We have now spent 7 weeks studying this letter to the Galatians. Paul paints a very clear picture of two different ways of life and says, ‘Pick one.’ He does this by using a series of different but closely related contrasts: true and false ‘gospels’; law and faith; blessing and curse; slave and free; child and heir; spirit and flesh.

As we wrap up this week, we are going to look back over some of these major themes and images of the book, and think about what we must learn, how we should grow and what we are called to do by this letter.

True gospel vs. false ‘gospel’ (Gal 1-2)

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
     – Gal 1:6-9

Right from the start, the Apostle Paul sets out two choices. There is the true gospel, and there is a false ‘gospel’, which is not really a gospel at all (Gal 1:6-7). There is no middle ground, no in-between. If it is not the true gospel, the whole true gospel, and nothing but the true gospel, then it is no gospel at all. And preaching a gospel other than the true gospel results in condemnation.

The Galatians were being sold a ‘faith-plus’ gospel. They were being told that, in addition to believing in Jesus, they must also make themselves heirs of Abraham and the promises given to him by being circumcised (cf. Acts 15:1-2). In their argument, Jesus plus circumcision equals salvation and blessing. But Paul rejects this outright: no matter who they are, if someone is preaching a ‘gospel’ other than what Paul himself preached, they ought to be condemned (Gal 1:8-9). They are preaching a return to slavery in Egypt, as some of the Israelites did, they are alienating themselves from Christ (Gal 5:4) and proclaiming Christ’s sacrifice to be unnecessary and insufficient (Gal 5:2).

Sadly, faith-plus ‘gospels’ still exist in the church today. What are some of the things people add to the gospel today? Some are things of doctrine: you must believe in the authority of the church or the Pope, or subscribe to a particular view of the creation of the world. Some are things of practice: you must worship using contemporary music, or pray a certain prayer, you must read this or that translation of Scripture, go to these conferences, be baptised as an adult by full immersion and attend this church. The worst of all are those that are close to the truth, that bear a passing resemblance to the truth, but are not true. One example would be the teaching that, in order to be saved, you must continue to exercise obedient faith. On the face of it this looks OK; surely Christians should continue in faithful obedience to Christ? But it is back to front, for obedience springs from and is a result of being saved, rather than being a condition of being saved. The true gospel says that if you are a Christian, you will obey; the false gospel says when you obey you will be a Christian.

It is no exaggeration to say that Paul spends this entire letter trying to explain the difference between the true gospel and the false. More importantly, he begs and pleads with the Galatians to hold on to the truth and not to compromise. He pronounces a curse on the false teachers, saying ‘Let [them] be eternally condemned’ (Gal 1:8-9). He demonstrates the correct attitude, rebuking even one of the most respected leaders of the church for behaviour that was not in line with the truth of the gospel (Gal 2:14).

We, too, have a responsibility to hold firm to the gospel, to act in line with its truth, and to reject those promoting a false gospel. The only way we can do this is by knowing the gospel. Take every opportunity to soak in the truth of the gospel. Read your Bible by yourself, asking God to help you understand and apply it, praying through it line by line. Study the Scriptures with your friends, learning from the insights and applications given to them and sharing your own in turn. Listen to those who preach and teach, whether it be here in this church, in your school, at uni, conferences, always referring back to the Scriptures to see if what they are teaching matches what you find there. Observe those Christians around you who you know to be godly – whether parents, friends, pastors, elders or whoever else – and see how their lives are impacted by the gospel. You can only spot a fake fifty dollar note by knowing what a real one looks like; in the same way, you must know what the true gospel is in order to spot a false one.

And, once spotted, reject it!

Faith vs. law (Gal 3-4)

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing — if it really was for nothing? 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

Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
     – Gal 3:23-29

The false gospel in Galatia was that, in addition to the saving work of Christ, the Galatians now needed to become circumcised and, more generally, to adopt the practices required in the Jewish Law. This encompasses at least the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch, but probably the whole of what we call the Old Testament is in view.
So Paul directs all of his considerable influence and effort towards helping the Galatians to understand the true place of the law in salvation history. He makes very clear that the law cannot bring justification or salvation, but only death and condemnation (Gal 2:16). Once you commit to obeying the law, you must obey all of it or else come under a curse (Gal 3:10). It declares us to be prisoners of sin, needing to be rescued (Gal 3:22). More positively, Paul says the law is an overseer and guardian its function is to lead us to Christ, at which point we are set free from its supervision (Gal 3:24-25).

