Galatians

You will need to study this with your Bible.

Galatians was written by Paul. It was sent to the Galatians. They did not lose it. Paul had been there, during his first missionary journey, Acts 13,14. He went again, in Acts 16:6. This letter was sent to other churches. Many think it is the most important religious document of mankind. It was written about 50A.D. from Corinth.

He wrote it because of the threat from Jewish-Christian apostles. Those missionaries or apostles went down to Galatia from the Jerusalem church. It was James (the brother of Jesus) who sent them. These apostles taught wrong doctrine. It was Paul who had planted the gospel there. Afterwards false teachers, pupils of the Apostles, crept in. They tried to overthrow the righteousness of Christ alone. This was really resisting the Father and the Son and their work.
In Galatians 1:1 Paul immediately says of Jesus, "Who rose again". Romans 4:25 reads "He rose again for our justification", to make us righteous. He overcame law, sin, death, hell, Satan. Galatians 1:1 can only mean the same thing. Galatians reveals Paul himself, an example of the gospel of Christian freedom. He is a representative of the gospel. Paul’s purpose was to come against the legal spirit in Galatia.

Galatians 1:13,14 Believers who had come out of Judaism. They had a zeal for the law and wanted to preserve Judaism. They thought they were being defiled by Gentile lawlessness. Once, Paul had been a persecutor and destroyer of the Church of God. In 2:18 "building again the very things I demolished", he said that he had left the law. He had pulled it down and trusted in Christ alone to justify him. If he went back to the law instead of fully trusting in Christ he would be building up the law again that he had pulled down. Reference is made to Peter and the Christian Jews who were not fellowshipping in eating with the Gentiles. The main point here is how to find acceptance with God. These false teachers said ceremonies were necessary to obtain righteousness before God.

Galatians 1:14-17. These verses are not actually about his conversion but his call by God to the Gentiles. His conversion was not to a new religion. It was the old Jewish religion brought to fulfilment in Christ. In these verses we see him as having left the Judaistic beliefs that he had followed since childhood regarding the relation of Israel to other nations. In Galatians we see him taught by the Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit. He then accepts something that he had opposed. He was converted when he had suspicion of and hatred for non-Jews. When converted he became concerned for their conversion.

Verses 1-12 direct from God. His revelation of the gospel as we have it today came directly from God by the Spirit. At first Paul was not dependent on Jerusalem’s authority. He had no “covering”. He was led by the Spirit alone. He received it from Christ Himself. In 2:2-6 it shows the Jerusalem church backed him against "false brethren".

Galatians 1:7; 5:2-12; 6:12,13 The Opponents. Those who were against him taught circumcision. These troublemakers were Jews. Their purpose was in their zeal, a. To shut the Gentiles out, 1:13,14; 4:17. b. To boast in their flesh (circumcision and following Jewish eating laws), 6:13. c. To give prominence to Law, 2:16; 3:23; 4:4,21;6:18. This was despite the fact they had become Christians, Acts 9:2;22:4;24:14,22.

They said salvation is not by faith in Christ alone. They said it is by faith in Christ and by obedience to the Law. They said it is not getting saved (born again, becoming believers) that counts but how the life is lived, especially for Gentile believers. These trouble-makers thought the gift of the Spirit had to be completed by following the Law, especially circumcision. They wished to shut out Gentiles and to let them in only if they followed Jewish practices. They wanted to boast in their flesh, 4:13,17.

They had come to improve or correct Paul’s gospel. They wanted to make Gentile believers fully heirs of Abraham, according to what they thought. This, they said, was through circumcision. They wanted to bring them under the Law, to keep festivals, 4:10. These were “Pentecostal” believers. Some Gentile believers in Galatia followed them. These false teachers questioned whether Paul was really an apostle because he had not seen the Lord as other apostles had. He had seen Jesus only in a vision. Also, he did not take financial support from churches often, as the other apostles did. As well they thought that Paul could only be an apostle if those in Jerusalem said he was.

They had been successful in Antioch in getting the believers to follow their Jewish (Old Testament) ways. It was from Antioch that Paul had set out on his missionary journey when He went to Galatia and other places and planted churches. They said that unless all believers, including Gentiles, were taught circumcision, it would be to go away from Israel’s covenant, 2:12; 6:12. Now they wanted the Galatian church to follow their false teachings.

Galatians 2:11-14. Here Paul attacked Peter to his face. This rebuke of Peter leads to the main points of Galatians, 2:15-21 3:3; 5:2,3,11,12; 6:12.

The whole letter emphasises the inclusion of Gentiles as members of the people of God. It deals with circumcision, especially food laws and days Jews were keeping. Paul answers the question, "Must Gentiles accept the mark of Jews, circumcision, to become children of Abraham?" Paul said these teachers were following "another gospel".

The main points are Justification by Faith and Life in the Spirit. 4:13-15, 6:17. The purpose and meaning of the letter is in the first two chapters.

Paul knew that the death and resurrection and gift of the Spirit meant the end of the Law.
The two themes are - a. Justification by faith; but, b. Mainly Life in the Spirit.

"Spirit" is found 17 times. The Key is the Spirit, as in salvation, found in chapter 3:2-5; 4:6; 3:14. The solution to the "works of the flesh" in life is the Spirit, 5:16-25.

The remainder of this book is a verse by verse commentary on Galatians.

Galatians 1:1 Paul an apostle was distinct from the Jerusalem apostles. He was sent "not by men". An "Apostle" is "One sent out to represent and with authorization". The word for men, in Greek, as in verse 7 and all places elsewhere in the New Testament, refers to a human being without gender (neither male nor female).

There is no word for this "men" in Greek found in English. As in English there is child for boy or girl so "men" in Greek is for either sex. In English it may say "human beings", "persons", "people". If translated "men" it is not correct. The Greek word translated "men" in the English New Testament means always "men and women".

The source of his authority is Jesus Christ, put alongside God. He had "no covering" as spoken about so often in the West as a necessity. He contradicted what people said of his apostleship. They said it was "through men by men" and that he was under Antioch from leaders there, Acts 13:3. His gospel came through Jesus Christ and God the Father. It was shown to be true by the working of the Holy Spirit. The risen Christ appointed him, Acts 9:4,5; 26:15-18. This Father was Creator of all and Father of Israel, Deuteronomy 32:6; and in Isaiah 63:16, Father in salvation. Jesus Christ is mentioned before God, Who was the originator of his calling.

This shows without Christ as Mediator we cannot approach God. He is Father by raising Jesus from the dead, as Re-creator. The source of Jesus Christ’s authority in Paul's apostleship was God’s action in raising Christ from the dead. He is the Father of those born of Him through belief in Jesus’ resurrection. As well, there is hope of a new age, i.e. recreated life beyond death, Daniel 12:2. "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake".

Galatians 1:2 "Unto the churches", “called out ones”. Better called "assemblies", as in Deuteronomy 23:1,2. Now used of the Gentiles and Jews, not just Jews, Nehemiah 13:1. To Paul, "the assembly of the Lord" was one only in each place, Romans 16:1,4; 1 Corinthians 14:23 and as in Galatia.

Paul is opposing the Judaizing theory received from false apostles. False apostles are mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:12. In Corinth, false apostles taught there was no resurrection of the dead. Are we to believe that all today who teach false doctrine (of which there are many) are false apostles and false teachers? Yes.

Paul was not alone. Others are with him. "Brothers", as Isaiah 66:20 (kindred); Romans 16:3,6,7,12,15,17; Philippians 4:1,2; Colossians 4:15.

Galatians 1:3 Grace gives forgiveness of sins, peace, no guilt and the promised gift of Christ, John 14:27. "Peace" is the Hebrew "Shalom". It means a sense of spiritual well being coming from right relationship with God; wholeness and prosperity, material and spiritual, brotherliness more than individual. Psalm 147:14; Zechariah 8:12. Sin is not forgiven by fulfilling law. That can never happen.

Forgiveness of sins is by grace, God's unmerited favour. Grace is God’s attitude and activity in the Gospel. He reached out to us, redeeming a fallen humanity. It is not just God’s disposition but powerful, generous outpouring of His power to achieve the best for us.

"From God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ". There is no way to God without Christ, John 14:6; Matthew 11:27, "No one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him". Genesis 28:12 - Jacob’s ladder to heaven, with angels ascending and descending on Christ. 1 Timothy 2:5, shows there is no place for Mary!

Called "Lord Jesus", because of His resurrection and exaltation. First baptismal formula is Romans 10:9; a Hymn is in Philippians 2:11; Psalm 110:1 was used widely. For the early reason for Christianity, Acts 2:34-6; Romans 8:34;1 Corinthians 15:25; Hebrews1:13; 1Peter 3:22.

Title "Lord" is used for the sacred name of God, in the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Some of these passages are used in the New Testament, Romans 10:13 (Joel 2:32);Isaiah 45:23 (Philippians 2:11). Also used in terms of dominating creation intended for Adam but now for Jesus, 1 Corinthians 15:25-7. It is not possible to make Jesus Saviour without at the same instant, making and calling Him “Lord”.

It is used with God the Father, Romans 15:6; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 11:31; Colossians 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Philippians 2:11. Christ is very God, Isaiah 42:8 "I will not give My glory to another".

Galatians 1:4 The Atonement - Fundamental beliefs of the gospel are the Resurrection of Jesus and His sacrificial death. It is called the atonement. This is the theme of the gospel, Ephesians 5:2,25; 1 Timothy 2:6; Titus 2:14. "He gave Himself for our sins", Isaiah 53. Here is the first reference to the atonement in this epistle. The atonement of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins is the centre of the gospel. The purpose "He gave Himself for our sins" was to rescue us from this present evil age. The evil is self-delusion (blindness), following the principles of the world, looking to self, lusts, seduction and corruptibility. In Christ, this power of sin is broken, as well as the power of death that results. There are those who call themselves Pentecostal who say "atonement" is not in the New Testament. These are the Faith churches. Copeland himself has said that any man could have died on that cross. In fact, only someone who was God and man could have died. That was the Lord Jesus Christ, God and man, who died an atoning death on the cross. No one else could have died such a death.

Death in His case took the wages of the sin of all ages. We do not need to die. "Who gave Himself for our sins (a priestly act)", shows that He offered Himself willingly. 1 Timothy 2:6; Titus 1:14; Matthew 20:28; John 10:17. It was also a priestly act. This was His act as Priest. He was both Priest and Sacrifice.

Christ, the Wisdom of God came, 1 Corinthians 1:20-25. This age’s wisdom was useless. We are redeemed from such worldly wisdom as it comes to us through tradition, 1 Peter 1:18 "You were redeemed from the empty folly of your manner of life, received by tradition from your ancestors (fathers)”. Why hang on to traditions from such a source? Christ is Wisdom, Proverbs 8:22-36.

This present age, the world, is under the power of Satan. We have been transferred out of the "kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God and His Son", Colossians 1:15. We still live in this world but enjoy the life of the world to come. We have "tasted the powers of the age to come", Hebrews 6:5. We live both on earth and on heaven’s plane.

