Galatians 2 Hot Takes:
Faith > Circumcision
Faith > Favoritism
Faith = Essential to Salvation
Faith = Essential to New Life
Faith > Circumcision What is the controversy?
The Gospel Good News of Jesus Christ was received by Jews and Gentiles. They received new birth salvation by faith, not by good works of following the Mosaic law. Certain people were drawing some church members away by teaching that obedience to the Mosaic law was the true way to Yahweh God, Acts 15, Galatians, Philippians 3. In a vision to Peter, God had gave specific instructions about sharing this Good News with uncircumcised Gentiles, in Acts 10-11. We see circumcision had been a sign of agreement with God’s eternal covenant, in Genesis 17. God called people to wholehearted devotion, a spiritual “circumcision of the heart” as a metaphor for spiritual transformation from this relationship with God, in Deuteronomy 10:16, 30:6 “God will circumcise your heart”, (replacing a heart of stone with a heart of flesh, Ezekiel 36:26-27). The Apostle Paul explains that a true “Jew” or believer is one inwardly, where the heart is circumcised by the Spirit, not the written law ([Romans 2:25-29]). This is described as a, “[circumcision made without hands]” in [Colossians 2:11]. New Testament believers saw this as a life-changing aspect of their new identity, Philippians 3:3, relying on God and not on their own efforts. The early church leaders made a statement of faith that declared salvation to be God-given grace, received by faith in Jesus Christ. They publicly stated their belief that Gentile new converts did not need to be circumcised or follow the full law of Moses to be saved, in 50 AD recorded in Acts 15. They said that new converts should abstain from sexual immorality. Receiving the Holy Spirit was seen as clear evidence of being “Born Again”. Paul’s writing to the Galatian churches is consistent with this. Galatians 2:20 was Paul’s message to Jesus-followers and would have been included in his words and call to repentance for the false teachers trying to enforce circumcision on the Galatians.
Faith > Favoritism
“Now from those recognized as important (what they once were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism,)—they added nothing to me.” – Galatians 2:6 CSB
In Galatians 2:11-16, Paul confronts Peter for returning to the Jewish customs of not eating with Gentiles and showing favoritism to the Jewish believers. Paul sees this as a Gospel issue. Born again Jesus-followers had a new identity that included spiritual freedom from toxic culture and produced an equality and gracious humility.
There is a lack of understanding of Jesus’ fulfillment of the promise Abraham and Sarah received, by faith, that their descendants would be blessed to be a blessing to people of all ethnicities, and it doesn’t understand that God does not show favoritism in the New Covenant community. It was present in a toxic culture then, and it is also the case now.
Faith = Essential to Salvation
“and yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.” – Galatians 2:16 CSB see also Galatians 3:11
Justified by Faith in Christ – “Justification means being put together the way we are supposed to be. Made right – not improved, not decorated, not veneered, not patched up, but justified. Our fundamental being is set in right relationship with God.” “Christ is the agent of the creation-affirming, person-saving act. He restores us to the condition of our creation so that our wills are able to respond to God’s love.” – Eugene Peterson Traveling Light
Timothy Keller chart comparing Religion and Gospel:
I’m accepted, therefore I obey. – Gospel
I obey, therefore I’m accepted. – Religion
Motivation is based on grateful joy. – Gospel
Motvation is based on fear and insecurity. – Religion
I obey God to get God – to delight and resemble him. – Gospel
I obey God in order to get things from God. – Religion
My self-view is not based on a view of myself as a moral achiever. In Christ I am at once sinful and lost, yet accepted. I am so bad he had to die for me, and so loved he was glad to die for me. This leads me to deeper humility as well as deeper confidence, without either sniveling or swaggering. – Gospel
My self-view swings between two poles. If I am living up to my standards, I feel confident, but then I am prone to be proud and unsympathetic to people who fail. If and when I am not living up to standards, I feel humble but not confident – I feel like a failure. – Religion
Faith = Essential to New Life
“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” – Galatians 2:20 CSB see also Galatians 3:11
Galatians 2:19-21 we are saved, justified by God’s grace thru faith in Jesus, not our works.
“Christ lives in me… I live by faith in the Son of God powerful “in” concept allusion to Isaiah 49 prediction of Messiah, including “in you (Messiah/Servant) I will be glorified”, Isaiah 49:3. “The righteous one will live by faith.” – Habakkuk 2:4
What do we learn? Explain and illustrate – simple, memorable
We receive freedom, by faith and not by merit, so that we can live by faith in Jesus.
Receiving the saving grace of Jesus happens by faith and it changes us in every way. This new life and redemption brings a transformational identification with Jesus. We no longer live for ourselves, but we now live by faith in Jesus. In this way we can please God. Our new motivation for life springs from gratitude. It is walked out through gracious humility. The guiding principles of Galatians 2:20 informs every aspect of our new way of living.
What should we do?
1. Memorize Galatians 2:20 today.
2. Read Galatians 2 – 3 this week.
3. Write at least one truth from it.
4. Pray, asking God what may be pulling you from this.
5. Think about the contrast between Jesus’ Good News and what may be pulling you from it.
6. Choose to draw closer to Jesus and withdraw from what may be pulling you away from Jesus’ Good News.
7. Reflect on Timothy Keller’s contrast between the thinking of Gospel and Religion.