Part 1 of 3. Taught by Dave Bish, Sept Team Days 2008 to the South West Massive
Luther loved this book like his wife. It concerns a crucial doctrine: justification by faith. Christianity is lost and flourishes on this doctrine – this gives us life.
A distinctive letter: starts differently to Paul’s other letters: see 1v6.
A missional letter: concerned with mission. It concerns the question: what is required of a Jew who becomes a Christian? What must the world believe to become Christians?
Similarly to Philippians, Paul uses lots of examples: his conversion, a visit to Jerusalem, a subsequent encounter with Peter. This sets Paul up to teach the Galatians.
- v11-14. Paul confronts Peter
Why? For being out of step with the gospel.
A crisis: Peter moves tables, away from the Gentiles, for fear of being associated with them in front of ‘the circumcision group’. Paul sees the scene with gospel eyes. What was Peter’s motivation? Fear of man, leading to hypocrisy v13. But it was not in line with the gospel, v14.
So Paul confronts Peter. Like any kind of Christian confrontation, it is designed to restore him. Paul has compassion for Peter, deeply concerned that Peter is out of step with the gospel; indeed, that he stood condemned v11. Why condemned? (i) Because he fears people; cf 1v10. Fearing man is out of step with the gospel. (ii) Because he has become a false teacher v13; his example led others astray, even if he hadn’t said a word. Cf 1:8,9.
- v14-19. Paul corrects Peter
How? The apostolic walk back to the cross.
So how does Paul confront Peter – what does he say? His response is exemplary. Remember – he’s using this as a teaching example for the Galatians, and for us, of pastoral care.
He walks Peter back to what he already knows:
(i) v15-16 A man is justified not by observing the law, but by faith.
Cf Peter’s false gospel – you have to keep the food laws. Jesus had told Peter time and time again that all foods were acceptable, yet he seems to keep falling into this particular sin.
(ii) v17 If you sin, you’re not saying something bad about Christ.
Peter is concerned about sinning; and rightly so. But a Christian is a self-confessed sinner.
(iii) v18 If I rebuild the law, I merely prove myself a sinner.
If you put laws in place, it won’t keep you sinless, but you’ll break them, and it’ll prove you to be a sinner!
Every magazine cover: if you do this, you’ll attain perfection. It merely sets us up for a fall, as they prove we can’t attain what they promise and we desire. Rather, it proves our self-righteousness – we like to think we’re better than we are. We’re not a people who don’t sin. If we think we are sinless, we deceive ourselves.
“A Christian is not somebody who has no sin, but somebody against whom God no longer chalks sin, because of his faith in Christ. This doctrine brings comfort to consciences in serious trouble. When a person is a Christian he is above law and sin. When the law accuses him, and sin wants to drive the wits out of him, a Christian looks to Christ. A Christian is free. He has no master except Christ. A Christian is greater than the whole world.” Martin Luther
We don’t help people grow as Christians by creating laws for them. What do we change? Little – people are still deeply sinful. We don’t even hide it. But there is good news:
(iv) v19-20 I am dead to the law to live for God!
Paul means: The law just helped me die to the law – it only showed that I was never going to be able to keep it. But instead, that meant I could live for God. In fact, I’ve been crucified with Christ – so I don’t live anymore; Christ lives in me. Luther said: read v20 again! Print it with capital letters in your heart. Don’t think of someone else when you read the word “me”.
We’re in union with Christ – whatever happens to him, happens to me. I am utterly wrapped up in him, not in messing around with silly rules. And he is risen, so I live! Luther: “Since Christ lives in me, he abolishes the law! This union with Christ delivers me from the demands of the law, and separates me from my sinful self. As long as I abide in Christ, nothing can hurt me.”
(v) v21 Jesus is enough.
Peter essentially is saying, Jesus isn’t enough. He’d have been horrified to recognise this – Peter! The preacher of the first Christian sermon! Do we do this? “Be like me, not Jesus…” Did Christ die for no purpose? If we’re talking about ourselves, we are not glorying in the cross.
And Paul finishes the story there. But what happened next? Did Peter repent or not?! Why does Paul stop there? He doesn’t tell us how Peter responds because he’s writing to the Galatians, for their benefit, not just to tell another story about Peter’s failure. Remember why he wrote to them: 1:6. They have erred; into the same error. Paul seeks their repentance, just as he seeked Peter’s repentance.
(In any case, we know Peter must have repented, or else it makes no sense to tell the story! Why then use him as an example?!)
- 3:1 Paul speaks to the Galatians
What? Remember the cross.
Remember what I preached to you: that Christ was crucifed.
Remember what I said was the meaning of that death. It wasn’t meaningless, as if you then needed some law. No, there is someone who has saved us, who loved us and gave himself for us. Paul had preached the full meaning of that to the Galatians when he was with them. So he calls them to repent – to come back to the cross and see the meaning again. Not morbid introspection looking to our legalism; not being ruined by worrying what others think; but recognising that we’re already accepted, forgiven, justified and in Christ. The word “Christian” is emblazoned across our lives! This means not keeping a bunch of rules, but living in Christ, who has completed and abolished the law!
“For every look I take at my sin, I take ten looks at the cross” – a Puritan preacher.
“I feel, when I have sinned, an immediate reluctance to go to Christ. I am ashamed to go. I feel as if it would do no good to go, as if it were making Christ a minister of sin, to go straight from the swine-trough to the best robe, and a thousand other excuses; but I am persuaded they are all lies, direct from hell. John argues the opposite way: ‘If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father.’ I am sure there is neither peace nor safety from deeper sin, but in going directly to the Lord Jesus Christ. This is God’s way of peace and holiness. It is folly to the world and the beclouded heart, but [the cross] is the way.” Robert Murray McCheyne
Solid teaching here, my brother. There is right now the most urgent need to be rooted and grounded in the Word. The resistance to the truth along with every imagined false doctrine flourishes throughout the world. Here in the States we are expecting to see the “grace of God much more abound beyond the idolatry and humanism that is pervasive. The harvest is ripe as fear torments greatly due to the economic contraction. We believe that all that can be shaken will be by God’s mercy.
Our identification is to be dead to self in Christ Jesus who dwells in me and is being formed more perfectly outwardly by the working of the power of the Holy Ghost. 2 Cor 3.17-18 Praise God forever for His unspeakable gift to us….He saved me from myself. He spared my life by making me a new man in Christ. 2 Cor 5.14-21