02.07. ESSAY NO. 7

ESSAY NO. 7 In these "Studies," we are now leaving, "The apostle of liberty" (Galatians 1:1-24, Galatians 2:1-21), for, "The doctrine of liberty" (Galatians 3:1-29, Galatians 4:1-31).

Paul’s Questions

Paul marveled that the Galatians, who had whole­heartedly accepted the gospel when he first went among them, could so quickly embrace "a different gospel"—a gospel so radically and fatally different from the gospel they had received from him that it would not save them. Knowing that they failed to realize the folly and deadliness of the error they were making, he broke out: "O foolish Galatians, who did bewitch you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth crucified? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now perfected in the flesh?" (Galatians 3:1-3). By these simple, yet discerning questions, Paul hoped to lead the Galatians into seeing that they were under the witchery of blind teachers, and thus to enable them to recover themselves from the infatuation of legalism. To ask the right question in some cases re­quires more thorough knowledge of the subject, and displays more skill in teaching and exhorting than to make a speech. These questions are still living and apt, and help us get our religion straight. Some Christians, since they fall into the Galatian heresy of thinking they can be "perfected in the flesh," are in range of these explosive questions which Paul shot at the Galatians. If Peter needed Paul’s rebuke, who may not need it?

Inasmuch as the body of every Christian is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), Paul felt no need of asking even these recent converts from heathenism whether or not they had the Spirit. But in order that they might better understand the difference between the basic working principles of grace and law, and their irreparable loss in going back to law, his inquiry focused on the truth that God gave them the Holy Spirit at the same time, and for the same reason, that he gave them remission of sins (Acts 2:38). "He that supplieth the Spirit to you, and worketh miracles among you, doth he do it by the works of law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Galatians 3:5). God gives his Spirit to all who obey the gospel (Acts 5:32), but not to men who choose to remain under law, for the death penalty of all breakers of law rests upon them. Upon this grand gospel truth, Paul built an argument to the Galatians, which he expected to convince them of the absurdity, blunder, and sin of thinking they could be "perfected in the flesh."

These provocative questions help to an understand­ing of some things, namely: men become Christians and receive the Holy Spirit, not by law and works, but by grace and faith; God freely gives both "remission of sins" and "the gift of the Holy Spirit" to men when they obey the gospel; for Christians to rely on law and self-effort for justification and sanctification is to give up Christ, the Holy Spirit, and grace altogether. Justification "is of faith that it may be according to grace" (Romans 4:16). Grace arid faith are correlates and imply each ether. Grace and works are antipodes and exclude each other. Grace nullifies law, and faith nulli­fies meritorious works. As light expels darkness, so grace expels "works of law."

Imbedded in this argument pertaining to Christian doctrine is another question: "Did ye suffer so many things in vain? If it be indeed in vain." According to Acts 14:1-28, Paul and his Galatian converts were bitterly persecuted by both Jews and Galatians at the begin­ning of the gospel in Galatia. His readers had exper­ienced much suffering—too much to get no gain, for there should be great moral value in suffering. "Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God." "Through tribulation to triumph" is Christian doctrine. On the principle that they already had too much invested to forfeit, Paul exhorted: "Cast not away therefore your boldness which hath great recompense of reward" (Hebrews 10:25). After this force­ful appeal, he, wistfully pleading, trailed off more winsomely still, "if it be indeed in vain."

Prevalence of Legalism

Legalism and human works hold a strange enchant­ment over poor man’s proud, self-sufficient heart. They have ever inspired the enmity of the flesh and of the world against the gospel of God’s grace. It is to be feared that Christendom today is largely legalized rather than Christianized. Man, used to acquiring things by work and accustomed to working for things in proportion to the value which he puts on them, cor­rectly thinks that salvation from sin and peace with God are of superlative worth, and therefore reasons that he must expend correspondingly great effort in order to secure them. How false such reasoning! How empty such labor! "The Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise, that they are vain." Christianity uniquely gives for the asking these priceless benefits—benefits that men with all their wisdom, asceticism and striv­ings can neither earn, merit, nor get elsewhere gra­tuitously. Men can scarcely believe that so much can be had for nothing. It is contrary to all human think­ing and experience; it is too good and too great to be true. "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

Abraham’s Religious Experience (Galatians 3:6-9)

Thus far in the chapter, Paul has reasoned with the Galatians from their own experience. Now, he reasons from the experience of Abraham. Probably the Judaizers in Galatia falsely, though tellingly, taught that to be righteous before God men must, like Abraham and his descendants including Christ, be circumcised. Paul quoting from Genesis 15:6 answers: "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness." Elsewhere, he shows that this took place before Abra­ham received circumcision as "a seal of the righteous­ness of the faith which" he had while he was in uncircumcision" (Romans 4:11). After thus smashing the false reasoning, Paul continues to the Galatians: "Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are the sons of Abraham ... So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham." For Abraham, faith in God was equivalent to righteous­ness, and faith like Abraham’s, "who is the father of us all" (Romans 4:16), is equivalent to righteousness for all his spiritual sons.