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.
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.
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).
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.
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.'
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!
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)
(2) For gentile Christians, the key to knowing and accepting the lifestyle guided by the Spirit is NOT Jewish teachings and ways. (5:18)
(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)
(4) In contrast, the lifestyle of those led by God's Spirit is given. (5:22, 23)
(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)
(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)
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.
For Thought and Discussion
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 7