The objectives of this lesson: (1) to increase understanding of the fact that God's accomplishments in Jesus' death and resurrection are completely adequate for anyone to be led by God [regardless of his or her past]; (2) to stress that the call to faith in Christ includes the call to responsible living in Christ.
The manner in which Paul concluded his letter to the Galatian congregation is not at all what 21st century American Christians would expect. The congregations in Galatia were gentile congregations. After Paul converted those people from idolatry to Jesus Christ and stabilized the congregations, he moved to a different area to teach. After Paul left, Jewish Christians known as Judaizing teachers visited those congregations. These teachers told these new gentile converts that Paul did not tell them everything they must know.
These Jewish Christians [the Judaizing teachers] had the goal of convincing uncircumcised gentile converts to Jesus Christ in Galatia that their salvation depended on their willingness to be circumcised [a religious rite, not a hygiene practice]. They literally came to these congregations to convince these gentile converts they were not saved unless they came to Christ by adopting Jewish ways. Help your students see the letter as a plea from Paul, not a statement of victory over opposition forces. The letter was written by a man in grief.
The Judaizing teachers had this basic message: "Unless gentile Christians are circumcised they cannot be saved." You can read this perspective among Jewish Christians in Acts 15:5. There was an emotional, deep difference in the view held by many Jewish Christians and in the Jewish Christian Paul's view regarding the salvation of people who were not Jews. The Judaizing teachers [who were Jewish Christians] taught gentiles could be saved if they became a part of God's covenant people through the religious rite of circumcision as part of coming to Christ. They declared gentile Christians remained a part of God's covenant people if they obeyed the law [lived according to the teachings and traditions of Judaism]. Faith resulting in baptism into Christ was ineffective for gentiles unless they accepted circumcision and live as Jewish proselytes.
The view of Jewish Christians who questioned the appropriateness of uncircumcised gentiles becoming Christians can be seen in Acts 11:1-3 and Acts 15:1, 5.
Paul disagreed. Though he was a Jewish Christian and though he was well educated in Jewish traditions (Galatians 1:14), he refused to impose proselytism [circumcision] and Judaism's ways on gentiles. Faith in Jesus Christ was the means of gentiles [and Jews!] entering a covenant relationship with God (Galatians 3:26). Faith in Jesus Christ was the means of continuing as God's covenant people (Galatians 5:6).
Paul's disagreement with this view of many Jewish Christians [Judaizing teachers] can be noted in Acts 15:2; his letter to the Galatians; and Romans 14:1-12.
Judaizing teachers said circumcision was the means for gentiles to enter God's covenant people. Paul said faith in Jesus Christ was the means for gentiles to enter God's covenant people. Judaizing teachers said keeping Jewish ways was the means for gentile Christians to remain within God's covenant people. Paul said living by faith in Jesus Christ was the means for gentile Christians to remain within God's covenant people.
Circumcision in the nation of Israel was not just an act, but also a symbol of covenant relationship with God. 'Circumcision' as a word often was interchangeable for the word 'Israelite.' It was a key part of a gentile's becoming a proselyte. Thus to a gentile group, it often symbolized the necessity of gentiles converting to Judaism.
The issue was not could salvation be extended to gentiles. Both agreed it could be [see Matthew 23:15 to affirm Jewish spiritual interest in gentiles]. The issue was not the truth that being part of God's covenant people was a matter of God's grace. Both believed in God's grace. It was not an issue of 'earning' a relationship with God through obedience. Neither thought that was possible. The issue was this: how do gentiles enter a covenant relationship with God and how do gentiles remain in a covenant relationship with God? Paul and the Judaizing teachers completely disagreed on the 'hows.'
Both Paul and Jewish Christians [as well as Jewish unbelievers] accepted as fact that gentiles could be saved, that salvation included God's grace, and that the objective of obedience was to access God's grace rather than 'earn' salvation. The concept that separated Paul's teaching and the Judaizing teachers' teaching was not these matters. The concept that separated them was 'how' [the means used] one accessed God's grace and thereby entered salvation.
21st Century American Christians often react against Paul's emphasis on faith in Jesus Christ primarily because of their concept of faith. Paul's concept of faith in Christ was not a concept that encouraged irresponsible conduct. The objective of faith in Jesus Christ was the transformation of the believer. The only way to express the existence of faith was through an obedient dedication to newness of life in Jesus Christ. Paul often expressed the reality of this transforming faith in the terms of an existence 'before' faith in Jesus Christ and a different existence because of faith in Jesus Christ. Today's text discusses the demonstration of faith in Christ in one's lifestyle. There was no declaration of "I believe!" and continuing to live as a person who did not believe!
