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Some relationships begin well but in the course of time they turn sour.  The early promise is not realised.  The fault may lie with one or both parties in the relationship.  This kind of change is evident in the spiritual life of the Galatians.  One major reason for Paul’s letter is the change he sees in their approach to their relationship with the Lord and the speed with which this has happened. We now consider Galatians 3:1-5 Going on as you began.

1. How had the Galatians gone astray?

Paul once again addresses them directly – in strong language: ‘You foolish Galatians’ (v1).  ‘Foolish’ is not a comment on their intellectual capacity.  The issue is their use, or failure to use, the knowledge of gospel truth that they have.  The problem really lies in their heart attitude to the truth they received.  They are guilty of not applying the truth for their spiritual health and growth.  ‘Who has bewitched you?’ This is a graphic way of describing the deception by false teachers of people who ought to know better (and who are therefore guilty for their failure).  The issue is their abandoning the core truths of the gospel they once embraced – they are not going on as they began.  ‘Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly crucified’ – the vivid preaching of the gospel by Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13).  Through this gospel ‘we…have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we might be justified by faith in Christ’ (2:16).  Abandoning this message puts the person and work of Christ in question.

2. How do we begin the Christian life?

Paul recalls the Galatians’ initial response to the gospel – ‘filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 13:52).  They began ‘with/by the Spirit’ (v3) – a saving response to the gospel is God’s gift.  Salvation comes not by law-keeping but ‘by believing what you heard’ (v2).  Paul returns to the contrast he has already expounded.  Justification is by faith in Christ (2:16).  There is no place for legalism, allowing a role in salvation to human effort or works.  That is the principle stated in 2:16 ‘by observing the law, no-one will be justified’.  The Galatians had responded to the gospel on the basis of faith, hence their being filled with joy and with the Spirit (Acts 13:52).

3. How must we continue the Christian life?

Paul now exposes their folly, and that of Peter and Barnabas: ‘After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?’ (v3; ESV ‘are you now being perfected by the flesh?’).  The fundamental contradiction is beginning by grace but trying to continue by works.  The ‘flesh’ denotes what unaided and imperfect human nature can offer.  They are trying to combine conflicting and incompatible paths, grace and works.  Here is a deep irony: they describe this following of works as ‘being perfected’ when in fact it is a path that leads away from growth in holiness.  Paul recalls their past experience – ‘Have you experienced (or ‘suffered’) so much for nothing?’ – they are in danger of throwing away the early blessings of salvation by faith.  Paul seeks to awaken them – ‘Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law or because you believe what you heard?’ (v5).  We must go on in the same way as we began, by faith in the Lord.

God’s way of salvation through the redeeming work of Christ alone has often been misunderstood and even caricatured.  It may be portrayed as unworthy of God (how can God require nothing of sinners?) or as promoting immorality (is there no place for obeying God’s law?).  Such objections arose even in New Testament times and were current at many times in church history.  We now consider Galatians 2:17-21 Christ lives in me.

1. A mistaken path

Paul is still setting out the truth of the gospel in the context of the controversy in Antioch, with the Judaizers seeking to add obedience to the Mosaic law as necessary for salvation.  Paul’s key statement is in v16 ‘a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ’.  In v17 Paul deals with the objection of the Judaizers to his teaching.  They argued that Paul denied the need for law-keeping to be saved and relied only on faith, yet sin was still evident in his life – ‘does that mean that Christ promotes sin?’  The Judaizers blame his doctrine of justification by faith for the sin that remains in his life.  Is Christ a sin-promoter?  Paul is emphatic – ‘Absolutely not!’ (v17).  Paul is not being inconsistent, unlike Peter.  Justification by faith is the gospel and must be maintained and defended.

2. A saving union

Paul develops his argument that faith in Christ cannot be encouraging sin.  Paul knew from his own experience that efforts to keep the law could not save – see Romans 7:7.  The law exposed sinfulness and even promoted it.  This, however, set him on the right path.  He lays out the heart of the gospel in v20 ‘I have been crucified with Christ ‘ -this is how a sinner may live.  Paul speaks of a spiritual union between Christ and his people.  Thus Romans 6:5 ‘we have been united with him in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection’.  Our sin was laid on Christ and his righteousness is counted as ours.  Hence we are justified ‘by faith in Christ’ (v16).  We receive all the benefits flowing from Christ’s death and resurrection.  Even more wonderful – ‘but Christ lives in me’ (v20).  This is the glorious privilege enjoyed by all who are in union with Christ.  Spiritually we are indwelt by the Saviour through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Note Colossians 1:27 ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory’.

3. A transformed life

Union with Christ changes everything.  The believer is dead to sin – it will never again be his master, yet he still lives – ‘The life I now live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God’ (v20).  The entire life of the believer depends on and has its focus on Christ.  It is to be lived ‘by faith’ – the very opposite of dependence on law-keeping.  The gospel keeps bringing us back to the cross.  There we see ‘the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me’.  The definitive historical event of the cross is central to God’s provision.  The contrast between the mistaken path and the gospel path is absolute.  ‘I do not set aside the grace of God’ (v21).  If works contribute to salvation, ‘Christ died for nothing’.  No place can be given to works in the reception of salvation, or the gospel is forfeited.