Let me ask you a deeply profound theological question: Why do you brush your teeth? Perhaps you may answer with reference to dental hygiene and oral health. You may, if you’re honest, talk about avoiding the dentist and his fearsome weapons and even more fearsome bills! Or perhaps it’s just habit that keeps you doing it. My son, Aedan, is 4 years old. Why do you think he brushes his teeth? The truth is, he does it because Katrie and I tell him to. This is right and good, as obeying one’s parents is a good thing. But what if that is his only reason for doing it? What happens when he is 14? or 40? If he is still brushing his teeth just because, ‘Mummy and Daddy told me to,’ or, worse, not brushing his teeth at all, what will we think? Something has gone wrong, for by then he should be mature enough to understand the actual reasons for doing it. The action should come from within him, rather than being imposed on him by his parents.

The same is true of the law. Its purpose was and is to lead people to Christ. When we read the Old Testament today, we must always be asking, ‘How does this lead to Christ? How does it point to him?’ When we read rules about sacrifices, priests, purification, slavery and so on, we must ask how they relate to Christ. For example, the book of Hebrews teaches us that Jesus is the final and perfect sacrifice, and that no further sacrifices are required (Heb 7:27). He is also the great high priest (Heb 4:14) and no other is required. In both these cases, the law pointed towards Christ and, now that he is come, they are no longer required to do this. So too with slavery, for Christ has redeemed us once for all from our bondage. In other cases, the OT laws will find confirmation in the NT, such as the laws about murder, adultery and so on. Sometimes it is not clear how the OT command ought to be interpreted today, and in these cases I can only suggest you ask the Spirit within you to confirm the right course.

We should not, like some early church heretics, abandon the OT. It is still relevant, though not always in the same way that it was for the Israelites. For we live in the time after Christ’s revelation, and everything must be reevaluated in that light. Read your OT as well as your NT, for there is much to learn; but read it with an eye to Jesus Christ and his life and work. It is a means to wisdom, but not, of itself, to salvation.

So what is the means by which salvation comes? Paul is very clear: salvation comes only by faith in Jesus Christ. ‘The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me’ (Gal 2:20). It is by believing in Christ that we have received God’s Holy Spirit (Gal 3:2-5). Believe the promises of God, Paul says, and this will be credited to you as righteousness; this is how it was for Abraham (Gal 3:6, 9). It is by faith that we become sons of God (Gal 3:26), and all stand equal in the face of God’s promises (Gal 3:28). Where those relying on the law are cursed and obligated to do all it commands (Gal 3:10), Christ redeemed us from the curse (Gal 3:13) and, in fact, became and bore that curse for us, in our place, leaving only a blessing for Jews and Gentiles alike (Gal 3:14). The law brings only curse, and no blessing; in Christ there is no curse, but only blessing.

Paul spends a great deal of time in chapters 3 and 4 talking about Abraham. This is probably a sign that the preachers of circumcision were appealing to the blessings associated with being children of Abraham. Paul takes up this argument, but redirects it by reminding the Galatians that Abraham had two children, Ishmael and Isaac, both of whom received the rite of circumcision; but only Isaac was an heir of the promises given to Abraham (Gal 4:21-5:1). So if circumcision was not the defining characteristic, what was? Two things. Firstly, one was a child born of human efforts, the other born by the gracious promise and gift of God. Secondly, Ishmael was the son of a slave, and thus himself a slave; Isaac was born to Sarah, Abraham’s wife, and was so an heir. The true children of Abraham are those who believe the promises of God, and are thus born of the Spirit to true freedom.

