Galatians – Page 4 – Be Still…

Galatians 3:1-5 – Are You Feeling the Burn?

How would you answer Paul’s question? “Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses?” I’m guessing, that is probably not a question you have been asked before. Acknowledging the Holy Spirit in our lives is key to testing our level of faith, whether we are hot or cold in terms of our spirituality. My question “are you feeling the burn?” refers then to the spark of the Holy Spirit igniting your heart and soul.

Paul is concerned here for his Christian friends in Galatia (and us). He knows that it’s easy for people to fall back into old patterns of living (following the law and believing they are saved by their works). In part, it’s because of the comfort zone effect. It’s what we know. Especially when we start to lose the fire or “burn” we felt when we first believed. We start to think something is wrong or that we should be acting in a certain way to get the spark back.

Galatians 2:11-21 – What is Justification

Read Galatians 2:11-21

David warned me the Book of Galatians would have its challenging passages. I had underlined a lot of what we read today at some point in my life, and verses 20-21 even got a little star by it. This must be important stuff. But then again, all of the Bible is “important stuff” that we should be consuming and using as our “life’s instruction manual.”

What’s up with Peter? And why did Paul put this little vignette in his story right before one of the most impactful of verses? I feel like Peter was really concerned for appearances. It was fine to share a meal with the Gentiles (of all people) when nobody was looking. But then as soon as some Jews show up, he steps away and back into being just Jewish. Didn’t there used to be a delightful British comedy called, “Keeping Up Appearances” following the life of Hyacinth?

Galatians 2:1-10 – Unity in Diversity

Read Galatians 2:1-10

Do you find it hard to trust a bully? Maybe you’re holding on to a memory from childhood of someone who mistreated you, called you names, etc. Then, years later you see them at the mall, and they seem friendly and welcoming. People can change, yet we hold our old memories close before trust will come.

You can imagine how Paul felt going before the apostles of Jesus. They would surely recognize him as the bully to Christians. But God had intervened. Paul was no longer against Christ, but for Christ, now on a mission from Jesus himself to reach the Gentiles. His job was not to convert Gentiles to Judaism, but to introduce them to salvation through Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:11-24 – How is God Using You?

Read Galatians 1:11-24

Paul goes out of his way to make sure his readers understand where is coming from. He starts out this section showing his deep connection to them by saying, “Dear brothers and sisters.” Clearly, he wants to them to trust him. He is also clear that his message isn’t something he just made up out of thin air or on a whim. The Good News isn’t some gossip he heard down at the coffee shop. He “received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.” Take a moment to let that sink in.

If we had known nothing about Paul before reading this letter to the Galatians, these verses today give us a glimpse into the life Paul had led up until this moment. Just in case his audience didn’t know him well, he also wanted to boost their trust factor in hearing a bit of his back story. We often do this in our coaching business when we are addressing a familiar audience, just in case there are any new folks listening in that may not know who we are.

Galatians 1:6-10 – Are You A People Pleaser?

Read Galatians 1:6-10

Paul doesn’t waste any time in dancing around the pressing issue here, does he? He comes right out and tells them he’s “shocked” at their behavior and how they have turned so quickly away from God. What does he mean they are following “a different way that pretends to be the Good News?”

Imagine the dynamic of what is happening here. You have Jews and non-Jews (Gentiles) all believing in Jesus. They have all heard the same gospel from Paul and were sold out, on fire for Christ. Then they were left on their own. Because of the traditional division between Jews and Gentiles, there were bound to be issues in the young Christian church. As I understand it, the Jews believed that Gentiles needed to follow Jewish traditions to be “true” Christ followers. After all, Jesus was a Jew.