Salvation is in accordance with the will of our God and Father. God purposed this, Ephesians 1:5 "destined for adoption according to the good pleasure of His will"; verse 10 "destined according to the purpose of Him who accomplishes all things according to His counsel and will". Romans 8:19-21 "Creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God... creation will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God". This is the eternal purpose of God. 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Philippians 2:11. The person believing is accepted in Christ. Renewal within is a ‘new spiritual life’, the renewing of our mind (spirit of), Romans 12:2. These are procured by death of Christ as well as pardon of guilt.

Galatians 1:5 Glory is the visible splendour, as of kings and honour and reverence due to them Psalm 29:12,2; 96:6,7. The Greek "Doxa" is the Hebrew "kabod", meaning "the unutterable effulgence of the divine glory, the 'Shekinah' that to a Jew denoted the very presence of God". "To the ages of the ages", forever. "Amen", meaning "agreement with conviction". We are to say “Amen” in our meetings, 1 Corinthians 14:16.

NOTE: Galatians 1:6-9 is the subject of the letter.

Galatians 1:6. I am "astounded", a strong word. It is surprise or wonder at some unexpected and amazing utterance, deed or miracle Matthew 8:27; 9:33; 15:31; John 6:21; Acts 2:7. "Carried away" means "You are turning away". It is still happening in the Church of Jesus Christ. It is about a "turncoat who leaves one school of philosophy or ideas for another one". They were harsh words. Exodus 32:8, Israelites left the Covenant when it was first made. "From the one who called you in the grace of Christ to another gospel". With some of these Galatians, it was not so much that their doctrine had changed but that they left a personal God. Anyone who follows "another gospel", i.e. one different from what Paul brought, has not only left the New Covenant but he has left a personal God in Christ.

"Called you", it is decisive call, demanding a response. Their conversion was a compelling summons, Isaiah 41:8,9; 49:1; 51:2. God called "in grace". Christ the Redeemer is equally with God the Father as the giver of grace and peace. "Of Christ" the grace of God was expressed in Christ, 1:1,4.

Those who were enforcing circumcision (or today, water baptism as a rite to obtaining salvation) should remember that Israel’s own election was in grace. Romans 9:7-11; 11:5,6; 9:24-26 it is for Gentiles also.

To another gospel. A false teacher always comes with truth mixed with error. Satan disguises and counterfeits in all his works and devices. He comes in the likeness of an angel, or of God Himself. Paul calls the doctrine of the false apostles, Satan’s ministers, with "another gospel". Today, likewise it happens among Charismatics and Pentecostals.

See in Acts 15:5, re circumcision and law. "There were certain men who had belonged to the sect of the Pharisees but were now believers who came forward and said Gentiles must be circumcised". It was another, different gospel these Pharisees had. Wicked spirits and false apostles allow true doctrine at first but afterwards add further error and mysterious teachings using Scripture. Through some truth preached they deceive many.

Galatians 1:8,9. These Jewish believers thought they had the true gospel but it was distorted and should not have the name "gospel". They were sent out as Christian missionaries but to Paul not Christian missionaries. They were troublemakers and leading the Galatians astray by "throwing them in mental confusion".

Others claimed revelations from heaven. According to Paul his gospel was the one by which we judge which is right and which is wrong. It is not the person or the messenger that means the message is true. The nature of the message will show if the messenger is a true one. The Law was given through angels, Galatians 3:19. Perhaps the Jewish Christians were boasting of this, saying Paul was not sincere because he did not regard this Law. They opposed Paul’s preaching.

They thought it was all right to mix Law and the gospel. However, following Law takes away Christ and makes the gospel useless. Paul claimed he had received the gospel by revelation. He says if any messenger, Paul himself even or an angel from heaven, does not preach what he (Paul) has already preached he is anathema, meaning "under the curse", "under the wrath of God". Paul could be saying that "Satan disguises himself as an Angel of Light", 2 Corinthians 11:14; and 11:3,4 "as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ." Galatians, "For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different gospel from the one you accepted."

They were preaching something that was a contrast of the gospel. It was not the gospel. We also must preach the true gospel and not a changed one, or mix law with it or other Satanic things.

Paul’s last visit to them, which had also been his first in Galatia, was just after he argued with Peter and they parted. They argued over what was required of Gentile Converts, Galatians 2:11-14,16. Thus he decided to warn all his converts in every place he could. Paul had opponents, Romans 3:8; 1 Corinthians 4:18; 15:12; 2 Corinthians 3:1; 10:2; Philippians 1:15.

How fickle Peter was. Also, all those Jewish Apostles who had been with Jesus did not still fully understand the Gospel of Grace. This was the same hardness of heart they had when listening to Jesus’ teaching. God especially called one like Paul. He received the revelation of the gospel. He left the ways of Jewish Law and preached only what God had revealed to Him. Each preacher, teacher or apostle must be tested by the true Gospel.

Galatians 1:11,12 Paul accepted Gentiles into the fold of the Jewish believers, i.e. into the covenant people of Israel. He taught the truth of the gospel as given by Christ. He did not ask them to observe the requirements of the Old Covenant, the works of the law particularly food laws, feasts or circumcision, Galatians 2:12;4:10;5:2. This being so, why are believers, including in the main, Pentecostals and Charismatics, often travelling to Israel at the time of the celebration of different Feasts?

The apostles who came in to preach were offended. They said that not to include the covenant obligations with the gospel, made the gospel not lawful. They said that Paul was even trying to persuade God this way. They said he was trying to please men. How strange that the very sins they were guilty of they incorrectly accused Paul of. It is impossible to please both God and men. Generally we have the choice, to please men or to please God, even in ministry.

Now he starts to set out his case. All his preaching until now had been according to the revelation from Christ. He was not converted through men and was not taught the gospel by men but through a revelation of Jesus Christ. It was something given from heaven, with heavenly authority.

He explains this in Ephesians 3:3,4 "how the mystery was made known to be my revelation, as I wrote, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ". Paul did not receive it of man but from Christ, showing he knew the man Jesus was God of very God.

He said he did not receive it of man as a tradition in the way in which Jewish practices and beliefs were handed down. It was not learned by repeating it out loud. This was also against the baptismal instruction that is often given to those interested in Christianity. Paul received it through "the unveiling of Jesus Christ". He was not educated into it. This is how all must find Christ. Matthew 16:17, Peter and all, 1 Corinthians 12:3 "No man can call Jesus ‘Lord’ but by the Holy Ghost".

Psalm 138:2 "You have exalted your Word above your Name". Name is the manifestation of His Person in and through His Name. As - "Elohim" Hebrew in the Old Testament is generally, "the One True God", Genesis 2:4; 15:2, (the expression of His Being). "El Shaddai" is "the breasted One" (Shad = woman’s breast), shown in Genesis 14:19; 17:1; 28:3; 48:3, is "God Almighty". He nourishes and feeds us.

Galatians 1:13,14. "For you have heard of my way of life previously in Judaism". Before conversion, he was "in pious zeal, a persecutor of the church of God", Philippians 3:6.

What he had persecuted so violently was the "assembly of God’s people". He had been standing up for an "assembly of God’s people" he thought was national Israel. He was actually acting against God’s true people who now are Jew and Gentile, Galatians 1:22; 1Corinthians 1:1;10:32;11:16,22;15:9;2.

To oppose the "true church (assembly of God’s people)" (not man's organization), is to go against Christ and thus to go against God.

He progressed in Judaism. He practised the ancestral traditions found in the law and in also the Mishnah, Gemara, both together forming the Talmud. The Talmud consisted of man-made regulations that the Pharisees (Paul was a Pharisee) taught from generation to generation. He was a zealot as was Simon the Zealot, Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15. This meant once he had been far ahead in learning and position, of the present Apostles now coming to Galatia. Some of them had been mere fishermen with little knowledge of the Law and Old Testament and Talmud.

Galatians 1:15-17. He was changed by the grace of God. It was the work of God. Psalm 44:3, "It was Your mighty power"; 68:16, "Why do you look jealously, you rugged mountains, at the mountain God has chosen for His throne"; 85:1, "You have brought back the captives from Babylon"; 147:11, "Yahweh is interested only in those who rely on His love"; 149:4, "Yahweh (He) gives victory to those who are weak".

Paul was like Jeremiah, Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you and before you were born I consecrated you, I appointed you a prophet to the nations". Of Paul "who set me apart from my mother’s womb to preach God’s Son among the nations", Romans 1:1. He was separated as an apostle from the womb, not from when the teachers and church acted in Acts 13:2, "The Holy Ghost says, ‘Separate for me, Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them". Paul was sent as a light to the nations, Isaiah 49:1,6; Acts 13:47; 26:25.

The Gospel is supernatural, not thought up by men. When Paul received its revelation he felt no need to talk it over with the Apostles at Jerusalem, or the Christians of Damascus. He was now an apostle by the will of God and the call of Christ. He went away into Arabia, perhaps to preach Christ there. 2 Corinthians 11:32,33, in Damascus he had danger but escaped, Acts 9:23-5.

Galatians 1:18-20 He has already shown his life as a zealous Pharisee, his call and his independence from Jerusalem. Now he shows his relationship with Jerusalem. His understanding of the gospel was firmly fixed before he went near Jerusalem and the apostles and church there. After three years he went to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, Peter, for a fortnight. He did not consult with other apostles, only seeing James. Seventeen years after his conversion he went to Jerusalem the second time. James, was leader there. He says, "Before God", an oath.

Galatians 1:21-24 After another fourteen years he went up again and during that period his understanding and preaching of the gospel matured. This was without the Jerusalem leadership. The churches of Judea "in Christ" did not know his face. His gospel therefore did not come from them. They recognised him as an apostle because of his message. They heard he "preached the faith". "Faith", 142 times in Paul’s letters. It is the body of Truth and faith in Jesus Christ. They glorified God, reverence due to His Name and glory.

Galatians 2:1,2 His second visit to Jerusalem. The same as in Acts 15. This was with Barnabas who was a big landowner in Jerusalem. They went to give to the common fund for the poor and foodless, Acts 4:36,7. Barnabas was a native of Cyprus, Acts 4:36. His name means "Son of encouragement", Acts 4:36. He was a Mediator, Acts 9:27;11:22-4. He settled in Antioch as a leader, Acts 13:1. He brought Paul from Tarsus to Antioch, Acts 11:25,6. He went on Paul’s "first missionary journey" Acts 13:1-3,4. He was an associate of Paul, Galatians 2:1,9,13. They had a quarrel, Acts 15:36-40, Galatians 2:13. It was mended, 1 Corinthians 9:6; Colossians 4:10.

Why did Paul go? "By revelation". This was by the Spirit. It may have been a personal revelation or through prophecy in the assembly. This does not mean we today are to accept every prophecy we hear as from God. In those days, they really walked in the Holy Spirit. We are to judge prophecies, 1 Thessalonians 5:20,21; 1 Corinthians 14:29. He spoke privately to the leaders. "Ran in vain" has not to do with the possibility his gospel needed correction. Instead he feared there would be a split in the church, he on one side and the others against his gospel, which he knew was the true gospel. His gospel has not changed and will not change. We must follow all of Paul’s teaching exactly.

