Biblical Theology XLIV: Galatians

Galatians is written by the Apostle Paul as a response to the influence that a group historically called "the Judaizers" were having on the Christians in Galatia. There is some controversy about Paul's definition of the law, and how one determines to what Paul is referring will largely dictate one's interpretation of Paul in the letter. It is important to note, however, that an antinomian interpretation of Galatians that negates the necessity of pursuing the holiness described by the moral law is negated by Paul's ending argument that one will eternally reap what one sows.

Theology: Paul gives a few arguments as to why his gospel is the correct one: (1) It was given to him by Christ Himself and not by any man, (2) Christ died for nothing if the law could transfer its righteousnes to sinners, (3) righteousness and the inheritance thereof are given to Abraham via faith, and therefore, all who would receive it must receive it likewise, (4) the promise is actually only given to one individual seed of Abraham, which is Christ, (5) the law enslaves the one who naturally attempts to fulfill it, (6) the gospel receives persecution from the natural children because it makes spiritual children, and the natural and spiritual offspring of Abraham were always at odds, (7) the Judaizers wish only to boast about themselves and are not concerned about the true gospel.

Paul indicates that the Judaizers have argued that the law is the means of salvation, i.e., becoming right, being rectified. He argues that the law is perfect and is not the problem. We, however, are the problem. We are incapable of receiving a righteousness from the law in our present state. Instead the law can do nothing to sinners but show them that they are not what they should be. It displays God's righteousness/rightness, but in doing so, displays the sinner's wrongness. Paul argues, therefore, that the reason why the law just kills the sinner who comes to it is because his nature is in conflict with the law, and rather than transfer its righteousness over to the sinner, it's justice demands the sinner be put to death. What must happen is that he must be made right through the death of Christ. By being united to Christ through faith, he receives God's favor through Christ, and receives the Holy Spirit who recreates him. Thus, he receives the death penalty of the law by being crucified with Christ, and obtains a new nature that is in harmony with the law. His new relationship with the law is one of fulfillment, having been transformed by the Spirit as one who is loving, patient, kind, in control of himself, etc. The works of love flow from this, and as a result, the law is fulfilled.


Because sinners have a nature that is contrary to the law, what is needed is a new nature, and this transformation can only take place when one is united to Christ through faith. If righteousness could be transferred from the law, Christ died for nothing. The law, however, does not transform anyone. It enslaves and kills everyone, not because it is bad or unholy. The law is good and just, but people are not good and just, and that is the problem. Instead, the promise of the inheritance is promised to a particular seed of Abraham, i.e. Christ (3:6-18). Hence, everyone who would receive the promises of Abraham must be united to Christ through faith, be crucified with Christ in order to fulfill the just penalty of the law over him (2:19-21; 3:13; 6:14), receive the blessings of His faithfulness (2:15-16; 3:22) and be created new with a love for God and others that fulfills the righteousness seen in the law.

This all happens because the Holy Spirit is given to the individual, who is given/created/born again with a new nature as an adopted son (3:3, 5, 14; 4:6; 5:29). Hence, Paul states, “For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that matters is a new creation!” (6:16).
 

Receiving the Spirit of God through faith in Christ, then, is the vehicle through which one is transformed and will end up fulfilling the righteousness of the law. If one tries to use the law as a vehicle of righteousness, he will only enslave himself again to the destruction the law brings to all sinful people.

It seems clear then that Paul is arguing against any of the law, moral or ceremonial, to have the ability to transfer righteousness. Hence, Christ's death was necessary, and a new creation of the individual is needed. Hence, he is arguing about what makes one right with God and right like Jesus, period--justificaition and sanctification, the whole of how one obtains rightness. All is through the Spirit's work through faith in Christ.

Ethics: Having been made right with Christ, one is made into a new creation that wants to love in the manner that the law defines as loving. Hence, those who have been truly united to Christ by faith, and have received the Holy Spirit will have a new nature, a change of being, that produces the rightness communicated in the Torah and elsewhere in the commands of Scripture. This will be a nature that wants to love one's brother or sister in Christ, and the one who works through love fulfills the righteousness in the law, not as one who must be made right, but as one who is made right by faith in Christ, and therefore, does what is right.

 

Any claim that being saved by faith and not by law somehow means that those in Christ are free from becoming righteous misunderstands what Paul is saying. Christians are free from the penalty of the law in order to be restored to God, and pursue love as the basis for righteous living. In other words, both Paul and the Judaizers are arguing that people must become righteous and be saved from the present evil age (1:4). The difference is that they are arguing over the means to get there. Paul argues that one becomes righteous through the faithfulness of Christ and His work that brings about the new creation of an individual, and the Judaizers are arguing that the law itself is transformative if one just does it . 

Hence, Gentiles should dedicate themselves to the law as Jewish converts. Christ, then, just becomes a part of that righteousness, perhaps, even just filling in the gaps. Paul, however, argues that Christ is the only means to receive righteousness because although the law is righteous, it cannot transfer its righteousness to the sinner (3:21-22), and so the law is only a tutor that leads to Christ in terms of its role in one being made right, as it just shows one what he should be and is not (3:24-4:7).

Hence, Galatians is not arguing for an antinomian understanding of the gospel as many seem to conclude. Paul is clear to say that those who practice the works of the flesh will not enter the kingdom of God, and whatever one reaps is in accordance with what he will sow in eternity. This may sound contradictory to some who have misunderstood him, but he is arguing essentially that those who do righteousness are righteous and those who do evil are evil, not because one followed the law and the other did not, but because one was transformed through his faith in Christ and the other was not. Hence, as all Pauline theology indicates, faith working through love produces fruit, not in an external, outwardly performing manner, but in a way that is now consistent with the new nature that is compelled to worship God and do what is right. As Paul states, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight – the only thing that matters is faith working through love” (5:6).