Our society is full of a lot of false ideas, religious traditions, and misleading spiritual leaders. I think that if the Apostle Paul were around today, he would write a letter to the United States of America, much like the one he wrote to the Galatians.
Much like Central Florida is a group of cities in a certain region of Florida, so was Galatia, a group of cities with many churches of which Paul cared for. He had spread the gospel throughout the region and many believed, but then in no time at all, they took a hard turn in the wrong direction and started to teach practices that weren’t true, such as the necessity of circumcision to prove you were a true Christian. So ensued a great battle between law and grace, which I believe we continue to fall into in our modern society.
My church’s women’s Bible study did a deep dive into the book of Galatians recently and I’d like to take a moment to share what God taught me from each chapter. I hope it helps to draw you closer to the grace of Christ.
If you don’t have time to fully read through this article right now, I totally understand! Might I suggest bookmarking this post on your device, and over the next five days, take some time to read the chapter, then read my comments on it and pray about the questions I present, somewhat like a devotional?
Chapter 1
Paul is astounded that the Galatians had so quickly turned from the true gospel message that he preached to a false message of legalism.
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
Galatians 1:6-7 (ESV)
Please note the strong language Paul uses in his reaction to how the Galatians are behaving. The word “astonished” can also be translated “to marvel” or “to wonder,” but I believe the ESV translation gives the appropriate emphasis on his current feelings toward the Galatians. Only three years had gone between the time they accepted the gospel to the writing of his letter and they were already turning away from the truth he taught them.
They were turning away from a Person (from Him who called you) as they turned to a false idea (to a different gospel). To turn away from the true gospel is always to turn away from the Person of Jesus Christ.
How have you strayed from the true gospel in the past? What brought you back to the grace of Christ?
Chapter 2
Paul points out that bondage to the law has passed away with Christ, and we now live in the freedom of Christ.
For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Galatians 2:19-21 (ESV)
The law spoken about here is the law God gave to Moses to give to the Israelites. God knew his people would never be able to keep the law, but he needed to make his point so that when Jesus came to pay the penalty for our inability to keep the law, we would recognize the greatness of Christ’s act of grace.
This is also the great problem with seeing the grace of God as something that helps us get to heaven, as if we put forth the best we can, and then grace supplies the rest. Grace doesn’t help, it does it all. All of our righteousness comes from the work of Jesus for us.
He had renounced all hopes of justification by the works of it, and was unwilling any longer to continue under the bondage of it; but he was far from thinking himself discharged from his duty to God; on the contrary, he was dead to the law, that he might live unto God.
How have you been caught up in a works-based religion? What helped you break free and fall into the grace of Christ?
Chapter 3
Paul shares with us the difference between being justified by the law and being justified by faith, through Christ.
What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.
Galatians 3:19-20 (NKJV)
David Guzik explains this passage best when he says, “God had to give us His standard so we would not destroy ourselves before the Messiah came.” We are so awfully downright sinful. God needed to set expectations for what would allow us to be presentable to him in order for us to have a goal to maintain while we waited for rescue from our sin.
So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
Galatians 3:24-26
How have you strived to be justified to God by the things you do rather than your faith in Christ? What is one way you need to turn back to Christ today?
Chapter 4
Paul reminds us that we are no longer slaves to sin, but sons of God.
So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
Galatians 4:7 (ESV)
Take a few minutes to recall the story of the prodigal son. The son comes home offering to be his father’s slave, but the father receives him as a son. His father knows him, and he knows him well. He doesn’t want his son back as a slave to him, but as his son.
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
Galatians 4:9 (ESV)
God wants to know us intimately through a relationship with him. If we’re stuck on religious traditions, we cannot have that kind of relationship with him.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
Matthew 7:21-23
Slavery is bondage to legalism, freedom is embracing your relationship with your Father God. Or, as Guzik says, “Legalism is almost always associated with some kind of religious bondage,” and he continues, “Law and grace cannot live together as principles for our Christian life.”
How are you living as a slave to religious law rather than as a son or daughter of the Father God? What is one thing you will do today to lay down that law and receive your sonship in Christ?
Chapter 5
Paul reminds us that liberty comes from a relationship with Christ, not our own fulfillment of the law, and that we must walk in this freedom through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:1 is the key verse to the whole book of Galatians:
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:1 (NKJV)
The whole point of Paul’s letter is to encourage the Galatians to take off their bondage of the law once again and live in the freedom of Christ’s grace.
Young converts must expect that Satan will be laying stumbling blocks in their way, and doing all he can to divert them from the course they are in; but, whenever they find themselves in danger of being turned out of it, they would do well to consider who it is that hinders them.
Do not let anyone deceive you into thinking you aren’t free. Two men died with Jesus–one trusted in Jesus, the other trusted in himself. On one hand, man trusts in himself and the fruit of his works show it: “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.” (Galatians 5:19-21a ESV). On the other hand, man trusts in Christ and lives in the power of the Holy Spirit and his fruit is much different: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23a ESV)
Life by the Spirit is neither legalism nor license — nor a middle way between them. It is a life of faith and love that is above all of these false ways.
Works of the flesh destroy relationships while works of the Spirit foster relationships.
What is one work of the flesh you would like to get rid of today? What is one gift of the Spirit you will receive in its place?
Galatians 6
Paul’s final remarks encourage the Galatians to care for one another, but to also take responsibility for their own actions.
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.
Galatians 6:2-5 (ESV)
The law of Moses imposes burdens on us but the law of Christ lifts burdens from us. “Load” in verse 5 is a common term for a man’s backpack. We should carry our own backpacks. It would not be fair to make someone else carry it for us. “Heavy burdens” in verse 2, however, are those that are more than a man should carry. In the midst of that, verse 3 causes us to question if we are too proud to receive help. Someone once told me to not be a blessing blocker, and I think Paul is alluding to that idea here.
As God has made it our duty to do good to others, so he takes care in his providence to furnish us with opportunities for it.
How can you help carry someone else’s burdens this week? In what way will you receive help from someone else this week?
While I see our society falling into the trap of the enemy by twisting the words of the Bible and instilling legalism, I also see a way out. We need to become better acquainted with scripture through personal study and teaching from a good Bible teacher. We also need to allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us daily.
Bethany Marinelli is an author and speaker out of Orlando, Florida. She also supports her husband, Andrew, in his auto repair business and homeschools their son, Arthur.
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