasn’t ENOUGH for salvation. That they needed to be circumcised and they needed to convert to Judaism in full. Paul was horrified at this. Paul is NOT against the Jews. Paul does NOT use this letter to teach how a Jew should act. Paul explicitly says that while the Law is not against trust in Jesus, it was NOT given for salvation. For example, it was not wrong for Messianic Jews to stick to the dietary restrictions of the Law. But it was ALSO not wrong for Messianic Jews to share a table with Gentile believers in Jesus. The Law was given to the Jews, not the Gentiles, so there is a difference between them (firstborn vs adopted), but no DISTINCTION – they were BOTH part of the family of God. The Law POINTED to the sacrifice needed for salvation, but Jesus FULFILLED the sacrifice. So much of the life of a believer in Jesus is made more understandable by a study of the Old Covenant. But the Old Covenant rules do not hold Gentile believers in Jesus – or any believers who know who they are in Jesus. Our WORKS don’t save us. JESUS’ SACRIFICE made a way for our salvation. Religious Messianic Jews had come to Galatia and were trying to tie the people up with a legalistic approach. One of the ways they did this was to attack Paul’s credentials.

Chapter one is Paul’s greeting and his doubling-down on the truth that there is only ONE gospel message: that of Jesus our saviour. If ANYONE came to them with another gospel – even an angel from heaven – it was NOT to be followed. The gospel message of Jesus, the Son of God, divine and man, as our sacrifice and our redeemer is the ONLY gospel. Jesus is THE way, not one of the ways (John 14:6). Paul went on to explain HOW he was chosen as an apostle. Not by men, but personally by Jesus Himself – and this in spite of Paul’s previous view of the gospel.

Chapter two goes into how Paul was accepted by the other apostles and the church of Jerusalem. How he felt he was the least of them because of his former treatment, but also the lengths he went to make sure that he was preaching the same gospel they were. Paul has always maintained his integrity and did not alter his behaviour depending on which people he was with – something Peter did one and Paul rebuked him for it (respectfully and with compassion). Paul points out that Jews and Gentiles are both saved in exactly the same way: faith in Jesus. There is no other way TO be saved (Acts 4:12).

Chapter three goes into the differences between the Law and the Promise. Abraham was given the promise which manifested in his seed – Jesus, a descendant of Abraham. The Law POINTED to Messiah and explained the many ways that we connect in and through Messiah. Jesus was the sacrifice for us (taught in the Law) and the way we are reconciled to the Father (taught in the Law) and it is His Spirit which is sent to us so that we can engage and live in Jesus (taught in the Law). Before trust in Jesus was possible, we were slaves to rules that we could never wholly keep in their entirety. Now that we have been freed from the burden of that impossibility by trusting in Jesus, why would we want to go back to it?

Chapter four continues this thinking. It is impossible to live the life of a follower in Jesus exactly the same as it is impossible to fully and completely keep the Law. But the Law relies on our strength and our actions. Our works as a way to justify ourselves. Trust in Jesus relies on Jesus’ strength and Jesus’ accomplishments. Our works are a natural result of our trust in Jesus because He has justified us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Paul pleads with them to become as Paul was himself: dependent on Jesus and not on his own strengths and abilities. Paul was displeased with how quickly they rejected the true gospel for a lie about needing to work to keep their salvation [a doctrine we still see in the church today in some places]. It is only through Jesus that the promise of salvation is realized. It is only by trust in Jesus that we gain access to it. By Grace because of the Mercy of God.

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Paul

Key Verse(s): Galatians 1:6-10; 2:15-21; 3:15-20; 4:1-16