Birth Pangs of the Gospel
In Galatians Paul defines the truth and clarity of the gospel of Christ. The drama spurring this impassioned reproof also required an unprecedented council in Jerusalem over the same issue: Whether the church should require Gentile Christians be circumcised and submit to the Law of Moses to be saved. Additional background is in Luke’s account in Acts 10-11 and 13-15. These were the birth pangs of the gospel’s movement from its Jewish roots to its Gentile branches (See also Romans 9-11).
Pressures to Conform
Very influential Jewish Christians of the party of the Pharisees demanded Gentile compliance with the Law of Moses. Some claimed James, the brother of the Lord, authorized their command. The gravity of their influence swayed the apostle Peter until the apostle Paul publically, in front of the church in Antioch, confronted him about his hypocrisy. Peter used to eat with Gentile Christians, but pressure from these guardians of the Law caused Peter, Barnabas and many other Jewish Christians to stop eating with uncircumcised Gentile Christians.
Defense of the Truth
Good men had been swayed by the claim that compliance with God’s Law completed the Messiah’s purpose for his people. Instead Paul argued that compliance to the Law caused a reversion from the purpose. Paul exclaimed: “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3, ESV). The truth of the gospel and the freedom and joy of Christians was at stake. Paul did not give in to the distortion of the gospel message for even a moment. Therefore, Paul called the church to arms: But what does the Scripture say? Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman [Galatians 4:30, ESV].”
Shocking Revelations
Paul was shocked by their departure from the clarity of the gospel that he preached. Therefore he shocked them. He surprised the Jews by asserting that rebuilding the Law nullified God’s grace. Without the grace of justification through the cross of Christ they were slaves to their transgressions and losers of their inheritance as sons of God which God promise through Abraham. Indeed Paul contended: You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace [Galatians 5:4, ESV]. Paul shocked the Gentiles, asserting that submission to the Law was like reverting to their former slavery in paganism [See Galatians 4:8-11]. Whether paganism or the Law, they all were left to the rudimentary principles of rituals and efforts according to human knowledge and their mystical imaginations. Instead, the gospel fulfilled God’s promise of justification and the adoption as sons through the simple call to trust just like Abraham had trusted.
Rule of Grace
To those who doubt that trust in the gospel of the crucified Messiah is sufficient without the requirements of the Law, Paul asserted: For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. [Galatians 5:5-6]. When we follow the rule of grace, then the Spirit of the Son of God rules our hearts. This is more effective than the ways that depend upon the flesh. Paul’s confidence in the gospel should become our confidence, because he knew this was not just another religion or spiritual way among preferred choices. The gospel of the cross of Christ is the boast of our faith, because through the cross of Christ God causes us to die to this world to be partakers of His new creation [Galatians 6:14-15].
