Thoughts on Galatians

Some thought and questions as I read through Galatians:

- 1:6 - "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."  How many "Christians" today are making up their own gospel or are being led astray by people claiming they have the truth, but really it is a distortion of Scripture.  We can't take parts of the Bible and leave others that we don't like.  The Truth is the Truth.

- 1:9 "If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!"  God takes it very seriously when His word is distorted or if anyone preaches anything other than the true gospel.

- 1:10b "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."  Who am I seeking approval from?  Am I boldly declaring the truth of God's word, or am I afraid of what others will think of me?

- 2:16 "Man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ." Nothing we can do - no good works or obedience - will justify us before God.  Only our faith in Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the cross will make us right with God.

- 2:19-21 "For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

- 3:23-25 "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."

- 5:13 "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."

-5:16-17, 19-21 "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.,. 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."

It is evident from Paul's letter to the Galatians that we are no longer restricted by the law.  We are free in Christ.  That, however, does not give us license to sin.  Even though the law no longer applies to us, if we are truly living by the Spirit as God wants us to, we will not be indulging in sinful behaviour.  Instead, we will see the fruit of God's Spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (5:22-23).