Galatians 2:3-6 Some pressed for Titus, a Greek, who was with him to be circumcised. This shows the issue for Galatians was circumcision. Circumcision had been commanded by God as a sign of the Abrahamic covenant between Yahweh (Jehovah, translated “Lord” throughout the Old Testament) and Abraham, Genesis 17:9-14. To them, only the circumcised belonged to the people of God. Tithing was never included in this covenant.

The Jerusalem apostles tried to get Paul to have Titus circumcised. He did not yield so they did not "compel" him. These apostles from the Jerusalem church were not Judaizers, just Orthodox Jews. Paul was neither. He understood the gospel. They did not fully understand.

As verses 4 and 5 show, there were false brothers smuggled in. Because of them and their views, the "pillars" of the church in Jerusalem wanted circumcision. These "false" brothers were brought in from Jerusalem as at Antioch (Acts 15:1) to put pressure to bear regarding the circumcision of Titus. Paul treats them as he did in Galatians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 11:13, as "false apostles". Either they just did not understand "brothers" in the people of God or were deliberate counterfeits - as today in the church!

These "false" brothers were members of the Jerusalem church. No perfect church even then, let alone today! They remained Jewish in character and were suspicious of the Gentile converts. "Smuggled in” means "secretly brought in". Perhaps even James with others sponsored them in! They would wish Gentiles to act as Jewish people of God. We must be true to the gospel.

How sad to think that the Jerusalem church never left its Judaism as Paul did, for the gospel of Christ.

Their motives: "To spy out". In the Acts 15 council, they wanted to hear Paul’s account of his missionary work. They were suspicious and wanted to stop that work. They did not succeed as James finally showed he saw it was the work of God, Acts 15:13-21. Paul contrasted his preaching of this "freedom in Christ Jesus", from the Law as they traditionally followed it. This was "slavery". They depended on the law rather than on the Spirit of God. Paul does all this for all his Gentile converts, so that the gospel truth is theirs to enjoy. Judaizing is not another aspect of truth. It is a lie - as is all enslavement to following laws amongst the people of God, even today. It is found amongst Messianic Jews today. They are like those in Jerusalem and those who went to the Galatians.

In Verse 6, those other apostles had known the earthly Jesus Christ. They were with Him in His ministry for three years. To Paul, that meant little, compared to a spiritual knowledge of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:16; Philippians 3:8,1. Two of the leading apostles were Peter and John with James. Their decision was important to him, Galatians 2:2. He appealed to it on account of others. It was clear he did not recognise that authority for himself.

Just because men esteem some men highly does not mean God does, even with Peter, John and James who were teaching false doctrine. Paul was disillusioned with them! 2 Peter 3:15,16 shows Peter did not have the full revelation Paul did.

Those key men had not taught anything to Paul. They had nothing to do with his gospel, revelation, experience, apostleship, or missionary work. In Acts 15:24-9 they acknowledged Paul’s "ways" and astonishingly said the Gentiles need not be circumcised or follow Jewish food-laws or feasts etc. In this manner the church was not divided at that time. True Christianity and Judaism parted much later on. The church then became divided as it is today into many parts. This has to be. Amos 3:3, "How can two walk together unless they be agreed?"

Galatians 2:7-9 The Galatians "saw" the signs of the Spirit’s Presence, 2:8,9; 3:2-5. However, there never was unbiblical "being slain", "laughing". They now acknowledged there was one gospel. They accepted his gospel. Thus they accepted his apostleship which had the seal of a harvest of Gentiles given him by God, Acts 15:3,4. We cannot close our eyes to spiritual evidence.

In a sense, Peter’s mantle had fallen on Paul, Acts 10 and 15:7. Thus "fellowship" meant sharing something, including the Holy Spirit, 2 Corinthians 13:13,14; Philippians 2:1; 3:10. "Pillars" in the church of God - We are His Temple, 1 Corinthians 3:16,17, "You are God’s temple and God’s Spirit has His permanent home in you?"; 2 Corinthians 6:16, "We are the temple of the living God"; Hebrews 3:6 "We are His house"; 1 Peter 2:5, "You as living stones are built into a spiritual House". The other leaders were in natural Jerusalem. He himself was distant, among the Gentiles, in the true Jerusalem, the church of Jesus Christ.

Verse 10. "To remember the poor" was Jewish law and tradition, Deuteronomy 24:10-22; Psalm 10:2,9; 12:5; 14:6; Isaiah 3:14,15; 10:1,2; 58:6,7; Amos 8:4-6; Daniel 4:27. Paul was asked to give obedience to Jewish covenant piety through almsgiving. He did so eagerly, Acts 24:17; 2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:13. Even so, it was not Law obedience. It was a compromise to them.

Galatians 2:11-14 Paul has made his point. The gospel he preached did not come from the Jerusalem leadership and he did not owe its authority to them. Now there is a dispute at Antioch. Peter and the others did not follow the agreement in Jerusalem as stated in Acts 15. Paul was faithful and he wrote so to the Galatians. Paul also implies Peter was coming into his territory. He was trespassing. He denounced Peter.

Verse 12. Peter had fallen from the truth of the gospel. If Paul had not stood against him all the believing Gentiles would have had to be circumcised and follow the Law - and so "fall out of Christ".

Peter refused to sit at the "Lord’s table" with fellow Gentile believers. Peter was afraid of the Judaizing extremists in Antioch. This is the same sin and weakness Peter showed at the crucifixion, fear of man, Luke 22:55-62. Peter "pretended", erred in judgment and committed a great sin. He was deceitful, he "play-acted", being a hypocrite, pretending and deceiving. He would have acted against his convictions. His action was not in accordance with the truth of the gospel.

To Jews, fellowship at table had a sacramental character. It began with the host speaking a blessing. Jewish eating was governed by the food laws and traditions, being laws of "unclean" foods, Leviticus 11 and laws of ritual slaughter, blood drained from body, Leviticus 17:1014; Deuteronomy 12:16,24. See Acts 15:20 for Gentile believers, us. We are not to eat food contaminated by idolatry or meat offered as sacrifice in pagan temples. Law re purity as to eating, Mark 7:2-4, Acts 10:14.

Peter feared if he ate with Gentiles his apostleship to the Jews would be in danger. He never did get the victory over the same sin and weakness he showed before and at the crucifixion; fear of man and being led astray by Satan into false doctrine, Mark 8:28-33; Mark 14:66-72. What of us?

Even Barnabas was carried away by it. Perhaps he said, "We must love them anyway" as is what is said in Charismatic circles today, despite error and sin. There should be no comprise where Truth is concerned. Also, we must be sure we do have the Truth and not our own ideas or wrong interpretation of Scripture. Paul condemned the compromise Barnabas made. We cannot forego the truth of the Word of God for the compromise of "love". We must take our stand for truth. For the Galatians, it was not about truth but sin to wrongly refuse to "eat with them at the Lord’s Table".

If we wrongfully refuse a believer the privilege of eating communion with us, say, over a matter of dress, or because she wears gold or has no veil, we a. Are saying he is not a Christian believer (even if he is not yet baptised in water); b. We are not seeing the Lord’s body (of Christ); c. We are acting outside of love. The attempt by Jewish believers to impose this limitation on eating with the Gentiles was against the gospel itself. So are a, b and c.

Galatians 2:13,14 The rest of the Jews "played the hypocrite" along with Peter. They did not act with the truth of the gospel. "Not walking straight towards the truth of the gospel". The truth was freedom from the Law. Free from circumcision, free to participate in the blessing of Abraham without requiring Gentiles to act as the Judaizers did. "Judaize" means to "adopt a Jewish way of life".

Paul rebuked Peter to his face. Did Peter accept the rebuke? Perhaps not and if not, the Galatians followed on to becoming Judaized. Perhaps that is why Paul shifted first to Corinth and then to Ephesus as his base, Acts 18:11; 19:10. A lesson for our churches! If Paul was defeated at Antioch – there were three quarrels. i With Jerusalem; ii. With Barnabas, Acts 15:36-41; iii. With Antioch, Acts 18:22. Antioch he only visited once, perhaps having been reconciled, Acts 18:22.

Galatians 2:15-18. Paul’s Defence

An important part. Paul tries to undo the damage done.

Verses 15,16. These were the Jewish Christians, including Paul. The rest, were Gentile sinners of lawless conduct, outside the Covenant, Psalm 1:1,5; 37:34-6; 58:10; 9:17; Matthew 5:47. The Jews saw the rest of mankind as outside God’s covenant of righteousness and as sinful, Ephesians 2:12. Acceptance with God, Paul says, is not on the basis of works of the Law. That the Jewish believers believed in Christ really showed they realised the Old Covenant was not sufficient. They knew they were not justified by Law as that is why they believed in Christ. Christ came not for the righteous (even keepers of Law) but for sinners, Matthew 9:13. They just did not want to leave their Law keeping. This of course did not include animal sacrifices. However, in the book of Hebrews, when we look at the beginning of chapter 6, we see they did want to go back to Temple worship and the offering of sacrifices. This would mean they had deserted Christ and the gospel.

Paul shows that the two beliefs could not be held at the same time. There had to be either one or the other. A person is justified by faith in Jesus Christ, as Peter would agree. Peter was bringing the Galatians into the danger of acting like him. This would add to their original faith, "works of the law" Galatians 3:2-5. By works of law nobody will be justified. It is by faith alone. The Christian life is to be lived by faith alone. To become a Christian one must rely totally on the work and merits of Christ for us on the cross and in His resurrection as a means of living a holy and right life. In his living he must not go back to doing works, whether of the Law, of church rules or of legalism. All believers must be taught this continually.

Psalm 143:2, "no one living is righteous before you", Job 9:2; Psalm 14:1-3; Isaiah 59:2 "your iniquities have separated you from your God"; Genesis 6:12; Isaiah 31:3 "the Egyptians are men and not God"; John 3:6 "flesh...to flesh"; Romans 8:3,8. Paul was telling Peter you must either be "of faith" or "of works of the law". It is "by faith" Acts 3:16; Colossians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Philippians 3:8; Galatians 3:6; Romans 4:3; 3:22,30; Romans 10:14. Salvation is through faith - and in Christ. Then righteousness is imputed unto us. Psalm 32:1; Romans 4:7.

Galatians 2:17,18 Paul says, "If we see ourselves as justified and counted acceptable to God because we are 'in Christ' are we considered 'sinners' because we eat with the Gentiles? The Judaizers consider the Gentiles 'sinners' and will our eating with them make us 'sinners'? We cannot be regarded in this way. If we are considered 'sinners' because we are 'in Christ' it would make Christ one who supported sin".