Malcolm Ball

Sometimes what seems to be a local conflict can have wide-ranging implications – the issue at the heart of differences may be of great significance in a much wider sphere and to many people.  That has often been the case in history and in church history.  Thus an incident in Antioch involving Peter and Paul had major implications for the situation in Galatia and is still a crucial issue for the church.  We consider Galatians 2:11-16 Apostles in conflict.

1. The gospel threatened

If v1-10 present an encouraging picture, in v11 things suddenly change – ‘When Peter came to Antioch’.  The reason for his visit is unknown.  It possibly took place between the Council; of Jerusalem and Paul’s second missionary journey (see Acts 15).  The council had decided that Gentile Christians were not obliged to observe the Mosaic ceremonial law, and at first Peter ‘used to eat with Gentiles’ (v12).  This was consistent with gospel freedom.  But things had gone badly wrong as a result of the arrival of ‘certain men…from James’ (v12).  James, the Lord’s brother, was especially respected by Jews, but there is no evidence that these people were sent with a mission by James and their views contradict what James had said at the council.  Their view is noted in Acts 15:1 ‘Unless you are circumcised…you cannot be saved’.  Sadly Peter ‘began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles’ (v12) – totally inconsistent with the truths he professed.  Paul understands what is at stake – ‘they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, the one gospel for Jews and Gentiles.

2. The gospel preserved

In light of this serious threat to the heart of the gospel – the salvation of Jews and Gentiles solely by God’s grace through faith in Christ – Paul takes decisive action.  If Jewish rites are accorded a place in conveying salvation, the result will be ‘another gospel, which is really no gospel at all’ (1:6-7).  Because Peter’s sin is public, Paul’s response is public – ‘I said to Peter in front of them all…’ (v14).  Paul acts for the glory of God and the welfare of God’s people, including Peter.  Peter’s sin is ‘hypocrisy’ (v13) – believing Gentiles were free from the Mosaic law yet himself acting differently.  He was trying to force Gentiles ‘to follow Jewish customs’ (v14).  It is vital for the sake of the gospel that we believe and live consistently, and that hypocrisy is exposed courageously and lovingly.

3. The gospel defined

In God’s providence conflicts over doctrine and practice have often served to clarify and protect the truth.  This episode in Antioch is no exception.  The confrontation between Paul and Peter crystallised the truth as Paul states the grand principle at the heart of the gospel.  That is one reason why Galatians became so important for Luther and the Reformation.  Paul speaks as a Jew: ‘We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ’ (v16).  This is the great truth of justification by faith alone, expounded at length by Paul in Romans.  Note also Ephesians 2:8-9.  It is by faith we are justified, never by law-keeping.  We must never allow any ‘works’ to displace grace and faith, or we will have a false gospel.

Satan delights to cause division and disunity among Christians, so as to destroy fellowship and hinder gospel witness.  Above all, God is dishonoured by divisions among those who profess to be his people.  If leaders become divided, the damage can be great, hence the constant emphasis in the New Testament on unity in Christ and in the gospel.  We consider Galatians 2:1-10 Unity in the gospel.

1. Consultation

In 1:18-24 Paul emphasises that his mission and his message did not derive authority from other apostles.  His visit ‘after 3 years’ (1:18) was purely to get to know Peter – Paul did not require any kind of apostolic ‘authorisation’.  A further visit ‘14 years later’ (v1) was to deal with the vital issue of how the gospel relates to Gentiles.  It seems best to regard this as the occasion of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15).  Note he went ‘in response to a revelation’ (v2), showing how important the issue was.  The future of Paul’s ministry to Gentiles was at stake (v2).  He was not asking other apostles for correction or authorisation – God gave him his gospel and the authority to preach it – but if others did not agree, his ministry to Gentiles of preaching salvation solely through faith in Christ, free of Jewish ceremonies, would be fatally compromised.  If the church got this issue wrong, the Gentile mission would be finished.

2. Infiltration

Paul describes the situation the Galatian churches faced: ‘false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ and to make us slaves’ (v4).  These people opposed Paul’s approach to the admission of Gentiles to the church.  Often they are designated ‘Judaizers’ – their view was ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved’ (Acts 15:1).  At the Council the gospel itself was at stake.  Paul knew that grace and works could not be mixed in seeking salvation (Romans 11:6).  We are always called to preserve the purity of the gospel, adding nothing to God’s grace.  We hear the relief expressed by Paul at the Council’s decision – ‘not even Titus…was compelled to be circumcised’ (v3).  Titus was a full Gentile, but no burden of obedience to the ceremonial law was imposed on him.  The Council agreed with Paul – in future Gentiles would not be burdened with the Mosaic ceremonies.  According to Acts 15:20 only a few concessions were asked of Gentiles to avoid unnecessary offence to Jewish believers.

3. Confirmation

Paul continues to describe the results of the Jerusalem visit.  His calling them ‘those who seemed to be important’ (v6) is not denigrating them, but he rejects the undue exaltation of Jewish apostles by the Judaizers at Paul’s expense.  It is crucial that unity is expressed – they ‘gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognised the grace given to me’ (v9).  All realise they are one in Christ, serving the same Lord and preaching the same gospel.  The clarity of the gospel for Jews and Gentiles is preserved.  There is a place for distinctive spheres of labour (v9), not excluding some overlap.  A practical consequence is concern for the poor (v10, chiefly Jewish believers).  It is an example to the church in all ages.