Galatians Part Two Dive

TWO WAYS TO LIVE - PARALLELS IN GALATIANS

I’m not very good at making choices. I get overwhelmed when there is too much to choose from and end up making the wrong choice. I am always the one when we eat a buffet lunch that has food envy when we get back to the table! But in Galatians, Paul makes it perfectly easy to make your choice. Over and over again he presents two choices, and for Paul, they are black and white, night and day. So, as we journey through Galatians, I want you to highlight in two different colours the two choices that Paul gives you. In this Dive, I am going to point them out before you read them and give you some details of what he may be talking about. Are you ready? Open your Bible to Galatians–let’s go!

Now, as we said in the Snapshot video, this is Paul’s first letter, so it is passionate but even in Paul’s passion, he never loses his incredible ability to debate and present his case. Over and over you are going to hear Paul convincing us that there are only two ways to live the Christian life. As you read this Dive, write in the margins of your Bible which way you are currently living, and don’t be ‘holy’ (giving me the answer you would give your pastor) be honest. Are you living by works of the law or by the Holy Spirit? Are you living like a slave in the Kingdom rather than a Son? Are you sowing more into the acts of the flesh than the Spirit?!

THE TWO GOSPELS

Paul begins his letter with a power packed moment. He presents to us the two gospels: one that is lived in the grace of Christ and one that is a different gospel, which is really not good news at all!

Let me show a list of what the two gospels look like according to Paul.

Gospel of Christ Different Gospel

1:6 Living in the grace of Christ 1:7 no gospel at all–not good news

1:11 Not of human origin–Paul received it 1:12 received by man

received by revelation from Jesus Christ 

Paul then gives us a very deep outline of how his gospel was given to him from Jesus and not from humans like the apostles (Chapter 1:11). He went to the apostles purely to tell them and get approval for the gospel he was preaching, not to be taught the gospel by them. 

In between his parallels, Paul re-states his case for the gospel of grace and belief in Jesus Christ alone, so highlight these as you go through also. One example is in Chapter 2:15-21.

The next two choices Paul calls to the stand in his case for the gospel are Faith and Works of the Law and we are introduced to these in Chapter 3.

Faith Works of the Law

3:2 Believing what you heard earning your salvation

3:3 By the Spirit by the Flesh

3:7 Children of Abraham

3:13 Redeemed from the curse 3:10 under a curse (Deuteronomy 28)

Check out Galatians 3 in The Message Bible, it’ll give you a great understanding of what Paul is saying.

TRUST IN CHRIST, NOT IN THE LAW

G 3:1-4 (MSG) You crazy Galatians! Did someone put a hex on you? Have you taken leave of your senses? Something crazy has happened, for it’s obvious that you no longer have the crucified Jesus in clear focus in your lives. His sacrifice on the cross was certainly set before you clearly enough. Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God’s Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren’t smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!

After presenting the works of the law or the life of faith, Paul then begins the understanding of the Children of God in Chapter 3:23-4:7 and presents the choices again but in the roles of slave and son.

Son Slave

3:26 children of God 3:24 under the guardian of the law

4:6 adopted as sons 4:7 slave

Is anyone else feeling like the choice is quite obvious at this point? But Paul keeps going. In Chapter 4:21-31, Paul brings another example from the Old Testament in the story of Hagar and Sarah.

Of Sarah Of Hagar

4:21 son according to the free woman 4:22 son by the slave woman

Born according to the divine promise born according to the flesh

We now hit the climactic statement of the whole book found in Chapter 5:1. We begin the final parallel of life in the Spirit compared to life in the flesh.

G 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.

Seriously TYB–what a verse! Christ set you free so that you can live a life in freedom, in fullness, free from the power of sin, free from the power of sickness, depression, anxiety, free from bitterness, completely and utterly free! Are you living a life of true freedom today? Are you living in all that Christ won for you on the cross? 

After smacking us in the face, Paul again introduces the two sides of the life in Christ: freedom or slavery.

Freedom Slavery

5:13 Life in the Spirit Life by the flesh

Serving one another humbly in love

Love your neighbour as yourself bite and devour each other

Walk by the Spirit gratify the desires of the flesh

Spirit desires what is contrary to the flesh Flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit

Led by the Spirit, not under the law

Fruit of the Spirit: 5:22-26 Acts of the flesh: 5:19-21

How amazing is that? Can you see the clear list of the two ways to live your Christian life? By the power of the Spirit or by the acts of the flesh, in freedom or in slavery, as a son or as a slave, by belief in all Jesus has done or by works. But wait, Paul hasn’t finished his letter yet, it’s time for the icing of the cake.

G 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction, whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 

Paul finishes this incredible letter of choices with the greatest statement–choose your side. Whatever side you sow into is the side you are going to reap from. That’s incredibly scary, right?! No fence sitting here; you are either living your Christian life and sowing into the life of the Spirit, with the fruit of the Spirit, living life in freedom or you are sowing into the life of the flesh, with its curses and works. 

I have a question for you, TYB. As you re-read these two lives that we have paralleled for you in this Dive, which one are you sowing into in your life? Are you spending more time on your flesh, than you are in the things of the Spirit? Are you living a life that is based on what you can do for God rather than who you are in Him? Are you sowing into the works of the flesh or freedom of the Spirit? 

What an incredible letter! Have a great time reading the rest of the letter as you finish Galatians this week, your Bible is going to be completely trashed as you write down all God is going to show you in this incredible book. Have fun!

recommended

An Introduction to the Old Testament

Galatians part One

Galatians part Two