These verses show that the Judaizers taught that believers, who depended only on the finished work of Christ, had an imperfect ground of acceptance needing something more. Therefore, according to the Judaizers, such believers could be regarded only as sinners. Paul said these Judaizers made Christ only what Moses had been, a minister of sin and condemnation. They really said that those who added something to the work of Christ, showed He was not a perfect Saviour. A perfect Saviour has finished the work. Nothing needs to be added. These Judaizers were teaching a false gospel. On the cross, He cried “It is finished (I have paid it to the full)”.

These Gentiles, outside of natural Israel, are not sinners as they used to be considered by Israel. They are "in Christ". Paul says, "My gospel and my preaching pulled down the walls between us", Ephesians 2:11-14. "This means Jew and Gentile are 'one in Christ' without any wall. If you or I refuse to eat with Gentile Christians you are building up these walls again. I myself would be doing wrong to do such things." By adding works (legalism) they did not rest on the atonement as the only way of acceptance. God considers us as suffering what Christ suffered and doing what He did. Payment for our sin was made. We now do not add anything to make that payment. It has happened.

Galatians 2:19-21

Verse 19. To believe in Christ is "to die". This is what the Bible calls "the carnal man" or "the old man", the sinful nature, seated in the soul and the body. It was put to death with Christ, being in a legal way. The result is that the believer then has a different kind of living. "To live for God" includes the fact of life beyond death, not just a different kind of this life but a life that has experienced death and over which death has no more say, Romans 6:10,11. Also, Paul said we "died" to the Law and "were crucified with Christ". In Greek, the perfect tense is used, meaning, "I have been nailed to the cross with Christ and am still hanging there with him" also Galatians 3:1; 6:14; Romans 6:5. It is as if we hung, co-crucified with Him, in Him. This action surely took place in our being represented by Christ.
God saw all His redeemed hanging on the cross with Christ. Christ was the Surety, Hebrews 7:22, "Christ has become the Surety or Guarantee of a better covenant". God looked at what Jesus as our Surety did, as if we did it. Christ represented us. His substitution for us was vicarious and not mystical. Christ died 'for' us, in actuality. His death for us was a real death. We died 'with' Him in a legal manner.

This has nothing to do with water baptism and if so, we would have to be "in the water of baptism all the time, to be crucified all the time". We did not die in any natural tank of water. Paul considered that he was hanging on the cross with Christ. Now, understanding this, see Romans 6:2-8; 7:6; Colossians 2:20; 3:3. It is not water baptism that effects this "dying" but believing in Christ. Baptism comes from "baptizo" = "the introduction or placing of a person or thing into a new environment or into union with something else so as to alter its condition or its relationship to its previous environment or condition". This does has nothing to do with water baptism. It cannot be water baptism because when we come up out of the water, our environment is still the same and so is our condition. We still live in this world, in these bodies.

Therefore, the important thing that makes a person a believer is having died with Christ on the cross and having risen with Him we receive the resurrection life of Christ in actuality. Christ lives in us by His Spirit. His life is in us. What a tremendous actuality! Water baptism does not make this happen. It is added as a witness. (See my book on “Water Baptism”). Unless a person "believes in his heart that Jesus died on the cross for him (a sinner) and that He rose again" so that he is justified or made righteous, he cannot be saved, even if he has gone forward to "accept Christ" at some meeting where salvation was not actually preached. Romans 10:9, 4:25.

This is what it means here and in Romans 6:3,4. Literally, "If we have grown together with Him by means of the likeness of His death". This baptism is into Jesus Christ, not into water. It is into His death and then into His resurrection. That makes us His property, He whose death, resurrection and ascension began a new age. Now it is the age of the Holy Spirit. In eternity, there will be age upon age forever. Christ must always be thought of in terms of crucifixion and resurrection. Baptism into Christ means baptism into Christ crucified. Baptism into His death. This is a spiritual fact. It is not water baptism. His death was a "baptism", Mark 10:38,39; Luke 12:50. It is brought about by God's act of baptizing the believing sinner into Christ so that the person shares His death on the Cross, crucified with Christ. This "Spirit-ual" identification of the believing sinner with Christ in His death, legally brought about the separation of that person from the sinful nature. In actuality, “Sin shall not have dominion over you”, Romans 6:14.

In the divine account it is as if we ourselves are crucified for sin. One with Christ as one with Adam, one in his sin. We were objectively crucified with Christ. On believing, the Spirit made us to know it. It refers to the act of God placing a believing sinner into vital union with Jesus Christ. This means that the believer has the power of his sinful nature broken. The divine nature actually implanted in His spirit through his identification with Christ, our substitute in His death, burial and resurrection. This divine nature is that part of God's nature that is not its vital divinity. We become His sons, partakers of the divine nature. We never become "God". We never have all knowledge, all power and omnipresence.

"Sons" here = huios, as in Galatians 4:5, is used of a mature child of God in a legal standing as against a child of God, teknon, meaning one in his minority Galatians 4:1-3. Why desire to become a natural (inferior) son of Abraham by circumcision as these Judaizers were, when they had been made spiritual sons of God?

This alters the condition and relationship of us as sinners with regard to our previous state and environment. We were in the kingdom of darkness, sin and death. We are brought into a new environment, the kingdom of God. God placed us in Christ when He died so that we might share His death. Then we receive the benefits of that identification with Him. We are separated from the power of the evil nature as part of the salvation He gives us when we believe. Our new environment is Christ. However, it is the power of the evil nature that is overcome. The evil nature still remains within every believer until he or she reaches heaven. The curse of the law was executed on Christ crucified.

Christ by His Spirit lives in me. The risen Lord and the Spirit are not the same. The Lord Jesus is one Person. The Holy Spirit is another Person. However, the Holy Spirit for us has His source in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul tells us about Christ and His work, Therefore, he states "indwelling Christ", not "indwelling Spirit". Romans 8:9,10 If you do not have Spirit of Christ, you are none of His. Philemon 1:19,20 "fresh supply of Spirit of Christ Jesus". N.B. Always in the New Testament this supply is connected with praying in other tongues. Salvation itself is not so connected.

Galatians 2:20 We now have righteousness and life. God the Holy Spirit, in order that we might share His resurrection and have divine life imparted in us, places us in Christ. We are in Christ and Christ is in us. This newness of life does not refer to a new quality of experience or conduct. It refers to a new quality of life given to the individual, 2 Corinthians 5:17, becoming a new creation. This is not the Christian’s experience or behaviour. It is an act of God in creation within. His experience increases in grace and his behaviour alters continually all his life as he or she lets this new creation be in control.

Again, this new creation with the newness of life is not referring to a new kind of life the believer is to live. It refers to a new source of spiritual energy imparted in him by God, by which he is enabled to live the new life of the new creation. We are to live in the resurrection life of Christ. It has nothing to do with acts, legalistic or otherwise, outward change of behaviour or habits or following laws and regulations. A new way of life and habit will come from this new life. Then the results are shown as our lives alter.

The old "I" died. Paul no longer boasted of his Jewish heritage. He no longer relied on the Old Covenant system to bring righteousness. He now speaks of a new life with Christ. The King James and Revised Versions have added the phrase, "nevertheless I live", saying "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me". This is not a good alteration as it weakens the sense. The original Greek and the real meaning, are - "I have been nailed with Christ and am still hanging there with him and it is no longer I who live but it is Christ who lives in me", Galatians 2:19b, 20.

Now Paul has a new "I", not a changed (transformed) "I" but that Christ is in Him and lives out His life in him. Human nature can never be changed or transformed. Paul still lives his life "in the flesh", in this world, subject to the old self's weakness and animal appetites, Romans 7:5; 8:9. He now lives, not as he did before but by faith in the Son of God, who loved him and became a willing self-sacrifice. Paul is still a Jew! But he and we are "in Christ", 2 Corinthians 13:5; Romans 8:9,10; Colossians 1:27; Ephesians 3:17. He no longer lives as a Jew.

"He (God) loved us first", Romans 5:8, "His love, while we were yet sinners"; 1 John 4:19. "I live by faith in the Son of God". We lived as sinners. Now we are to live a life of faith but it has Christ as its object. We have already been justified. This was the result of Christ's death and resurrection for us. Because we believed, God justified us, "just as if I never sinned". Now we live by faith in Him who loved us and redeemed us.

Galatians 2:21 The old way of life is gone. Satan was totally in control and sin and death ruled our beings. Now there is new life in Christ. Paul says, "I do not make ineffective, the grace of God". To follow Judaism as Peter and the others did would make the gospel of no account. We cannot go back to our old way of life. We cannot go back to our old traditions. The covenant rested on grace. To follow Judaism meant that grace was overlooked and made useless. To follow Law and legalism means that same thing for us. Christ loved us first, Romans 5:8 Corinthians 2:2 "I know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified". We must love Him and not the old ways.

To seek righteousness with Christ through works, merits, trying to please Him, afflictions, fastings, prostrations or by the law, rejects the grace of God. It despises His death. Our old way of life is put to death with Christ and we now live a life. There are different aims, ways, attitudes, loves and beliefs. It is still in human flesh but directed by faith in God’s Son. Paul is saying that he does not "make the grace of Christ ineffective (nullify)" by going back into Judaism or a Jewish Christianity. This is what those false ones did, saying Jews and Gentiles should eat separately (We could write into it, "Different caste". That would be just as wrong). To do as they were doing, makes the whole gospel of no effect. Also, following this kind of belief would mean the remnant could not come into the gospel truths, Romans 11:5,6. God in righteousness made a covenant with Israel, Exodus 9:27, restoring them, Psalms 31:1; 35:24. To do what they were doing, meant the grace of God from the beginning was set aside. Not to see the value of the cross was to lose all. Paul preached the atonement. We must preach the atonement. See also 5:11; 6:12. We are under the New Covenant (a re-made Old Covenant).

Galatians 3:1-5  George Smeaton, said by some to have been Scotland’s greatest theologian, said that the first five verses about the preaching of the gospel of Christ also related to all the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit that had been given to the church. These are taught clearly in 1 Corinthians 12, 13 and 14.

Verse 1 This points out the Galatians were going back to their own righteousness, through Law. Also, going back to a righteousness coming from "self", from the carnal, depraved nature. This was not the Truth of the gospel. That was not to be in Christ. That was to be outside of Christ. That is the thinking of the carnal nature. We believers in Christ are to be different. We are to live by the Spirit. He will then keep those natural sinful and carnal tendencies within us from taking control. We should be led by the Spirit, not by our carnal, legalistic nature.

"Bewitched" means that when the Galatians changed their ideas from the gospel of the cross to listening to Judaism it was due to demonic power - 1 Timothy 4:1 "doctrines of demons". How else can we explain it? They had experienced the Spirit richly, 3:2-5; 2 Corinthians 4:3,4. What of backslidden Pentecostals and Charismatics today? Many receiving demonic ideas. They are always looking to find a supposed work of demons in believers and in geographical areas, as cities or countries. They call it "spiritual warfare". It is not of God. Also, some are fearful of black magic supposedly placed upon them by relatives, friends or neighbours. The "Evil eye"! Do not believe their power`, see Numbers 23:23. Looking at the Cross of Jesus Christ in all its meaning will counter any demonic attacks in this way, which are forever coming against the Church of Jesus Christ. This comes as heresy and unscriptural experiences. These things are particularly prominent in the West.

