Note: If you
would like to read the first two
parts of this article, they can be
accessed at the following web link: www.wake-up.org/newsletter-archive/the-wake-up-report/2016/the-book-of-galations-part-1.html
Galatians 4: 13-16
“[I have been told that some in
the church have had a change of heart
towards me. I am no longer welcome in
Galatia.] As you know, it was
because of an illness that I first
preached the gospel to you. Even
though my illness was a trial to you [you
were very supportive of my physical
needs during my recovery], you did
not treat me with contempt or scorn.
Instead, you welcomed me as If I were
an angel of God, as if I were Christ
Jesus himself. What has happened to
all your joy? I can testify that, if
you could have done so, you would
have torn out your eyes and given
them to me. Have I now become your
enemy by telling the truth?”
Galatians 4: 17-20 “These
people [from Jerusalem belonging
to the circumcision group] are
zealous to win you over [to a
gospel of justification through
obedience], but [it is] for
no good. What they [really] want
is to alienate you from us [who
know the freedom in Christ], so
that you may be zealous for them. It
is fine to be zealous for them. It is
fine to be zealous, provided the
purpose is good, and to be so always
and not just when I am with you, how
I wish I could be with you now and
change my tone, because I am
perplexed about you!”
Galatians 4: 21-26 “Tell
me, you who want to be under the law [you
who want to be justified through
obedience], are not aware of what
the law says? For it is written that
Abraham had two sons, one by the
slave woman [Hagar] and the
other by the free woman [Sarah]. His
son by a slave woman was born the
ordinary way [through the works
of the flesh]; but his son by the
free woman was born as a result of a
promise [Sarah was too old to
conceive]. These things may be
taken figuratively, for the [two]
woman represent two covenants. One
covenant is from Mount Sinai and [it
produces] bears children who are
to be slaves [to the law]:
This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for
Mount Sinai in Arabia [where the
law was given] and corresponds to
the present city of Jerusalem,
because she [Hagar] is in
slavery with her children [Jerusalem].
[The children of Hagar think they can
be saved through obedience and they
are slaves to the idea that salvation
comes through works of the flesh. I
know this well, for it was my zealous
experience and religion at one time! But
the [New] Jerusalem that is
above [is composed of those who
believe God’s promises. They are
truly] is free, and she [New
Jerusalem] is our mother.”
Galatians 4: 27-30 “For
it is written [in an oracle
– Isaiah 54:1]. “Be
glad, O barren woman [Sarah], who
bears no children; break forth and
cry aloud, you who have no labor
pains; because more are the children
of the desolate woman [Sarah]
than of her who has a husband.”
[This oracle caricatures Sarah,
who was a barren woman, would have
many more children than any ordinary
woman could possibly have through the
works of the flesh.] Now you, [Gentile
and Jewish] brothers [in the
Lord are], like Isaac, are
children of promise. At that
time, the son born in the ordinary
way [Ishmael] persecuted the
son [Isaac] burn by the power
of the Spirit. It is the same now.
But what does the Scripture
say?” [God commanded
Abraham] Get rid of the slave
woman and her son, for the slave
woman’s son will never share in
the inheritance with the free
woman’s son.”
Galatians 4: 31 “Therefore
brothers, we [who are believers
in Jesus] are not children of the
slave woman [our righteousness
does not come from our obedience], but
[we are] of the free woman [our
righteousness comes from Christ
through faith].” Although
obedience is required of all mankind,
we cannot justify ourselves before
God through obedience. We are truly
free even though the law imposes its
obligation on us. Our joy is in
knowing that Christ is our Savior. He
is our righteousness. We want to
please Him for He provided the
righteousness we need. Paul told the
brothers in Rome the same thing: “For
in the gospel a righteousness from
God is revealed, a righteousness that
is by faith from first to last, just
as it was written: ‘The
righteous will live by
faith.’” (Romans 1:17)
Galatians 5: 1,2 “it
is for freedom that Christ has set us
free. Stand firm, then, and do not
let yourselves be burdened again by a
yoke of slavery, Mark my words! I,
Paul, tell you that if you let
yourselves be circumcised, Christ
will be of no value to you at
all.” Paul was writing that
if the church from Galatia listened
to the men from Jerusalem and
submitted to circumcision, their
confidence before God would be found
in the deeds of the flesh and they
would slip deeper and deeper into the
slavery that legalism demands. Their
religious experience would be reduced
to do’s and don’ts (the
life of a slave) and the joy of
knowing the riches of Christ would
fade away. Their religious experience
would become a ritual and their
growth in Christ would become stale
because there is no faith. Do we want
to deceive ourselves and think that
we save ourselves from eternal death
by obedience or do we want to know
God and walk with Him in Spirit and
Truth? Salvation comes to everyone
who believes the promises of God. “For
we maintain that a man is justified
by faith apart from observing the
law.” (Romans 3:8)
Galatians 5: 3-6 “Again
I declare to every man who lets
himself be circumcised that he is
obligated to obey the whole law. [You
are obligated to obey more laws than
you can possibly remember!] You
who are trying to be justified by [obeying
the] law have been alienated from
Christ; you have fallen away from
grace [God’s favor]. [Your
efforts and Christ’s sacrifice
will have no value.] But by faith
we eagerly await through the Spirit
of righteousness for [the
fulfillment of the promises given to
Abraham in] which we hope. For in
Christ neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision has any [salvific]
value. The only thing that counts
is faith expressing itself through
love.”
Galatians 5: 7-10
“My dear children,] You were
running a good race. Who cut in on
you [pun intended] and kept
you from obeying the truth? [I
know who. I am well acquainted with
the circumcision group. They love
their slavery and self-righteousness.
