The purpose of this lesson: To provide a contrast between seeking to approach God through a rules and regulation approach and a what God does for us in Christ approach.
Galatians was written by Paul to the churches of Galatia (Galatians 1:1, 2). It is the only one of his letters to the churches that begins by immediately going to the problem instead of providing encouragement. Typically, Paul wrote why he gave thanks for a congregation and often spoke of praying for the congregation. However, in his letter to the multiple congregations in the province of Roman Galatia, Paul went straight to his dissatisfaction with these congregations. He was upset because they forsook Jesus Christ for a Jewish emphasis.
Rarely in Pauls writings is Paul so obviously upset with a group of Christians. However, this involved a deliberate desertion of Jesus Christ by abandoning the adequacy of what God did in Jesus death and resurrection. To Paul, this abandonment was beyond comprehension. No one better understood what God accomplished in Jesus death and resurrection than did Paul. He felt his indebtedness to Gods act in Jesus Christ acutely (see 1 Timothy 1:11-15).
Most of the other congregations to whom Paul wrote were having spiritual growth problems or problems that arose from failures to understand. The Galatian congregations were having problems that were the product of deserting Jesus Christ! The desertion was deliberate, not the result of a failure to understand. It was a matter of choice, not a matter of ignorance of who Jesus Christ was or what God achieved in Jesus Christ (read chapter 3). Though it was not a total abandonment of Jesus Christ, it was a declaration that it took Jesus Christ plus an appropriate acceptance of Judaism to provide gentiles salvation.
There is a difference between overcoming the past, coping with the influence of an anti-God society, or failing to grasp a teaching, and deliberately abandoning the adequacy of Gods salvation in Jesus Christ. The adequacy of what God did in Jesus Christ was a standard part of Pauls presentation of the gospel to the gentiles. This was not an unheard of concept. One of the appeals of the gospel to gentiles was the fact that being acceptable to God did not involve Jewish rites and what was regarded as the mutilation of circumcision (see Galatians 5:11, 12).
The conflict between Jewish perspective and gentile perspective is much in evidence in Galatians. Thus, the gentile Christiansunder the pressure and influence of the Judaizing teacherswere convinced that salvation (a) came through the nation of Israel and (b) included some non-negotiable Jewish rites such as physical circumcision and some Jewish traditions. The result was this understanding: Jesus Christ of himself was insufficient for salvation. Who the Judaizing teachers were and where they came from is debated. Their influence in Galatian congregations after Paul left is unquestionable.
The gentile Christians were convinced that salvation came through the Law and Israel in a way that negated the adequacy of what God did in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ alone could not provide salvation to the gentiles.
The believability of the Judaizing teachers message to those gentile converts can be approached in numerous ways: (a) Gods past involvement in Israel; (b) the unique things Israel possessed (the Law, scripture, the covenant, their prophets, etc.); (c) proselytism; (d) the questionable background of Paul and his apostleship; etc. Whatever approach these people used, they convinced the gentile Christians of Galatia that it took more than Jesus Christ to produce gentile salvation. The more was supplied by Judaism.
The basic issue for Christians today is this: how did the Judaizing teachers make their message so believable? They likely achieved this believability in a combination of two things: (a) casting doubt on Paul, and (b) elevating the importance of Israel in any acceptable approach to God. Had the Judaizing teachers won, most of us would not be Christians today because most of us are gentiles, not Jews. Had the Judaizing teachers won, Christianity would be a Jewish movement. Gentiles would have to be Jewish proselytes to be Christians.
Interestingly, the influence of these people was so significant that Paul had to defend both himself and the message he preached to the Galatians about Jesus Christ.
Paul had to defend his right to present the gospel as well as the message of the gospel. While to us Paul is quite popular, he likely was not at all popular in his lifetime. 2 Corinthians 11:23-33 and Pauls imprisonments and death are evidences of Pauls lack of popularity.
Near the end of the letter, Paul reminded the Galatian Christians of who they were in Jesus Christ. He provided this reminder in two ways in chapter five: (a) through a call to freedom in Jesus Christ and (b) through an interesting contrast in 5:16-26. Please focus on the contrast.
(a) To return to the rules and regulations of Judaism was the same concept involved in the rules and regulations of idolatrya human won approval of and impressed a deity through human acts. Obedience in Jesus Christ was differenta Christian obeyed to express gratitude, not to gain approval from deity. In Christianity, obedience expresses thanks to Godit is not an attempt to manipulate God.
(b) The change in behavior involved a human transformation, not a manipulation of deity.
To Paul, the contrast is between the flesh and the Spirit. Those two terms likely mean little to most of us. It is a contrast of the results of a person investing life in the physical things that oppose God and the spiritual things that come from God. These people in their pre-Christian past focused their lives on the flesh or the physical things that opposed God. It had only been since they came to and entered Jesus Christ that they focused on the Spirit or the spiritual things that come from God.
The point: a converted person cannot be Christlike and behave in specific manners. There is a radical difference between living for physical indulgence in physical gratification of the bodys senses and living in the eternal reality of God. The foundation issue: does reality involve only the here and now of physical existence, or does reality extend beyond death? Does the spiritual deal with reality, or does only the physical deal with reality?