Friends, the law, or anything else that we try and substitute as the foundation for our faith – personal piety, church attendance, becoming evangelists or missionaries or whatever – is not the way of freedom. These things are all good things, but if they are what drives us on in the Christian walk, if they are what we hold up as our defining characteristics, then they will lead only to obligation, slavery and curse. If, instead, we live our lives trusting in the promises of God, looking to him to guide us and provide for us, believing in his love and protection, then we are free and blessed heirs of Abraham.

Freedom in the Spirit (Gal 5-6)

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

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 5:13-18

We are no longer subject to slavery, but are made free (Gal 5:1). But ‘freedom’ is all too easily misunderstood by the world. For them, ‘freedom’ means being able to do whatever they want when they want; it is freedom from obligation. But Christian freedom is the freedom to meet our obligations to one another. Life in the Spirit is community life, and we must use our freedom to serve one another in love (Gal 5:13-14). In this way we do not set aside but fulfil the law (Gal 5:14).
Paul is not backtracking or contradicting himself. This life of mutual love and service can only come about as a result of the work of the Holy Spirit in our life, and the Spirit, as we have already mentioned, comes only by faith in Jesus Christ (Gal 3:2-5) according to the promise of God (Gal 3:14). We do not receive the Spirit by what we do, but by believing the promises of God; so we cannot expect to live a life of love and service unless we have first been saved, and received the Spirit.

Christian freedom is also freedom to fight. Paul describes the Christian life using the vivid metaphor of a war between the sinful fleshly nature, and the nature born of the Spirit (Gal 5:17). We have been freed from the enemy camp, so we should not use our freedom to return there (Gal 5:13). For those in Christ, the sinful nature has been crucified (Gal 5:24). Though its death may be slow, it is assured, so do not return to it.

We fight alongside other Christians, under the leadership of the Spirit. So let us serve one another, bearing one another’s burdens (Gal 6:2), shouldering our own load (Gal 6:5) and walking in step with the Spirit (Gal 5:25). In this way, we will not sow dissension in the ranks, but will fight with and for one another. The battles will be hard, but the victory is never in doubt.

Where do you see yourself in this fight? Are you on the front line, fighting daily? Have you been wounded and evacuated to receive help? Or are you caught behind enemy lines, trying to blend in with the people around you and not get noticed? Where do you want to be?

Conclusion

In closing, by way of summing up this letter to the Galatians, let me ask you what is it that you rely upon? When the chips are down, where do you turn? When you miss out on the place in uni you wanted, your aunt is diagnosed with leukaemia, your parents are fighting all the time and on the verge of splitting up, you are in financial distress, you have a fight with your best friend, your brother loses his job – what is your plan? Alternately, who or what gets the credit when things are going well? You get promoted, you have great friends, you’re getting married, your kid (or kid brother) turns to Christ – is that all you, your obedience, your character, your hard work? Or is it your friends, church, family or just plain luck?

No matter who you profess as your Saviour with your mouth, your answers to these questions will help you to see who you are actually counting on to save you. For the Galatians, they were being told to rely on their own obedience to the law; you and I are being told to rely on ourselves and our friends, our education and our initiative. Yet all of these things are false saviours, false gods, and will enslave us. If education is your saviour, you will spend all of your time and money on acquiring it, but it will enslave you not save you. If money is your saviour, you will bend all your efforts towards gaining it, but it will enslave you not save you. If friends are your saviour you will live a life trying to please others and thus gain friends, but this life will enslave you not save you.

You have a choice. On the one hand, you can choose the false ‘gospel’ that looks like good news but isn’t – ‘You can save yourself!’ The result of this choice will be that you are enslaved, cursed, following the way that leads only to death. On the other hand, you can turn to the true gospel, the only gospel, and believe in Jesus, dying to your old life (Gal 2:19-20) and rising a new creation (Gal 6:15). This way leads to life, to blessing, to freedom and heirship, to life in the Spirit and redemption from slavery.

The only Saviour who brings freedom is Jesus Christ. The only Saviour who gives you the Holy Spirit is Jesus Christ. The only Saviour who will truly save you is Jesus Christ.

Believe in him.