1 Corinthians 1:23; 2:2, preaching of the gospel is the preaching of the Cross. They had heard the gospel so well that vividly it appeared as if Christ were crucified in front of them. On previous visits to Galatia, Acts 16:6; 18:23, Paul had preached the atonement on the Cross to them. Corrupt doctrines had been taught by others, viz. that they had to follow Jewish laws and rules to be accepted by God. We today often hear different errors. The atonement for sin by Christ on the Cross (not in the grave as taught by Copeland) is the only basis for our acceptance with God.

Today, many of the ways of the Charismatics and some Pentecostals in principle can be seen to be following what the Jews did. You must "get slain", you "must shake", you must have "demons cast out (really sins)", you must "fight Satan often", you must "have spiritual warfare", you must "confess it over and over", you must "give money, sowing a seed, to get back more money (prosperity doctrine)", you "must not think, just accept it", or "you must take off your gold", "you must wear veils", "you must repeat 'Hallelujah' over and over" and many other ways.

The coming of Christ has meant the end to following "law". In these verses, Paul is showing that there is no room for the spirit of legalism. We should ask ourselves, "Am I legalistic? Is my church legalistic?" Such legalism is not part of the gospel of grace. The gift of righteousness rests on faith. Our experience is of the Spirit who lives within. Then we are to experience that Holy Spirit flowing from within as a river of living water. This begins in the baptism with the Holy Spirit, Acts 2:4; John 4:13,14; 7:38,39. The theme is righteousness by faith. The Spirit also, is given by faith, not by works of the Law, works of any kind. The promise was given before the Law. It is the "blessing of Abraham" promised long ago. This inheritance is by faith.

The righteousness that comes to us through the salvation in Christ Jesus is through faith. The promise of the Father, the outpouring of the Spirit, the first instalment of that which is to come in eternity, is by faith. Ephesians 1:14 "the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people". The devil comes as an Angel of Light, 2 Corinthians 11:14. As in verse 1 of Galatians 3, some dreams and visions, revelations and doctrines show that people are "bewitched by the devil". It is possible for other believers besides the Galatians to be bewitched by Satan. The whole world is totally "bewitched by the devil", Ephesians 2:1,2.

Galatians 3:2 The Holy Ghost is not given by the law but faith as in Acts 2:4-20; See re Cornelius, Acts 10:44. Those Gentiles even although uncircumcised, received the baptism with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is a free Gift without any works of the flesh. He fills our spirits not our emotions or and does not give bodily and fleshy manifestations. It is an experience that does touch emotions. It is rational. It is also ecstatic. Dramatic experiences are in Galatians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 1:5-7; Acts 8:17,19:6; Romans 8:2; 2 Corinthians 3:17. The Spirit received in this way by the Galatians meant that God had accepted them. It was not because of Law but faith. These Gentile Galatians had been placed by God in with His people, Isaiah 32:15; Ezekiel 37:4-14; Joel 2:28,29.

What made them to be recognised as God’s people was this reception of the Spirit, according to these verses. Nothing else. How did they get it? Not by observing Law but through the "hearing with faith". There is an importance to hearing in the gospel, Romans 10:17, 1:5; 15:18. This experience of the Spirit shows people are believers, belonging to Christ. The opposers said the mark of identification was circumcision (or other modern legalistic acts, even water baptism). Ephesians 1:13,14 makes this clear. It is the mark placed upon believers. This mark is the baptism with the Holy Spirit that always involves speaking in other tongues. Acts 2:14.

Paul says the identification mark is the Spirit alone; He is the seal of divine ownership, Ephesians 1:13,14, "were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit". The Spirit alone distinguishes God’s people under the New Covenant. However, we cannot shut out any who do not have this experience of the baptism in the Spirit if they rest on the cross. Nevertheless, according to these scriptures, without this experience in the baptism with the Holy Spirit, there is no mark on the life.

According to this verse in Galatians, it is obvious the Spirit was received in a dynamic away. There were visible evidences of the Spirit and Paul considered this was habitual - not like today. Quite often today there are supposed evidences of the Spirit's working that are not really the Spirit. These kind come from the flesh, fanciful ideas, unscriptural signs, all being demonic. As Jesus said to Peter, "Whatsoever is of man is of Satan". The experiences of the Spirit in Galatia, were visible. They were experiences accompanied by phenomenon, giving some evidence of the presence of the Spirit of God.  It would have been said, "They speak with tongues".

It was the custom in the early Church for all believers to experience this dynamic experience of the Spirit as in Acts 2:4. Notice they received by faith and the only sign was speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is the only Scriptural sign. Laughing, shaking or falling over can never be signs given by the Spirit.

There is a contrast here. It shows the Spirit as divine power. The flesh is weak, self-centred. It is carnal and ungodly. Verses 2,3 show "Spirit and faith" as against "Works of the Law and flesh". The heathen tries to earn his salvation. The Jews were trying to earn their salvation. Those who fall back into Law, lose Christ and the Spirit. They end up in Law and are destroyed by it. There is no place for observance of the Law in the life of the believer. In Galatia they wanted faith and observance of the Law. The contrast there was not between faith and works of the Law; but between faith and works of the Law compared to justification by faith with life in the Spirit. Today, many try to follow faith as well as the ways of the Old Covenant. We are not under the Old. We are under the New Covenant.

Life we lived before we accept Christ and outside of Christ is described as "flesh". It is lived according to this present age, the world, James 4:4; 1 John 2:15. This life has been condemned through the cross. The opposite is life according to the Spirit. This life in Christ is through faith in His death and resurrection. If we began in the life of Christ and then try to follow the works of the Law and of the Old Testament, we live again "in the flesh" and cannot please God, Romans 8:8. "For Christ is the end of the Law to them that believe", Romans 10:4. We are to walk in the Spirit, to be led by Him. Most believers do not understand this. If we want to please God, we should meditate on these truths and do them.

Verse 4. He said they had "experienced" so much, the outpouring of the Spirit included and he emphasised – “Was it in vain?” "Have you had such wonderful experiences of the Spirit, in vain?" Jesus said, John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life". Let us realise the terrible condition of living according to the ways of the flesh. Only His Spirit gives life. We are to live in resurrection life in our spirits, here on earth. We are to "reign in life", Romans 5:17, or "much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace, the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life".
Verse 5. God is the One who gives the Spirit. It is the Promise of the Father, Acts 1:4. "The Father will give you another Advocate, the Spirit of truth”, John 14:16,17; Acts 2:17 "God declares that I will pour out my Spirit". Yet it is said "Jesus has received the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this", Acts 2:33. God is the One who give the Spirit that we "minister".

It can be said, ministers of Christ "minister" the Spirit, in the same way as is said that Jesus is the Healer, Matthew 8:17 but yet His ministers are to "heal the sick", Luke 10:9. There is one God who "supplies" the Spirit again and again, 1 Thessalonians 4:8; Philemon 1:19; Ephesians 4:16; Colossians 2:19. The Spirit is supplied, fresh each occasion and new miracles occur. It is a Divine impartation and reception by the believers.

The churches in Galatia and elsewhere, were full of charisma (gifts) and the Spirit - 1 Corinthians 12-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22; 2 Thessalonians 2:2. The experience of the Spirit in the believer and in the church was central to church life. The gifts of the Spirit operated. The miraculous was there. This is on the basis of faith not works of the Law.

It would appear that their churches were different from most of ours - and we are supposed to be like them. Signs and wonders are to happen. These are speaking in other tongues, the greatest Bible given attraction for unbelievers – even greater than healing, miracles in the body and raising of the dead, 1 Corinthians 14:22, "Tongues then are a sign or miracle or token or wonder not for believers but for unbelievers". Other translations say, "Tongues are to interest unbelievers" or "Strange tongues are meant to warn the unbeliever". We are heirs of Abraham and part of his covenant through faith in Christ Jesus. That covenant is fulfilled by the Spirit of God, verses 6-14. "Works miracles among you". That is Divine energy manifested in powerful actions, Mark 6:2; Matthew 14:2; 1 Corinthians 12:10. The miracles happened as Gifts of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:6,11; Hebrews 2:4; 6:4,5 (powers of the Age to come). God never changes. The church should not.

The whole of Galatians 3 should be seen as being connected to and following on from Genesis 15. It is about the  Covenant God made with Abraham and his family, his "seed".   God made this Covenant with Abraham.  It was to be fulfilled in his seed, which is Christ. It was not to be fulfilled in the nation of Israel. Paul in using "curse", places the book of Galatians as being connected to covenant, as it is taken from Deuteronomy 27, 28. All are under the curse resulting from sin. All need deliverance and salvation from sin. This is shown even in the Old Covenant. All the promises and blessings outlined in those two chapters were under the Old Covenant.  The Old Covenant held out blessing and curse. We are under the New Covenant. The blessings under this Covenant, are spiritual and flow out into the natural life.  The curse of the Old Covenant, sin, was removed at the cross.  Jesus Christ being the Mediator of the New Covenant has provided for us all the spiritual and material blessings laid up for us, through His death and resurrection.   We have a foretaste of all these blessings here and now but the ultimate fulfilment is kept for heaven.

Moses stated that Israel would make the wrong choice and as a result, experience the curse of all curses, i.e., exile, Deuteronomy 28:5-29:29. Chapter 30 gives hope after they failed to keep the covenant. The hope is for renewal of covenant. It is about the regathering of the people after exile. After the children of Israel were taken into captivity for 70 years in Babylon, 2 Chronicles 36:20,a remnant of them did return to their own land, see 2 Chronicles 36:22, books of Ezra and Nehemiah. It is about the circumcision of the heart It was that the word was "near you", "on your lips and in your heart", Deuteronomy 30:1-14. Those chapters are about exile and restoration. They are about judgment because they broke that covenant. They show the covenant can be renewed. We as Gentile sinners, were outside of the covenant, away from God, under His wrath and lost in sin. We were under the curse also. Romans 1:18-32;2:14-16. Christ bore the judgment of God for the Jews and for the Gentiles. He became the curse for us. We were far from God. Christ was forsaken by God. Restoration or reconciliation has come for those who believe in Christ who made reconciliation with God for us.

We should note that Deuteronomy 29 and 30 are about a renewal of the covenant God made with Israel at Horeb. These two chapters do promise prosperity and "you will be the head and not the tail". "We are the head and not the tail" was never spoken in relation to believers in Christ, as many today are declaring. The covenant with Israel has been done away with, Hebrews 8:1`3, "By calling this one 'new', He has made the first one obsolete". It has been superseded by the New Covenant. Nowhere in the Bible is there any verse that includes  being the "head and not the tail" in this New Covenant. The New Covenant is described in Jeremiah 31:31-33, c/f to Hebrews 10:16. It should be noted that it is an entirely different covenant, as verse 32 here promises, "It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers". Hebrews 8, 9 and 10 show what the New Covenant is all about.

