Galatians; The slippery slope

The epistle to the Galatians is the text which Browning’s monk “in a Spanish cloister” was hoping to use to tempt his enemy into heretical conclusions.
Certainly this letter stands out among the letters of Paul as presenting the contrast between Faith and legalism.
In the fourth chapter, he used the allegory of Isaac and Ishmael to show that the choice lies between freedom under the gospel and bondage under the Law.
Now in the fifth chapter he sets out to complete the task by overthrowing the hopeful defence “But we’re not adopting the Law. We’re only adopting the single practice of circumcision”.

vv2-3 He warns them solemnly that Christ and circumcision cannot be combined.
If they receive circumcision ( as a new act) then Christ will no longer have any benefit for them.

The reason is that there is no half-way point between faith in Christ and submission under the Law.
The act of circumcision has the effect of binding them to the Law as a whole.
This is true in a formal sense, because circumcision is the act which identifies the man as a Jew and part of the covenant of Moses.
There is also a psychological truth in it. A man who accepts any one of the demands of the Law has put himself into the mind-set of believing there are “things which must be done” before he can be right with God.
Once he’s adopted that mind-set, he’s placed himself at the top of a slippery slope. He won’t be able to stop himself until he’s taken upon himself a whole range of demanded activities.

Therefore circumcision cannot be taken in isolation.
Formally and psychologically, once they have accepted circumcision they are “under the Law”.

v4 But in placing themselves under the Law they will have separated themselves from Christ, because the two are mutually exclusive.
Anyone who seeks righteousness on the basis of “works of the Law” is no longer satisfied with righteousness based upon Faith.
I would compare it with the difference between resting and movement.
The state of trusting in Christ crucified is a condition of rest.
The state of trusting in “works of the Law” is a condition of movement.
There is no possibility of combining the two, because anyone who begins to move has already ceased to rest.
So if they look to be justified by the Law, they will have “fallen away from grace”; that is, they will have fallen away from the state of putting their trust entirely in God’s grace.

v5 Whereas “we”, the children of promise, look to be justified through Christ alone.
We are waiting for the “hope of righteousness”; that is, the state of completed righteousness which is confidently expected (there is nothing uncertain about “hope” in the New Testament sense).
It is an expectation sustained by Faith, through the Spirit.

This promise is what the Galatians will be throwing away if they allow themselves to be drawn back into “the works of the Law”.

I have seen things that can't be reconciled with our normal understanding of physics. I only wish that more would see, it is very hard to accept both free will and preordination. The collective rushes further into dissipation, all the while claiming special drawing rights of a portrait they refuse to claim. Someone close to me hates when I claim that the dead can bury the dead, funny how those who claim agnosticism or atheism are so vehemently opposed to those who don't blindly accept the "science."

a reply to: DISRAELI

Outstanding post!

So many churches no longer teach this. So many teach the old covenant commandments and neglect the entire purpose of Yeshua. It is a shame.




Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.

The Written Law was therefore a guide for us to The Messiah that we would be made right by faith.

But when the faith came we were not under a guide.

For you are all children of God by the faith of Yeshua The Messiah.

For those who have been baptized into The Messiah have put on The Messiah.

There is neither Jew nor Aramaean, neither Servant nor Free person, neither male nor female, for all of you are one in Yeshua The Messiah.

And if you are of The Messiah, you are therefore the seed of Abraham and heirs by The Promise.

originally posted by: infolurker
So many churches no longer teach this. So many teach the old covenant commandments and neglect the entire purpose of Yeshua. It is a shame.

That's exactly why I was doing this whole series. At least, I don't know what the churches are teaching, but I could see the kind of thing that was being said on these boards.
Thank you for those comments.

a reply to: infolurker

Nicely put, you obviously have a very good understanding of grace.

I applaud you sir/madam. And couldn't agree more.

Putting to sleep the old man, forgiving yourself. It seems such an easy concept at the first steps, and it is.....just a perception in your mind.

Fair travels on your road.

a reply to: Treespeaker

Actually, just a copy of Galatians 3:22 - 3:29

It is actually spelled out this way, no additions or explanations added beyond what is there.

a reply to: Treespeaker
As Infolurker says just above, he was summarising the end of ch3 of this letter.
The passage was also covered at length in one of my previous threads;
The purpose of the Law

a reply to: DISRAELI

If you have time (a very good video):

Ignore the title, after 15 mins it goes into the covenants.

a reply to: infolurker
Thank you for that link. I'm afraid I tend to avoid videos, being a fast-reading person who dislikes spending time waiting for people to say things.
The title looks good, though, and should the time be available, I will have a glance.

James 2/24
Just to cause contention
Not really

It's interesting how James goes further than Paul and explains that though we hav a promise and the ability to rest in Gods grace, it's no free ride

Becoming a Christian adds a responsibility, the responsibility that we are to live like Christ in this world that hated Him

That we are to live the sermon on the mount, be the light into the world, or at let work at it

Wouldn't you agree?

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: infolurker
Thank you for that link. I'm afraid I tend to avoid videos, being a fast-reading person who dislikes spending time waiting for people to say things.
The title looks good, though, and should the time be available, I will have a glance.

So thos eof us who have been circumsized at birth are screwed ? ok..................

a reply to: yuppa
I don't know about the video, but the way I put it in the OP was;

If they receive circumcision ( as a new act) then Christ will no longer have any benefit for them.

"As a new act" was inserted deliberately, to cover your point in advance.
This is not about what has happened to them physically (Paul himself had been circumcised at bith).
It is about where they are placing their trust.

"For neither circumcision counts for anything, NOR uncircumcision, but a new creation" (ch6 v15).

a reply to: Raggedyman
I covered the comparison between James and Paul in a thread which was part of the James series;
Faith and works

The difference, very succintly, is one of emphasis.
Paul wants us to "act in FAITH", and James wants us to "ACT in faith".

a reply to: DISRAELI

Or even an act of worship
It's Not just singing songs on a Sunday

a reply to: Raggedyman
Yes, it's a matter of offering ourselves to God; "make your bodies a living sacrifice".
The songs, like the old sacrifices, are just symbols of that.

a reply to: DISRAELI

That would include any law of Moses anyone would want to put us under after faith on Christ work alone.

i.e Sabbath day keeping on Saturday as well as some of the Dietary laws like the 7th day Adventist.

a reply to: infolurker

Exactly.

a reply to: DISRAELI
great Job DISRAIELI.

I think we have more in common than many would think.

Keep up the good work

a reply to: ChesterJohn
Next week's thread brings up the challenge of how this theme applies in the modern church.

a reply to: DISRAELI

I look forward to it.