Notice some things about the general contrast. (a) Notice things that we would regard as spiritual considerationsidolatry and sorceryare considered by Paul as things of the flesh. Why? Such things (1) focused on an attempt to use the physical to manipulate the divine; (2) in many forms encouraged physical indulgence; and (3) opposed the existence and the purposes of the only true, living God.
Those who focus on the spiritual focus on Gods values revealed to humans, not on values humans attribute to the divine. We have to learn Gods values instead of telling God what His values are. That is one of the reasons that it is essential to understand Jesus is Gods son.
Idolatry and sorcery typically focused on values humans attributed to deity. It is simple to make a god our creation rather than being the creation of God.
(b) Notice that the other manifestations listed fall into two general groups: (a) attempts to control people and (b) attempts to indulge the physical senses. The listing provides us a good insight into the values/focus of non-Christian people in the Roman world of Galatia in the first century.
Most problems begin with human attempts to control other humans, or human determination to indulge physical senses/desires.
(c) Notice that the focus of life must change when a person decides to be a Christian. It is not just a change in the persons belief system, but it is a change in behavior. The change in ones new belief system is reflected in ones behavior. That change in belief and behavior is the difference between inheriting (an inheritance is a gift) and not inheriting. Ones actions cannot be governed by a fleshly focus and that person inherit Gods kingdom. (The Jewish concept of heaven or afterlife was more a kingdom concept than the Christian mansion or palace concept.)
Christianity is not an addition to what you were prior to being a Christian. It is a new focus for existence. The Christian shows his or her belief system by the values for which he or she lives. It is how a Christian behaves day in and day out that declares what he or she believes. Surely, mistakes are made, but mistakes are just thatmistakes. The Christian does not try to condone or justify mistakes. A Christian acknowledges mistakes to be mistakes.
(d) Notice that the values of being a spiritual person did not violate Jewish law. One could bear the Spirits fruit and not violate or be in opposition to Jewish law. The values of Christianity did not place the Galatian Christian in opposition to Jewish lawin fact those values fulfilled Gods intent in the law the Jews kept.
Adopting the values of Christian existence did not place Galatian Christians in violation of Jewish values. There was no conflict in values, only a conflict in understanding what is essential for salvation.
(e) Notice this transition is described as a crucifixion. Remember, crucifixion was a horrible form of execution. First, the transition is described as a death to the undesirableit was not a back and forth transition. Second, crucifixion was a slow form of dying, a processnot an instant occurrence. They needed to understand that this transformation took time in its human expression. Third, it was a decidedly un-Jewish event that transforms into Jesus Christs values and focus, which are Gods values and focus.
The Christian transition involves a difficult death. Christians do converts no favor by convincing them it is simple to be a Christian. Being a Christian often involves difficult decisions and actions. It is disillusioning to expect simple and encounter hard. A person chooses to be a Christian; he or she is not deceived into being a Christian. Deception is not the avenue to salvation.
(f) Because it was a crucifixion, it was a transition designed to allow the participant to share in Jesus death. Through death, Jesus made a major transition. Through death to the fleshly focus, the Christian makes a major transition.
To willingly share in Jesus Christs death is no small commitment! Consider Philippians 3:9-11.
For Thought and Discussion
1. How did Paul begin his letter to the Galatians?
Paul wrote it to the churches of Galatia.
2. How is Galatians different from other letters Paul wrote to churches?
Instead of making mention of personal thanks for them or prayers for them, Paul went directly to their problem.
3. What problems did the other churches have? What was the Galatian churches problem?
Other churches generally had spiritual growth problems or problems that arose from failures to understand. The Galatian churches problems arose from a deliberate deserting of Jesus Christ by declaring Jesus Christ alone was insufficient for salvation.
4. Of what two things were these gentile Christians convinced?
a. Salvation came through the nation of Israel.
b. Salvation included some non-negotiable rites such as physical circumcision and other rites.
5. What was the result of this understanding?
The result was the belief that Jesus Christ was insufficient for salvation.
6. Give some possible reasons for these Christians finding the Judaizing message believable.
a. Gods past involvement with Israel.
b. The unique things Israel possessedthe Law, scripture, the covenant, Jewish prophets, etc.
c. Proselytism.
d. Pauls questionable background.
7. How significant was the Judiazers influence in the Galatian churches?
Paul had to defend himself and his message.
8. What contrast did Paul make in Galatians 5?
He made a contrast between the flesh and the Spirit.
9. What six things are you asked to note in Pauls contrast?
a. Some things we would regard as spiritual (idolatry, sorcery), Paul classified as fleshly.
b. The other manifestations fall into two groups: the attempt to control people, and the attempt to indulge the physical senses/desires.
c. The focus of life must change when one becomes a Christian.
d. The values of being a spiritual person did not violate Jewish law.
e. The transition is described as a crucifixion.
f. The transition was designed to allow the participant to share in Jesus death.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 11