The bulk of Paul's letter to the Galatians centers around one argument. Are Gentile belieers subject to the Jewish laws? 'You foolish Galatians, Who has bewitched you? Paul asks. After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort....Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? - Gal. 3:1-5 NIV
Paul recounts in his letter how he has been fighting the battle with others, including Peter, over the issue of whether or not the Gentiles should be circumcised. You used to be slaves, Paul tells the Galatians, to those who weren't even gods. Now you know God, why are you turning back to those same weak and miserable principles that would enslave you. Instead, Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. - Gal. 3:6 NIV
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. Paul tells them. If you hold to one tenet of the law, such as circumcision, you are bound by the entire law... you will have to be come slaves to the entire law. Instead, The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself....So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 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 not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. - Gal. 5:14-18 NIV
'If you truly live by the Spirit, that was given to you through Christ', Paul tells the Galatians, 'you will not have to worry about the passions and desires of a sinful nature.' 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 desires. - Gal. 5:22-23 NIV
This was not just Paul's argument. Jesus made the same case to those Jews who wanted to know how, as Abraham’s descendants and never slaves of anyone, could Jesus say that he would set them free. Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So,if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. - John 8:36 NIV
The ones set free by Jesus were free...free from the law, free from sin...free indeed.
No comments:
Post a Comment