In Romans 10:26, Paul implies that the curse has been overcome and thus removed for believers only, by the return from exile (away from God), promised in Deuteronomy 30 through the cross, "Out of Zion will come the Deliverer; He will banish ungodliness from Jacob And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins", Romans 11:26. Christ came under the Law, under the Old Covenant. He came from heaven to Zion, the Jews. After the Cross, He formed His church on the Day of Pentecost. This is called Zion, Hebrews 12:22. Now He comes out of Zion, His church. He came through the first preaching of the gospel by Peter in Acts 2. He is our Deliverer, He is "the stone in Zion that will make people stumble, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame", Romans 9:33. He comes through the preaching of the gospel. He banishes ungodliness from those who believe, including Jews and Gentiles. He comes through the work of the Holy Spirit in hearts.

The curse of exile, being away from God, climaxed in the cross of Jesus. He was in exile, as it were. We in Him were in exile there. The judgment was on Him. It was dealt with once for all, so that the blessing of the covenant being renewed as the New Covenant, might flow out for the Jews, with the Gentiles being brought in under it.

Verses 6-9. It is through faith alone. John 6:29, "This is the work of God that you believe on Him". We were unable to help ourselves. We were "weak and undone", as a hymn says. We depended on ourselves. We indeed were gods unto ourselves. We do not do any "work". It is God who "works" in us. By faith we depend on God through Christ. We have righteousness apart from works, Romans 4:6 "David speaks of the blessedness of those to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works". Abraham could do nothing himself. God had to do it. It was God who supernaturally gave Abraham the promised son. It had to be faith, for him and us. Because of his faith, he was justified, before circumcision. He is our father and because of our faith we are justified without circumcision and without religious works of any kind, Romans 4:16.

Any other way is that of pride and self-righteousness, as the Pharisee prayed, "I thank God I am not as others", Luke 18:10. "The gospel was preached to Abraham", Galatians 3:8, "All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you". It was a seed form. Jesus said in John 8:56, "Abraham saw My day and was glad". Those "of faith" are blessed. The blessing is the blessing of the gospel that Jesus announced and as revealed to Paul.

At the time of Christ, the exile was still in force for the Jews. The land was under the control of Rome. Israel was still under the curse of Deuteronomy 29 and as a people of Abraham's natural descendants, still is today. In Galatians 1:4 Paul spoke of that time as being part of "this present evil age".

Galatians 3:10-14 declares that "Whoever does not keep the Law is under the curse". The curse came upon Israel as a result of their breaking the Law. In its full extent the curse was their being placed outside the Covenant of God. They became strangers to God and not partakers of His life and blessing. In the case of a hanging, they were placed outside of the land, Deuteronomy 21:23.

God's concern as Lawgiver was an atonement that carried out the penalty of death originally pronounced against sin as in Genesis 3. Then in Genesis 3:15, (regarding Christ), He showed a way that would bring in a righteousness bringing justification. Galatians was not addressed to Christian Jews. It was sent to Gentile believers. They were not under any dispensation or covenant of Jewish Israel. The curse of the Law does not mean temporal and civil punishments inflicted on Israel of old because they sinned against the judicial or ceremonial law. Such did happen in the Old Testament, as per Deuteronomy 28:15.

The term "curse" means the "penal sanction of the moral law". This curse is on all mankind. "Sanction" is "to make binding" or "penalty for disobedience". Christ "redeemed" us from that curse through His obedience unto death on the cross. This means He "bought us out from one condition and transferred us into another". He bought us or ransomed us. Punishment was transferred from us to Christ. He exchanged places with Christ and us. He was made a curse. The Divine wrath was poured out on Him. We had to be redeemed from the penal sanction or penalty of the law. It has no connection with material blessings, in the way we hear "Prosperity Teachers" saying. That is to make a "false" gospel. The gospel places Jesus Christ as being the centre of all things. The cross is the power and wisdom of God unto salvation for eternity.   Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world".  However, as He is the "Heir of all things" and as we are "co-heirs with Him", it affects the material in addition to its main import, the spiritual.  As the last Adam, He has dominion over this creation.  We therefore have a right to material  blessings.  

Christ became a "curse" for us. As in 2 Corinthians 5:21, there is an abstract noun in the Greek. This describes Christ as the sin-bearer in that verse and the curse-bearer in Galatians. This use of "curse" meant that a thing was done to the highest degree. It gives it more emphasis. Because Jesus became the curse-bearer, God is now able to give blessing. It is the "blessing of Abraham", "the promise of the Spirit". That is "spirit-ual" blessing!

The "blessing of Abraham" promised in Galatians 3:14 is not prosperity as it is taught. Because Deuteronomy lists blessings including prosperity for Israel if she kept the Law, current teaching says Christ redeemed us from the curse, i.e. sickness and poverty as well. According to that teaching, we should not have any sickness or any poverty. They say that if we do have, it is because of our lack of faith – a cruel thing to say to the sick and the deprived. Galatians 3 teaches something quite different. In any case, we believers are not under Law, to receive any curse or any blessing by Law but under grace. We were never part of the nation of Israel that was given the curses and the blessings. We as believers are under grace. We are not under the Law that spoke of curses and blessings for Israel.

The blessing is "the promise of the Spirit through faith" and this is as opposed to Law. It is a spirit-ual thing that can bring material benefit in the way Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all things needful will be added unto you". This blessing of the Spirit through Christ is that believers are under a New Covenant. They are not cast out, as was Israel with its curses. Rather, they are all brought back from being away from God and His covenant. They have been restored and reconciled as one, both Jew and Gentile, Ephesians 2:13-22. This is the blessing promised to Abraham, that his seed, Christ and all believers in Him, would be one family blessed under the Covenant.

The whole of Galatians 3 points out God’s covenant with Abraham. It was that he would have a worldwide family the entrance into it being by faith. Israel received the promises but the Law could only provide a curse for them. This was shown in their exile and lack of any prophets so as to hear from God for 400 years prior to Paul. Galatians 3 asks, "How can the promises to Abraham and the blessings, given to Israel, go to the whole world as covenanted with Abraham?" It would appear that the Law bringing only curse, could make those promises void. The family of Abraham would only expect failure.

Through the death of Christ, the curse-bearer, the promises and blessings of Abraham can come upon the Gentiles (and believing Jews) that we may receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. It is the Jews and never Gentiles who were under the Law and believing Gentiles today are not under the Law as in Deuteronomy 28 either in relation to its curses or its blessings.

The blessings of prosperity in Deuteronomy have their final fulfilment in the new heaven and the new earth, that heavenly city Abraham looked for, Hebrews 11:10. This is the inheritance of earth and the prosperity promised to Abraham and his children, believers in Christ. Jesus said, "The meek shall inherit the earth". The meek are those who humble themselves to realise their own helplessness and who rest on Christ. They will inherit the New Jerusalem that John saw coming down from heaven to earth.

The blessing of Abraham as it is outlined in Romans 4:13-25 does not concern any inheritance of this present world or any if its prosperity. It is to do with the imputation of righteousness and as in verses 24,25, also with reference to us. Our faith, too, will be regarded by God in the same light if we have "faith in him" who "was delivered up because of our offences and was raised to life for our acquittal". It has to do with the Messianic hope and the Old Testament prophecies concerning the reign of the Messiah over the whole earth. He is to have dominion and we will reign with Him. However, it is over "new heavens and a new earth", 2 Peter 3:13.

Abraham in Hebrews 11:10 "was waiting for God to bring him to that strong heavenly city", which is God’s design, built by God Himself. That city is the Jerusalem John saw in his vision as it descended from heaven on to a renewed earth. Abraham was "heir of the world". It did not mean anything to do with this world. His hope was in the city built by God, the world to come. That also brings for us, the promises referring to "all families of the earth" (not to national Israel or the Jews) in Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18. The promises made to Abraham have a spiritual and permanent meaning as is stated in the New Testament. His inheritance was in actuality not confined by earthly borders. His seed was "the Christ" who came to bring salvation to people of all nations.

If we read Galatians 3:2-5 and then verses 6-12, it is easy to see that the blessing of Abraham to include Gentiles, is based on faith alone. The evidence is the gift of the Spirit who is the fulfilment of the promise made to Abraham. That was the purpose of Christ’s becoming a curse. The gift of the Spirit comes in salvation and in the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

It was in order i. that in Christ the "blessing of Abraham " might be also for Gentiles and ii. that we by faith in Christ Jesus might receive the promise made to Abraham, which has been fulfilled by the Spirit’s presence. The resurrection signified God accepts the "outsider", the cursed law-breaker now outside the covenant (Jew) and Gentile sinner.

We are under the grace of God. However, His grace is found within the Law itself. In Deuteronomy 30 are the usual patterns of Israel’s historic exile and restoration. Then (Judges, Isaiah – Zechariah); judgment came, followed by mercy. We see this throughout Judges, Isaiah through to Zechariah. The pattern of judgment and mercy ends with the renewal of the covenant by God’s circumcising the hearts of the remnant. Throughout the whole of this dispensation, from the Day of Pentecost until now, there has never been a pattern of judgment and mercy as before, on the Jews. He is not dealing with those of natural Israel as He did in the Old Testament.

This was not what happened in Leviticus. There it was repentance by sacrifice and atonement under the system of sacrifices shown. The emphasis in this passage of Deuteronomy is not on when a person sins but on when the nation as a whole fails to keep the Law in its entirety.

The death of Jesus, on a Roman cross, showed the continuing bondage of the people of God under the curse. His death brought deliverance from exile. This being the case, there can be no more place for a national Israel’s exile needing restoration. God is now dealing with the restoration that happened through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The exile ended, bringing restoration through salvation by the Cross. It means that the New Covenant is a Covenant redefined. It is for a new kind of Israel, viz. the saved Jewish remnant and the saved Gentiles who have been brought in. This fulfilled the promises given to Abraham in God’s covenant with him.

We approach God through His grace, as Abraham did, not by our own merits and not like the Judaizers did.  Curse is mentioned in Deuteronomy 27:26; 28:58,61; 29:20,21,27; 30:10. It was God’s curse on the offender, particularly on the Jewish nation that broke the Covenant.
Paul said that for Jews to put too much emphasis on being distinct from Gentiles was not wise as they already are under the curse. Relationship with God is always dependent on faith. Covenant law is obedience that expresses such faith. Today if the Jews and believing Gentiles deny faith, Paul says, they are outside the covenant, under a curse. The Gentile converts had the Spirit through faith. It is enough to have faith.

The Jews clung to physical descent from Abraham, John 8:33,39-41 "Abraham is our father. You are of your father the Devil". They had in their body the mark of the covenant, circumcision. No person without that mark would escape Gehenna, yet Luke 3:8 says, "Do not say, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham". God is raising up children to Abraham from Gentiles (heathen)! God promised Abraham a worldwide family, of "faith".

The promises were given to Israel. The Law gave to this people, through whom the promise came, only curse. The argument of Paul's continues. How could the promises to Abraham now reach the world? Promises of blessing to Abraham were still there but the Law stops those promises. The problem is dealt with because the old covenant finished in the death of the Messiah. God showed this by tearing the veil of the Temple in two when Christ died. A New Covenant came into being.

