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Imagine a prisoner who has received a pardon who leaves prison to begin a new life but who, in a short time, returns to prison.  Being in prison for him removes the pressure of making decisions and choices – there is a kind of security in being bound by prison rules.  That may be very hard to understand, yet spiritually that is what the Galatians are doing.  We now consider Galatians 5:1-12 Stand firm in freedom

1. The blessing of freedom

Paul begins with a bold assertion: ‘It is for freedom that Christ has set you free’ (v1).  This follows on from 4:31 ‘we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman’.  Christianity is a religion of freedom.  In our unsaved condition we need freedom from many things, but here it seems to be freedom from the law, as Paul has argued earlier in the letter.  Through faith in Christ we are freed from the necessity of perfect obedience to God’s law for salvation, a requirement we cannot meet.  We are also freed from the condemnation of the broken law since ‘Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law’ (3:13).  True freedom is possible through Christ ‘becoming a curse for us’.  The prospects before believers are glorious: ‘by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope’.

2. The burden of circumcision

Paul ensures that the erring Galatians realise the full implications of departure from the gospel of God’s free grace: ‘if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you’ (v2).  The two paths of salvation are incompatible, and in fact relying on law-keeping leads away from God.  In v3 Paul makes clear that a choice for law means a choice for perfect obedience – ‘required to obey the whole law’ – relying entirely on works.  Adding anything to faith in Christ actually removes Christ from a place in salvation.  ‘A Christ supplemented is a Christ supplanted’ (William Hendriksen).  Faith and works, Christ and law, cannot be combined.  Since true freedom is the result of faith in Christ and the justification he confers, ‘Stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened by a yoke of slavery’ (v1).  To turn back forfeits the blessing of freedom Christ gives.  Why should we make the grave mistake of turning from the Son of God as our sufficient Saviour?

3. The battle with enemies

Paul’s tone is gentler than earlier in the letter.  Despite the danger in which the Galatians find themselves, there is a note of optimism in Paul’s statement, ‘You were running a good race’ (v7).  If they were on the right path, the Lord will not allow his work of grace to fail.  There is a real battle: ‘Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?’ (v7).  This is the work of the Judaizers, it is not God’s doing – ‘That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you’ (v8).  The efforts of the Judaizers are like ‘yeast’ (v9), damaging and spreading corruption.  Paul had faced opposition – he was accused of ‘preaching circumcision’ – perhaps an accusation of hypocrisy when he circumcised the half-Gentile Timothy (Acts 16:3).  His response is vigorous (v10,12).  But ‘I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view’ (v10) – God’s work of grace cannot fail.

Just because someone quotes or refers to the Bible in an argument does not necessarily mean that he has understood it correctly or is interpreting it accurately.  The question is always: have they really attended to what Scripture actually says?  Paul now raises this issue with the false teachers in Galatia.  We now consider Galatians 4:21-31 True spiritual freedom

1. The history

To the Judaizers, who set such great value on keeping the law, Paul asks, ‘are you not aware of what the law says?’ – they should be listening more attentively to the law (by which Paul means the first 5 books of the OT).  Paul shows that the law actually supports him, not the Judaizers.  He takes them back to Genesis 16 and 21, the account of Abraham’s two sons (v22), Ishmael and Isaac.  Paul sees in the contrast between the sons the same contrast as that between those who want to live on the basis of law-keeping and those who live on the basis of faith.  The Judaizers pride themselves on being Abraham’s children, but ‘it is written that Abraham had two sons’.  The crucial differences between the sons teach profound spiritual lessons.  Ishmael was born to Hagar, the slave woman, whilst Isaac was born to Sarah, the free woman.  Ishmael was born in the normal way, Isaac ‘as a result of a promise’ – that is, by divine activity.  The contrast is between what man can do by his own strength and what God alone can give in his covenant love.

2. The allegory

Paul draws a lesson from these historical events for the present theological controversy in Galatia: ‘these things may be taken figuratively (v 24, ESV ‘interpreted allegorically’).  Paul uses the two sons of Abraham as an illustration of a vital principle of God’s dealings with mankind.  Note ‘the women represent two covenants’:

            (i).  Law: ‘One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves’ (v24).  There was grace at Sinai (God had delivered undeserving Israel from Egyptian bondage) but the Sinai covenant also set out God’ law as a guide for life (not as a means of salvation).  To seek salvation by law-keeping was nothing but slavery.  This ‘corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem’ (v25) – the Jews seeking salvation in the law are ‘in slavery’.

            Promise: Sarah represents the Covenant of Grace and ‘the Jerusalem that is above is free’, a spiritual city, the covenant people of God.  This city is built by grace, the antithesis of law-keeping.  Paul supports this by citing Isaiah 54:1 ‘Be glad, O barren woman…’ (v27).  The text is fulfilled in the abundant gathering in of believers in Christ, by faith, as ‘Abraham’s seed’ (3:29).

3. The application

Which son are we?  Believers ‘like Isaac, are children of promise’, owing our spiritual life to the gracious work of God.  God’s promise takes us to Christ as our hope.  To bring anyone under the yoke of legalism is to deny the work of grace and pervert the gospel (as the Judaizers did).  As v29 reminds us, there is a spiritual war evident throughout history.  The inheritance of salvation belongs to believers, who are ‘children…of the free woman’ (v31).

