Author: Charlie Garrett

Saturday, 14 May 2016

Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.  Galatians 5:2

In the previous verse, Paul implored the Galatians to stand firm in the freedom by which Christ had made them free. He further warned them to not allow themselves to be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. He was specifically speaking of adhering to deeds of the law as a means of being pleasing to God. Now he says, “Indeed I, Paul…”

He dogmatically asserts, under the authority of his apostleship, that what he is about to say is to be held to as absolutely assured, and it is to be taken as the strictest of doctrine for the New Covenant believer. It was he who first preached to the Galatians, bringing them the message of Christ whom he had personally encountered. He was a circumcised Jew and a meticulous adherer to the Law of Moses before that day. But now he had come to realize what faith in Christ involved. With that knowledge, and with his divinely appointed commission, he now will give words of warning.

They are words which resound throughout the ages in this precious epistle – “…if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.” Paul uses circumcision as the standard for his argument against adhering to the Law of Moses. It was so intricately tied up with the law that it was comparable to baptism for the New Covenant believer. If one were to say, “I will be circumcised in order to please God as the Law of Moses says,” then it would indicate that the work of Christ, in fulfillment of the law, was of no value at all to that person.

Circumcision was a sign which only pointed to the coming Christ. Eventually, it became a mandate of the law itself. As He fulfilled the picture which circumcision formed, and as He fulfilled the mandate of circumcision found in the law, then there was no need for the rite any longer. Its purpose was fulfilled. As this is so, then it is a rite which was to no longer be practiced for earning points with God. It was no longer a sign of covenant life.

Having said this, Paul’s mentioning of circumcision is given in relation to the law. He is not saying that someone couldn’t get circumcised as a cultural aspect of life, nor is he saying that a person couldn’t get circumcised as a standard of health as is practiced today. For such reasons, there is no limitation or warning. Paul is speaking of being circumcised as a means of obtaining justification in addition to the work of Christ.

Life application: If someone tells you that your uncircumcision needs to be corrected in order for you to be pleasing to God, tell them, “Circumcision… we don’t need no circumcision! We have Christ!”

O God! Your word tells us that circumcision of the heart is what makes us pleasing to You. The types and pictures of the Old Covenant only pointed to the coming Christ. Well, He came! In Him is fulfilled every type and every picture of ages past and of a law which is now set aside in Him. Thank You for the grace of Jesus Christ who has set aside the law which stood against us. Thank You for worship in Spirit and in truth! Amen.

Friday, 13 May 2016

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1

Paul begins chapter 5 with a summary thought concerning the allegory he used concerning the law and grace. The words, “Stand fast therefore” are an appeal to not be consumed by the false teachings of the Judaizers, but to adhere solely to the grace of Christ who has freed us from the law. They believed in Him, they were sealed with the Spirit because of their belief and without regard to deeds of the law, and he was imploring them to stand fast “in the liberty by which Christ has made us free.”

He uses the term “us” to show that he (and all Jews who had come to Christ) had been freed from the bondage of the law. The Gentiles, who never had the law, went straight from not having it to the more exalted status of being bestowed the grace of Christ. Together, both Jew and Gentile were granted a state of liberty because of His work.

As a heartfelt petition, he finishes the verse with, “…and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” The Gentiles were never under the law, but they were not without law. Paul discusses this in Romans. Despite not having the Law of Moses, they still had conscience, a law all its own, to show them that they were in bondage to sin. The Law of Moses increased sin, it highlighted sin, and it showed how utterly sinful sin is. In this, it brought an even greater yoke of bondage upon those under it.

Instead of going to a law which did this, he has petitioned them to “not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” In Christ, they were freed from sin’s penalty, and through sanctification they would be ever more freed from sin’s power. In going back to the law, sin would again gain power over them. The Holy Spirit will not work through those who stand contrary to the finished work of Christ.

Life application: The Holy Spirit is the One who testifies of the work of Christ. As Christ fulfilled (and thus annulled) the law, then those who desire to be under the law and follow its precepts, will not receive the power of the Spirit for sanctification. If they have never come to Christ in the first place, they have not even been freed from sin’s penalty. For them, there is no justification before God and no imputed righteousness from Christ.

Lord God, it is evident that every type and shadow of the Old Testament finds its fulfillment in Christ. As this is so, then why would anyone want to go back under what was merely anticipating the glory to come through Him? Help us to never be so foolish as to think that we can draw nearer to You through observances which were fulfilled in Jesus! Instead, we will rest in His finished work. And a sweet rest it is indeed! Amen.

Thursday, 12 May 2016

So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free. Galatians 4:31

Paul’s conclusion on this matter is decided with the words, “So then.” He has used an allegorical interpretation of Scripture to make a point about the superiority of the grace of Christ over deeds of the law. He has extended that interpretation to include the idea that the law is to be “cast out.” The “So then” that he writes is not just a statement concerning the allegory and its interpretation though. It is a statement that the entire idea he has been speaking about in this chapter, which includes the allegory, is decided. This final conclusion says, “…we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.”

Those in the New Testament economy are free sons of God through adoption. On the other hand, those who are under the law (or who still hold to the law, even though it is annulled in Christ), are not free, but in bondage. The law highlights sin; sin is bondage; therefore, the bondage of those under the law is sin. Paul’s words are to be taken as a testimony that we are not to insert the law into our attempt to please God. The only result of this is to show ourselves as being bound by sin; we highlight this in His presence. Instead, we are to show that we are free from sin through the work of Christ.