The death of Christ means that now the blessing of Abraham can come upon the Gentiles and that "we" may receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. "We" includes the Jewish and Gentile Christians.

Paul was speaking to the false brethren and those who would follow them, to whom the promises belonged. Also, who the children of Abraham are". Paul argues from Old Testament scripture. He shows that the promises are found in them. The Scriptures are the foundations of the covenant.

Today, this circumcision is often replaced (and is also as wrong as the thinking re circumcision) by church membership and the physical act of water baptism in some believers’ eyes. In spiritual righteousness, we are to reject all laws and works and look only at the only promise and blessing. This is to look at Christ our only Saviour. It is not by law but by faith. Circumcision spiritually is the death of and to self on the Cross as we see ourselves in the circumcision of Christ, Colossians 2:11.

2 Peter 2:1,2, "False teachers, who will secretly bring in destructive opinions. They will even deny the Master who bought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their licentious ways. 3, In their greed (for money, for numbers, for a following) they will exploit you with deceptive words. There condemnation pronounced against them long ago, has not been idle and their destruction is not asleep".

Let us look at separate verses in the above passage, Galatians 3:10-14.

Galatians 3:10 It is not by works of Law, following from verse 9. a. All following works of Law are under a curse, needing to be redeemed from it. b. Scripture says, the righteous person shall live by faith, Romans 1:17; Hebrews 10:38; Habakkuk 2:4, the righteous live by their faith; Leviticus 18:5, "You shall keep my statutes, by doing so one shall live" but the Law is not of faith. c. Christ has delivered us from the curse of living by "works of Law", because "cursed (also) is everyone who hangs on a tree".

Verses 11,12. Verse 11 quotes Habakkuk 2:4 that shows that those under the covenant have faith. This faith is always in connection with the Cross of Christ. No person can be righteous without the blood of Christ. The Old Testament slaying of millions of animals over the centuries shows that there has to be shedding of blood to atone for sin. Every blessing has its root in the Cross of Christ. It must be by faith, as in Galatians 3:6-9. Let us remember that in relation to Israel, God always has dealt with her in a peculiar manner in the Old Testament dispensation, Deuteronomy 28:15. Her disobedience and idolatry brought the curse upon her. It remains and will remain until the remnant are removed from under it by faith in Christ, 2 Cor.3:14-16.

Under the Law, they found it was "by doing". It did not work on faith. It was added to the faith Abraham had. It was built upon God’s relationship with them based on and kept through faith Galatians 3:17. Nevertheless, the old covenant came through faith not law.

The Law was the way they must live within the covenant. Law was not the foundation of the covenant. Habbakuk 2:4 shows as the people of God they had to live by faith. Leviticus 18:5, quoted in verse 12 of Galatians 3, shows how limited the law was.

Law can never be the means of faith and thus bring life, Romans 10:5,6. "But the righteousness that comes from faith says, "Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (That is to bring Christ down)". "Bringing Christ down from heaven" means to bring about the incarnation. This has already taken place; the Messiah has appeared.

The Jewish Galatians were condemned. The Galatian Gentiles were under the wrath and condemnation of God because of the disobedience in their hearts to the law written within. The Law of Moses showed that they did not even come close to being what God required.

Galatians 3:13,14 The covenant promises were given to Abraham. Then Law was given. The promises still were there. The Law brings curse, not blessing, Romans 4:15 (wrath). It cannot of itself give the faith that is the true sign of the covenant people, Abraham’s family. How can the blessing of Abraham come on either Jew cursed by Law or Gentile?

Redeemed or ransomed from the curse of the Law meant Someone had the curse transferred to Him. This was Jesus Christ, by His death. He exchanged places with the sinners. His as a vicarious death as the Substitution. Also, He represents Israel and is able to take on himself Israel’s curse and remove it. Jesus died as King of the Jews at the hands of Romans. They oppressed Israel, still under the curse of exile, Mark 15:25,26.

Christ came to be where Israel was, under the curse 4:4. He was Israel’s representative and also Israel’s redeeming representative. The curse afflicted Israel in particular. Sin afflicts all. He took sin upon Himself. To the Gentiles, Paul said, 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (God did not make Him a sinner). He was "sin-bearer".

The curse meant the wrath of God is on all. Punishment had to be given. The punishment was transferred to Him. He died bodily for us. He suffered for us, receiving the experience of Hell, which is separation from God and not descending into hell itself. This began in the Garden of Gethsemane. On the cross, He cried, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” He experienced this for us. He hung upon the tree (cross) because of the curse on us, transferred to Him. It was not His being on the cross that was the curse. He was there because of the curse, Deuteronomy 21:22, which is a symbol or type in prophecy. See 1 Corinthians 1:21, 23; Isaiah 53.

2 Corinthians 5:21, “He became sin for us” uses an abstract noun in the Greek. It means He became the sin bearer, the curse, the curse bearer. It does not mean He became sin in actuality. He bore the guilt of our sin. He was forever, the spotless Lamb of God. On the cross, He was an offering for sin that went up to God as a sweet savour, Ephesians 5:2.

The death of Jesus is to be understood by thinking of renewing the covenant. It was also a Covenant curse, Israel’s curse. It was taken by Israel’s anointed representative. The king died, hanging on a tree in His own land. This polluted the land. If the land of Israel is polluted, how can God have a special plan for it today? Pollution was never removed.

Christ was made a curse for us who were burdened with sin and guilt. It becomes His own people in the sense it is as if He was the sinning people. Inwardly, He is innocent. Outwardly, He is guilty with our sin. "Redeemed" means "bought back". This happened in atonement, 1 Peter 1:18,19 (Bore our sins on His own body on the tree); Acts 20:28; Isaiah 53:3. Deuteronomy 21:23 "A hanged man accursed". He is hanged because he is cursed, not cursed because he hung on a cross.

The whole life of Jesus on earth was one of curse-bearing. He knew sorrow and suffering. However, God never saw Jesus as a sinner. He never was. He was always His beloved Son. He was the Righteous Servant. In His life he knew the curse as given to Adam in Genesis 3, of toil, labour, thirst, hunger, sorrow and death. He was made in “the likeness of sinful flesh”, Hebrews 2. Because He was sinless, sickness personally could not come upon Him. He was cursed as our substitute. When He saw them weeping at the grave of Lazarus in John 11, “Jesus wept”. He was weeping because He saw the curse on mankind and being made like us, He felt and understood that curse. In that case, it was sickness and death. Because He bore the curse, it made the way open for blessing to come to believers.

The curse came upon Him as our Substitute. Personally, He never was cursed. He took the penalty we deserve. He was treated as guilty, accused and cursed in our place.

A man was cursed because he broke the law that brought both curse and punishment. A cursed person was outside the covenant; he was expelled, Deuteronomy 21:23; 27,28. Also, there was the withdrawal of covenant blessing, he was put outside promised land among Gentiles. Jesus was cursed by God, put outside the covenant, outside the people of God. He suffered “outside the city gate”, Hebrews 13:12. All Israelites, are outside any covenant, even today (unless accepting Christ). God has no covenant with them. In Revelation 3:9 the Spirit calls Jews "the synagogue of Satan".

The Gentiles are brought in, as promised in Genesis 12:3; 15:5 and 17:2,5. Abraham’s seed, Israel, had failed to be a light to the nations. Jesus Christ, as the Seed of Abraham, in whom the promises are fulfilled, is the means by which the Gentiles come in, Galatians 3:23-29. He is the Light to the nations.

At the resurrection, the New Covenant came into being. Jesus is the Surety of the covenant. Through faith in Him, we, Jew and Gentile, are in that covenant. Because He is our Surety, this New Covenant will never fail. In Hebrews 13:11-13 "burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the city gate in order to sanctify the people by his own blood. Let us then go to him outside the camp". Jews are outside the Covenant of Abraham. It was broken. Acts 28:27,28; Revelation 3:9 - The Jews as a Nation is finished. God turned His back on it.

The promises to Abraham are fulfilled only in Christ. The death of Christ made everything right. Only faith in Him will bring any Jew in, or Gentile. Genesis 22:18; 12:3; Galatians 3:16; 5:11; 6:12. Now the blessing of Abraham comes only to Jew and Gentile in Christ. Ephesians 3:15-22, "built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God".

Galatians 3:14 Now we see the promised Spirit. Acts 2:33,38,39 promises Him to all believers in a special way. We look at justification and the Baptism in the Spirit. The two can be almost simultaneous and the two should happen. Justification comes first, through the Spirit and the Blood, Romans 5:9 "we have been justified by his blood", and “in the Spirit of our God”, 1 Corinthians 6:11. "We stand justified as the result of faith". This means we are part of the New Covenant. The Spirit is the blessing of this covenant, as we see in Deuteronomy 30. The return from exile has occurred, Deuteronomy 30:20. As a spiritual nation, Israel has returned from exile. Galatians 6:16, "upon the (only one) Israel of God. All believers are in that Israel of God.

Galatians 3:15-18 Justification by faith was the experience of Abraham, "reckoned as righteous by faith", Romans 4:3,13. This is also for Abraham’s children, who become such through the one Seed, Christ Jesus, verses 15-18. "Received the promise of the Spirit by faith" includes justification. Also there is to be more. There are to be rivers of living water flowing out from within through the baptism with the Holy Spirit. The promised inheritance, the gift of the Spirit in salvation and infilling is to be experienced by all Abraham’s children who are "by faith in Christ Jesus". Sadly, most experience only the first part of the promised Spirit.

The blessing of Abraham is: i. Justification by faith, sonship through righteousness by faith. ii. Life by the Spirit. iii The promise of the Father, Acts 1:4, the infilling of the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues. This is seen in Ezekiel 36:26; Jeremiah 31:3137:1-14; Joel 2:28,29. The time of Law and flesh is past. A new dispensation with a new covenant, has come. The promise of inheritance has been realised in part by the coming of the Spirit, as on the Day of Pentecost. The full inheritance is in heaven. Gentiles have joined Jews as Abraham’s heirs. The Spirit is freedom from the law, sin, death, the curse, hell, judgment and wrath of God. No such thing as not paying tithes brings curse. The curse has finished for believers in Christ.
The whole of Galatians 3 concerns the difference between the Spirit and the works of the law verse 2, 3. We are now under the Spirit and not under the works of the law. If we are under the Spirit, the blessings or curses of the Law are not for us.

Isaiah 53:6 shows "the chastisement of our peace was upon Him". This suffering was the pains of hell, in their nature and being, that began when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane and continued on the Cross until His death. There was no experience of it in the Hell where the unsaved go. It was impossible that death could so take hold of He who was holy, that He would go into an actual Hell, Satan's abode. Hebrews 9:14, "He offered Himself without spot to God" – not to Satan.