They foolishly think obedience makes
them righteous in God’s sight.] That
kind of persuasion does not come from
the one [the Holy Spirit] who
calls you [to follow Christ].
[Jesus said,] ‘A little yeast
works through the whole batch of
dough.’ [This means a little
heresy contaminates the whole
religion.] I am confident in the
Lord that you will take no other view
[than believing in God’s
promises]. The one who is throwing
you into confusion will pay the
penalty, whoever he may be.”
Galatians 5:11 “Brothers,
[if you submit to circumcision,
you will forfeit Christ to become a
Jew] if I am still preaching
circumcision [as some brothers
from Jerusalem falsely claim], why am
I still being persecuted [by the
Jews]? [If I was advancing the
teachings of Judaism] In that case
the offense of the cross has been
abolished.” The Jews did not
accept the truth. Jesus terminated
the “everlasting covenant”
of circumcision given to Abraham
which was a covenant in the flesh.
The Lord showed Paul that “A
man is not a Jew if he is only one
outwardly, nor is circumcision merely
outward and physical. No, a man is a
Jew if he is one inwardly, and
circumcision is circumcision of the
heart, by the Spirit, not by written
code. Such a man’s praise is not
from men, but from God.” (Romans
2: 28, 29)]
Galatians 5: 16,17 “So
I say, live by the Spirit and you
will not gratify the desires of the
sinful nature. [“Those who
live according to the sinful nature
have their minds set on what that
nature desires, but those who live in
accordance with the Spirit have their
minds set on what the Spirit desires.
The mind of the sinful man is death,
but the mind controlled by the Spirit
is life and peace. The sinful mind is
hostile to God, it does not and
cannot submit to God’s law.
Those controlled by the sinful nature
cannot please God.” (Romans 8:
5-8)] For the sinful nature
desires what is contrary to the
Spirit, and the Spirit what is
contrary to the sinful nature. They
are in conflict with each other, so
that you do what you want.”
Galatians 5: 18-24 “But
if you are led by the Spirit [to
obey God’s laws], you are not
under the law [as a means for
justification]. [Notice how rebellion
against God’s law works:] The
acts of the sinful nature are
obvious: sexual immorality, impurity
and debauchery; idolatry and
witchcraft; hatred, discord,
jealousy, fits of rage, selfish
ambition, dissensions; factions and
envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the
like. I warn you, as I did before,
that those who live like this will
not inherit the kingdom of God. [This
is the crucial truth. Do not be
deceived. You cannot claim that you
are led by the Spirit when you rebel
against the laws of God! The Holy
Spirit’s objective is to put
God’s laws in our hearts and
minds so that we might enjoy eternity
with God!] But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against
such things there is no law.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have
crucified the sinful nature with its
passions and [rebellious and sinful] desires.”
Galatians 5: 25-6:5 “Since
we live by the Spirit, let us keep in
step with the Spirit [who knows
our thoughts and mind]. Let us not
become conceited, provoking and
envying each other. Brothers, if
someone is caught in a sin, you who
are spiritual should restore him
gently. But watch yourself, or you
also may be tempted. Carry each
other’s burdens [concern
yourselves with the suffering of
those around you], and in this way
you will fulfill the law of Christ.
If anyone thinks he is something [righteous]
when [actually,] he is
nothing, he deceives himself. Each
one should test his own actions [by
looking into the intent of the law
and after noticing his own failures
and successes through faith] Then
he can take pride in himself, without
comparing himself to somebody else,
for each one should carry his own
load [of responsibilities as far
as possible].”
Galatians 6: 6-10 “Anyone
who receives instruction in the Word
must share all the good things with
his instructor. [Be charitable to
those who teach the Word and carry
its burden.] Do not be deceived:
God cannot be mocked. A man reaps
what he sows. The one who sows to
please his sinful nature, from that
nature will reap destruction; the one
who sows to please the Spirit, from
the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Let us not become weary in doing
good, for at the proper time we will
reap a [good] harvest if we do
not give up. Therefore, as we have
opportunity, let us do good to all
people, especially to those who
belong to the family of
believers.”
Galatians 6: 11, 12 “See
what large letters I use as I write
to you with my own hand! [Because
I am nearly blind and no one around
me to take dictation, I have written
this letter with my own hand.] Those
who want to make a good impression
outwardly are trying to compel you to
be circumcised. The only reason they
do this is to avoid being persecuted
for the cross of Christ. [They
foolishly think that the Jews will
approve of us if we consent to
circumcision. This is totally false.
Any compromise or dilution on the
importance of the perfect life and
sacrificial death of Jesus on the
cross will derail the gospel of
Christ in due time, Christianity will
be absorbed within the confusion and
darkness of Judaism.]”
Galatians 6: 13-18 “not
even those who are circumcised obey
the law, yet they want you to be
circumcised that they may boast about
your flesh. [They want to return
to Jerusalem and say to the high
priest, “Look, here are the
backsliders’ that returned to
Judaism!”] May I never boast
except in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, through which the world has
been crucified to me, and I to the
world. Neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision means anything [now];
what counts [in God’s sight]
is a new creation. [Believe
God’s promises, walk by faith,
allow the law to serve its purposes,
and the Holy Spirit will make you a
new creation! When God’s laws
are written in our hearts and minds
His image is restored in us!] Peace
and mercy to all who follow this rule
[“Stop thinking that
obedience will bring salvation.”
I say this], even to the Israel of
God [who has been separated from
ancient Israel. (James 1: 1; 2:1)]. Finally,
let no one cause me trouble [dispute
the things which the Lord has
revealed to me], for I [am a
servant of the Lord Jesus and I] bear
on my body the marks [and
stripes] of Jesus. The grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ be with your
spirit, brothers. Amen.”
Larry Wilson – March 2016
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