As we administer the Sacrament of Baptism, we think of the Covenant of Grace which is the means by which God brings sinners into a saving relationship with himself.  God becomes their God and they become members of his family.  The sacrament recognises that the child of believing parents comes within the sphere of the covenant.  It does not make the child a Christian but places him in a privileged position.  A scriptural example is Timothy (see Acts 16:1-3).  We consider II Timothy 3:14-15 Precious privileges.

1. A godly home

Paul appeals to Timothy to maintain an unwavering witness for the truth in the face of growing unbelief and immorality.  One ground for his appeal: ‘you know those from whom you learned it’ (v14).  Though this may include Paul, it is chiefly looking back to the home in which Timothy was raised.  In 1:5 Paul speaks of the faith ‘which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice’.  Although they would not have been Christians before Paul’s preaching of the gospel, they had been devout people who knew the OT revelation which pointed to Christ.  The gospel message then completed their faith.  Timothy was raised in a godly home and from his earliest years would have seen lives devoted to worship and the service of God.  It seems the faith was on the female side of the family.  Timothy’s upbringing underlines the vital role of the example set in the home.  Such formative influences shape his view of the world.

2. A faithful training

Along with example there must be specific training in the Word of God.  Paul has great reason for thanksgiving regarding Timothy: ‘how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures’.  Instruction from the Word had begun at an early age (age 5 in Jewish tradition).  A child is never too young to receive a little of God’s Word, and as ability grows, the teaching should increase.  A unique place in a child’s reading should be given the Scriptures ‘which are able to make you wise for salvation’.  In the Word the gospel is set out clearly, and through it God delights to save.  This knowledge is true wisdom, instructing us in the way of righteousness (see Psalm 119:99).  Such instruction takes time and both parents should be involved, along with the input of the church.

3. A covenant blessing

Neither example nor training can make a person a believer – by the enabling of God’s grace there must be a response of faith to the Good News of salvation.  There can be no salvation without ‘faith in Jesus Christ’.  Those growing up in Christian homes must beware of assuming they are believers apart from personal faith.  Why a ‘covenant blessing’?  Covenant children are in a special position, a position of privilege.  God makes many promises to them (see his words to Abraham in Genesis 17:7).  This does not mean that all covenant children will believe and be saved, but many are brought to faith.  We see evidence of God’s covenant faithfulness many times in families.  This gives good reason for hope regarding covenant children and should spur earnest prayer.

After 70 years in exile, some of the Jews returned from Babylon under Zerubbabel.  After 2 years the foundations of a restored Temple were laid but in the face of opposition work ceased.  God sent prophets like Haggai and Zechariah to stir the people to renewed work.  Here Zechariah is told to take the gold and silver to make a crown for Joshua the High Priest, a symbolic action relating to the work of the Messiah God would provide.  We consider Zechariah 6:12-13 The Royal Branch.

1. The living Branch

Joshua is not literally crowned king – as a priest he could not be.  His role (and that of his associates) is ‘symbolic of things to come’ (3:8).  Joshua stands for ‘the man whose name is the Branch’ (v12).  In Jeremiah 23:5 God promises he will ‘raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will rule wisely’.  The promised ruler from David’s line is the Messiah.  The person and work of Christ are described here (see also Isaiah 4:2).  He will ‘branch out’ from IsraelIsrael in its woeful state and God will do a great work of salvation in a most unpromising situation (‘dry ground’, Isaiah 53:2).  God’s work will flourish – ‘he will branch out’ in vigorous growth.  No-one can thwart the Messiah’s work.

2. The true Temple

The Branch’s task is to ‘build the Temple of the Lord’ (v12), re-iterated in v13. The Temple built by the Messiah is not a literal Temple in Jerusalem but a spiritual Temple built by God’s power and grace.  The NT describes the fulfilment:

            (i) in Christ himself.  He speaks of raising the Temple in 3 days, referring to his resurrection (John 2:19,21).  Christ replaces the Temple and all it stood for was fulfilled in him. Christ crucified and risen provides the fellowship with God that the Temple symbolised.

            (ii) in Christ’s people. The redeemed covenant people are the Temple the Lord is building, each one a living stone (I Peter 2:5).  By God’s grace this Temple grows according to the divine pattern into ‘a holy Temple in the Lord’ (Ephesians 2:21).  The church, united to Christ, is the true Temple.

3. The perfect Priest

How can sinners be changed into stones in a holy Temple? The answer is to be found in the Branch’s role as priest – ‘a priest on his throne’ (v13).  This priestly work is crucial to the Messiah’s mission.  A new priesthood is established, not from the house of Levi but ‘in the order of Melchizidek’ (Psalm 110:4).  Christ is eternally a priest (see Hebrews 7:11ff).  The chief function of the High Priest was to offer sacrifices for sin. The blood was taken into the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement.  Christ ‘entered…once for all with his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption’ (Hebrews 9:12).  By his death in the place of his people he secures salvation (I Peter 2:24) and provides peace with God (Romans 5:1).

4. The glorious King

The Branch combines the offices of Priest and King – ‘he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne’ (v13).  He is an eternal King, fulfilling the promise to David (2 Samuel 7:16).  His progression from self-humbling to death on the cross through to supreme exaltation is traced in Philippians 2:6-11. He reigns in glory (Ephesians 2:22; Matthew 28:18).  He guides his people by laws they delight to keep (I John 5:3), provides for them (Philippians 4:19), and equips them for battle (Ephesians 6:10ff).

Mr Scott McCollum

Mr Scott McCollum