The use of the allegory can be summed up in the following contrasts –

The bondwoman, Hagar contrasts the freewoman, Sarah.
The son of the bondwoman, Ishmael contrasts the son of the freewoman, Isaac.
The natural birth of the flesh contrasts the spiritual birth of the promise.
Mount Sinai contrast with Mount Zion.
The Law contrasts with the Promise.
The earthly Jerusalem contrasts with the heavenly Jerusalem.
Bondage (the law) contrasts with freedom (grace in Christ).
The law is bearing few offspring (via the grace of the Day of Atonement) contrasts with grace producing multitudes.
Those under the law persecute those who are under grace.
The law is to be cast out contrasts the inheritance of those in Christ.

Life application: Paul’s contrasts are intended to show us the utter folly of pursuing deeds of the law in order to be justified. Don’t display utter folly! Trust Christ alone.

Thanking You today, O God, for this wonderful life You have given us. There are pains and there are setbacks, but there is also a better day ahead for those who have called on Christ. In Him, we can look beyond even the best days and see something infinitely better ahead. And we can look past the terrible days, knowing that they are a temporary glitch on the road to glory. Thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.

Wednesday, 11 May 2016

Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” Galatians 4:30

Paul, still continuing with his analogy between Hagar/Ishmael and Sarah/Isaac, returns to Scripture to show what New Testament faith in Christ should do with adherence to Old Covenant doctrine. As he asks, “…what does Scripture say?” He purposes that the Galatians make a sound decision based on the very words which pointed them to Christ in the first place. And its words, based on the analogy he has derived from it, tell them to “Cast out the bondwoman and her son.”

This is a quote from Genesis 21:10. These words come from the mouth of Sarah when speaking to Abraham, but Paul ascribes them to the divine Source of Scripture. Like all words recorded in the Bible, the Holy Spirit chose them from among countless words spoken by people throughout their lives. These are words actually uttered by them, but they hold special bearing on the process of redemption and so they are also those words which are used by God for us to understand His purposes for us.

Sarah had told Abraham to cast out Hagar and Ishmael; Paul is asking us to cast away doctrine which applied to the Law of Moses. It should be noted that he is not telling them to cast away the Old Testament. How could someone know what he was talking about unless they had the words of the Old Testament to refer to? Rather, he has equated Hagar/Ishmael with the doctrine of the Law of Moses; doctrine which is now obsolete and annulled.

Continuing on, he explains the reason why, using words still spoken by Sarah. He paraphrases the words for our understanding, but the intent remains –

“…for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.”

The “son of the bondwoman” includes all who hold to works of the Law of Moses for their justification before God. The “son of the free woman” includes those who have trusted Jesus Christ alone for their right standing with Him. The contrast could not be made any clearer. The Galatians had been duped into heresy by the Judaizers. The Law could never save, it never did save, and it was to be cast away. How is it that some people can’t simply pick up this book from Paul’s hand and accept it at face value?

Life application: In his analogy, Paul says to “cast away” the law as a means of obtaining justification. If you are clinging to the law to impress God, you are failing to do so. God is pleased with the finished work of His Son. For us, our trusting in that is what pleases Him.

Lord God, thank You for the wonderful day which lies ahead. There may be ups, and there may be downs, but through it all, we know that You are here with us. All things will come out as they should. We have a wonderful joy inside of us because we are counted as Your children because of the work of Jesus. What more could we ask? Praises to You, King of Eternity, for the manifold blessings You have given to us through Him. Amen.

Tuesday, 10 May 2016

But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. Galatians 4:29

In the previous verse, Paul noted that those of the church are the children of promise, thus equating us to Isaac. Now he continues with the analogy. He says that just “as he was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the spirit…” This is a direct reference to Genesis 21:9 –

“And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing.” Genesis 21:9

The word used in Genesis 21 as “scoffing” means something rather light and not injurious, such as “to jeer at” or “to mock.” Paul’s word here in the Greek conveys the idea of aggressive pursuit, such as a hunter pursuing a catch. This doesn’t mean that Paul has over-exaggerated the account. Rather, when a small child demonstrates a mocking attitude towards an even smaller child, it shows a streak of harmful intent. Sarah noticed this and it upset her greatly.

Isaac was the son of promise and Ishmael “persecuted him.” Paul then makes the full analogy by stating, “…even so it is now.” The son of promise, meaning the church, was being bullied around by the son born according to the flesh, meaning those under the law. They had their traditions and their long history, thinking these things were more important than the Spirit which was granted to those of the church by mere faith in Christ. The term Spirit here refers to the full term found in Ephesians 1, “the Holy Spirit of Promise” –

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13, 14

Paul’s words are intended to show the Galatians exactly what was occurring with the Judaizers. They were actually persecuting the church through their false teachings.

Life application: Every verse of Galatians continues to be a warning to the church to not fall into the trap of turning to the law, in any form, for justification. We are to rely solely on the grace of Jesus Christ, being obedient to the prescriptions of the hand of Paul. Put away your legalism! Turn to Christ! Be pleasing to God through what He has done!

Wonderful, beautiful Lord Jesus! You came to do the work spoken through the prophets and wise men of God since the beginning of the world. They anticipated Your coming and wrote about You, including the fact that You would suffer and die for the sins of man. And yet, You still came, knowing what lie ahead. You resolutely set Your face towards the cross, shunning its shame for wayward souls like us. What manner of love God has lavished up us! We have been called children of God because of the work of Another. Thank You Lord Jesus. Amen.