The concept that 'faith in Jesus Christ' means 'doing nothing' as a response to God's grace in Christ is a 'modern' concept receiving emphasis in the reformation era. Paul's point in his New Testament writings was this: having faith in Christ involved accepting the responsibilities of transformation.
Consider Paul's emphasis to these gentile Christians at Galatia in today's text:
(1) There was a war between the lifestyle of the person directed by the Spirit [remember there was no printing and individuals did not own Bibles as we do today] and the lifestyle of the person who was controlled by the desires of physical existence. These two lifestyles and the motives that directed them are hostile to each other. It was [is] impossible to be guided by both! (5:16,17)
We need a clear understanding of this truth: the basic objectives of godless existence in this physical world and the basic objectives of God-led existence in this physical world are in direct, major conflict with each other. The desires that focus exclusively on physical existence to define the meaning of life and the motivations that focus exclusively on eternity to define the meaning of life are at war with each other.
(2) For gentile Christians, the key to knowing and accepting the lifestyle guided by the Spirit is NOT Jewish teachings and ways. (5:18)
The key to gentiles discovering the focus of a physical existence dedicated to allowing God to determine the meaning and purpose of physical life was NOT found in converting to Judaism and Jewish ways.
(3) The ungodly, anti-Spirit lifestyle familiar to Galatian Christians was listed as "the deeds of the flesh." While these were immoral and unethical from a Jewish and Christian perspective, they were not immoral and unethical from idolatrous perspectives. (5:19-21)
The key to gentiles discovering the focus of physical existence was NOT found in continuing to live the lifestyle of people who did not belong to the living God.
(4) In contrast, the lifestyle of those led by God's Spirit is given. (5:22, 23)
When a gentile Christian transformed his/her physical existence into a lifestyle that followed God's values, he/she would be distinctively different from the gentiles who lived a lifestyle that neither knew nor honored God.
(5) For gentile Christians, the key to knowing and accepting the lifestyle guided by God's Spirit WAS participating in Jesus' death by knowingly, deliberately destroying the lifestyle that controlled them prior to faith in Jesus Christ. (5:24)
The key to gentiles understanding a physical lifestyle guided by God's Spirit was understanding what God accomplished in Jesus' death and resurrection. It was [is] God's accomplishments in Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, not an acceptance of Judaism, that is the means of salvation.
(6) Paul's challenge to these gentile Christians: let the Spirit determine your lifestyle and God determine the attitudes behind your treatment of others. (5:25, 26)
Understanding God's accomplishments in Jesus' death and resurrection produces transformation. Faith results in accepting responsibility. A Christian shows appreciation for God's accomplishments in Jesus' death and resurrection by obediently following God's lead. A Christian demonstrates his/her appreciation of God in the treatment he/she extends to other people.
Note: Paul encouraged gentile Christians in Galatia to (1) abandon the lifestyle of people who did not in believe in Jesus, and to (2) adopt the lifestyle of people who did believe in Jesus Christ. The faith in Christ Paul urged was a responsible faith that obeyed, NOT an irresponsible faith that declared a person could believe in Christ while he/she lived by the standards of unbelieving societies. Through faith in God's accomplishments in Jesus Christ, Paul urged gentile Christians to accept the responsibility of having faith by living a lifestyle that trusted God's accomplishments in Jesus Christ.
Paul's emphasis on faith was not an encouragement to live and act irresponsibly. Those transformed in Jesus Christ live and act like transformed persons.
For Thought and Discussion
The discussion needs to include the understanding that some Jewish Christians were telling gentile Christians that they could not be saved unless they became proselytes [converts to Jewish teachings and ways].
Unless gentile Christians are circumcised, they cannot be saved.
Faith in Jesus Christ [God's accomplishments in Jesus' death and resurrection] will save the gentiles.
The issue WAS NOT can gentiles be saved, is salvation dependent on God's grace, or can a person 'earn' salvation through obedience. The issue WAS focused on 'how' gentiles accessed God's salvation. Must gentiles become converts to Judaism to have access to Jesus Christ?
This understanding must be included in the discussion: concept of an 'irresponsible, inactive faith' did not exist among people devoted to the living God in the first century.
The two lifestyles that were hostile to each other were these: (1) the lifestyle that declared physical desires determine the physical meaning of life; and (2) the lifestyle that declared eternal goals determine the meaning of physical life.
(1) Abandon the lifestyle of people who do not believe in Jesus; (2) adopt the lifestyle of people who understand that Jesus is the Christ.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 7