In Christ alone, can a man be "redeemed from the curse of the law" or "the curse pronounced in the Law". The redemption of believers from the curse of the law does relate to the above chapters in Deuteronomy. This is about the fact that as sinners all are outside any covenant with God and are under His wrath and the curse. Romans 7:11 shows that the problem was sin within, as Tay translates it, "Sin fooled me by taking the good laws of God and using them to make me guilty of death".

Galatians 3:15 The promises were made to Abraham and his seed. The law coming later could not change the conditions of salvation. We are to have faith in the promise that comes through grace. Under Law it was merit by receiving "wages". Under the gospel, it is all grace. We think of the will as mentioned in Hebrews 9:15-21. There is an agreement/covenant, Genesis 15:18; 17:2-8; v.4, Romans 4:17. In the latter verse, "The world" is not this world but spiritual seed with a heavenly inheritance, new heavens and new earth. The covenant with Abraham was not set aside by the covenant given at Sinai, Exodus 19:5; 24:7,8, Deuteronomy 4:13; 29:1,21. Christ is Abraham’s one true offspring.

The promise to Abraham is the inheritance. This happened with the coming of the Spirit. This is the first instalment of what will be received in the eternal place. Righteousness is by faith. Gentiles come into the blessing of Abraham, the promise of God, The inheritance is two-fold of 3:26-29; 4:4-7. It is apart from Law. It is effected by Christ and comes about through the gift of the Spirit. Blessing to the nations is the theme of the Abrahamic covenant, Romans 9:4. This is through the gospel. Abraham believed in the "Seed".

Let us look at the promise of the land of Canaan, Genesis 13:15,17; 15:18; 17:8; 24:7. The gospel was confusing to the Judaizers in Galatia. In their view, it concerned national Israel. Paul shows in Romans 4:13-17 the promise now to Abraham is to "inherit the world". This is not just the land promised him, viz. Canaan promised for the nation of Israel in the book of Joshua. Abraham is the "father of many nations".

Inheriting the land was spiritualised in Psalms 37:9 "those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land"/29 "the righteous shall inherit the land and live in it forever"/ 39 "The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord" all Psalms to day can not be in the natural. They are spiritualised, Psalms 23; 27:91. In the Psalms, natural Jerusalem is praised. Now, we do not have a natural Jerusalem but a New Jerusalem, even as Abraham looked for the eternal city, New Jerusalem, Hebrews 11:10 Ezekiel 34:25; 11-14; Isaiah 51:21. All are about the New Jerusalem, Paradise as in the Garden of Eden is restored and enlarged. See Ezekiel 28:13-19; John 6:45; Revelations 21:19,15; Isaiah 65:13-15. These are spiritualised by talking of eternal life. The Spirit is the beginning of the Christian inheritance, for believing Jew and Gentile. Galatians 4:7; 5:21;3:2-5,14. The book of Hebrews spiritualises the promise of the land - Hebrews 3,4; 6:12; 11:8-16. Prayer for Jerusalem in Psalms was only for the Old Testament.

We cannot today literally "chase a band of robbers" or "leap over a fence" as David in a Psalm 18:29. We should understand the Book of Psalms better. What of Isaiah 54:17? Are we to condemn? The New Testament says differently. Romans 12:19-21, "overcome evil with good". "Bless them you curse you", Luke 6:28. When the disciples wished ill on those who opposed Jesus, He said, "You do not know what spirit you are of".

Galatians 3:18 Salvation is not by law but by grace through faith. Paul speaks of "Grace, Promise, Faith". Grace means God gave it. It is a free gift, a favour. Galatians 3:18; Romans 8:32; 1 Corinthians 2:12.

The thought is that Abraham and his race would inherit the land. The Spirit is the beginning of the Christian inheritance, Galatians 4:7; 5:21; 3:2-5,14. The promise of the land is also spiritualised, Hebrews 3-4; 6:12; 11:8-16. We, the believers, both natural Jew and Gentile, now made one in Christ, will inherit the land, Romans 8:18-23; Psalm 8; Isaiah 11:5-9; 1 Corinthians 15:27,28; Acts 3:21 regeneration, restitution or restoration; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21:1; Ephesians 1:10,14; Matthew 5:5. It is the "new heavens and the new earth", "heaven". Abraham is the ancestor of all who believe without being circumcised, Romans 4:11.

Galatians 3:19-21 Justification by faith is to lead to holy living, not "do as you like". Why was the Law given previously? It was added because of sins. It was for the time until the Seed (Christ) arrived. It was given through angels, by means of a mediator, Moses. The Law, Pentateuch, covers the first five books of the Bible. It includes the system of sacrifices whereby God dealt with sin. Sin was dealt with finally in the cross of Christ.

In these verses is a contrast between the Law, given through angels and Moses and the covenant, given directly to Abraham by God, 3:17,18. Angels look at God’s redemption, where He reveals to them His wisdom, Ephesians 3:10, "in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places"; and 1 Peter 1:12.

Verse 20 One translation, Bas, says of Genesis 15:11 us not actually “covenant” but a contract, “undertaking”, “arrange to be done”, “conveyance of property”. That perhaps is the only way to explain this verse in Galatians as it says, “A mediator is not for one party only, yet God is One”. With this in mind, we need to think about Psalm 145:9, Covenant of Law, Exodus 24:4-8; Galatians 3:6,20,21. Hebrews 11:17 says “He who had received the promises”. This would include Isaac and Jacob as verse 9 is “fellow heirs of the same promise”.

Genesis 15:7-18, there was only one party, God, as Abraham fell under a “deep sleep”. The purpose was that of giving a promise, verse 7 and also Genesis 12:7. Being asleep, Abraham could never keep a covenant. Jeremiah 34:18 is regarding those who break a covenant, even when “they cut the calf and passed between its parts”. It could never be said Abraham did. A covenant always has two parties. It must have been as Bas above translates the Hebrew word.

The Law is identified with angels, that were sent to nations, Daniel 10:13. The Law is as "elemental forces" of 4:3, "when we were minors we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world"; 9, "How can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits?"; 10, "You are observing special days and months and seasons and years," i.e. submitting to Law’s demands is a kind of slavery to the "elemental forces" (demons).

See Colossians 2:20, "If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations, 21 ‘Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch’?"

The Law was to bring the knowledge of the character and demands of God, giving a deeper consciousness of sin. The Jew had more understanding. "To him who is given much, much is required", said Jesus. Luke 12:47 servants knew the will of their master, yet disobeyed; Matthew 13:12 "To him has, more is given, has not, what he has will be taken away". Between God, who is One and us, is enmity. God cannot revoke His law. The Mediator came, Jesus Christ and has reconciled us to God, Colossians 2:14 on the cross "He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances against us, nailing it to His cross".

Galatians 3:22-25 The Law imprisoned Jew and Gentile the same. The reason was to make salvation for all. Righteous men have no claim on Christ, Matthew 9:12,13 "not call righteous but sinners to repentance". All men are under the power of sin - Jew, Gentile, the whole world (this present evil age). Therefore Israel was not in a privileged position, said Paul. She was not protected by being under the law. All are under sin that is the master.

The power of the law was limited. God makes grace and the Spirit very important. This is promise and inheritance received through faith. Law is treated as a spiritual power, like sin, v.22, stated above. The Law thus was a kind of angelic being, as stated above. It was a "custodian", protective, not the same as sin but against sin. It did give some protection from idolatry and the lower moral standards in the Gentile (heathen) world. Israel as a nation was better than any other.

The Law was broken. Therefore they were guilty. Christ destroyed sin and in so doing, disarmed the Satanic powers as in Colossians 2:14,15. This happened on the cross and certainly not in the grave or in Hell! This was openly displayed to the angels in the triumph of Christ on the cross. He took on Him personally, our guilt. The cross wiped out the bond, or list of commandments and the breaking of them. This was against us. Galatians 3:13, 1 Peter 2:24. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “made sin” or “bore our sin”. All was embodied in Him. The bond against us and its curse, was identified with Him. It was exchanged from us to Him. Our guilt was expiated before God in this exchange by our Surety. On believing in Him, we are considered innocent and not guilty.

Galatians 3:24 "The Law was our disciplinarian (schoolmaster) until Christ came". Many centuries ago, it was the special business of the teacher to train the youth to proper habits. He gave no more than the beginning of learning but he was to conduct the youth to those who were qualified to give it. The law did this for those under it. By means of its symbolical institutions and ordinances, it gave the understanding, a measure of instruction. It trained and gave discipline to the will. The Jews lived better lives than the heathen all around them did. The Law was imperfect and pointed to something better. Those under Moses, when Christ came were to pass from this training under the shadows of good things, into the free use of the things themselves. They were supposed to understand. However, they generally did not. Hebrews 10:1 "The law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities".

At the time of Christ there was no need for a schoolmaster or custodian. The Law had served its purpose. Law is not as powerful as sin and therefore has no real answer to the power of sin. Only the grace of the Divine promise is able to break the power of sin. Only He can set the captives of this present evil age, free. So we can understand that all were shut up under sin. The promise given to Abraham was to bring about the Power that could break the rule of sin. It does not come by Law but by grace through faith.

Faith is to know one must depend on God. This is possible only to those who have heard and accepted the good news as it is in Christ. Under the Old Testament there were those who had some understanding. Without realising properly, there were some who were waiting the fulfilment of "the promise" to be given to "those who believe". This is the gift of the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:1-11. The new covenant is a covenant of "Spirit" and not a covenant as before of the "letter", 2 Corinthians 3. Once faith comes, there is no room for Law.

Galatians 3:26-29 The blessing promised to Abraham always had the Gentiles in mind. Israel was chosen and elected and was to receive the Law but it was as a temporary protection only for Israel. The more direct and wonderful revelation given in the promise to Abraham could be realised only through faith in Christ Jesus. Faith in Christ brought such a vital relationship with Him that it meant they also became sons of Abraham and also sons of God.

"Baptized into Christ" has no reference to water baptism. To mean water baptism would be doing what the Jewish opponents were doing, wanting a physical rite for them of circumcision. In this sense water baptism would be merely a physical rite of no account. Paul was using metaphors, "baptized into Christ" and "put on Christ", both of which are spiritual acts. This is through the Spirit. All are one; there is neither Jew, nor Gentile, male nor female, in Christ.

Jewish traditions said "women are inferior to men" and in their prayers, a Jewish man gives thanks to God that he was not created a Gentile, a slave or a woman. It must not be the case in this country for believers. Before God she is not inferior and indeed in actuality she is not inferior - just that both male and female are different and fit in with each other. All are one in Christ Jesus. To believe "into Jesus Christ" is to be baptized into Christ. It is to become so identified with Christ as to share in His position before God. It is to share in the promise to Abraham through his Seed, who is Christ.

Verse 28 states there is "neither Jew nor Gentile", being "one in Christ". That being the case where is the scriptural basis for the land of Israel to be given to the "Jews", when God has now considered there are no Jews - or Gentiles? There He mentions mankind as divided into two groups only - the redeemed (Jew and Gentile) and the unsaved.

Abraham and his natural descendants were given the land as a type for Abraham and his spiritual descendants to inherit the "land" of the