A Stop in Galatia: Lessons from Paul's letter to the Galatians.

Paul the Apostle had a miraculous experience with the risen Christ along the road to Damascus that gave us a vast majority of our New Testament. We're going to delve into a few scriptures today that are intended to be used for self-examination. As you read and study along, take the time to look inward and let the Holy Spirit reveal to you areas in which you should grow, as well as doors you may need to close.

A little background into Galatians: Galatians is the only letter Paul specifically addressed to a group of churches. Galatia wasn't a city but was a region in Asia Minor. In the province of Galatia, were the towns of Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. If the book of Galatians was written to believers in South Galatia, it was likely to have been penned in the year 49 AD, after Paul's first missionary journey but prior to the Jerusalem Council meeting recorded in Acts 15. But if it was written to Northern Galatia, Paul would have written it after his second missionary journey in 53-56 AD, after the Jerusalem Counsel of Acts 15.

There were legalists known as Judaizers in the church that taught that certain Old Testament laws were still binding upon Christians. They reasoned that God's promises only extended to the Jews and that Gentiles must be circumcised before they could fully experience salvation. If you think about it, there are still alot of "legalists" in the church as a whole today. The Judaizers didn't deny that faith in Jesus Christ was necessary, but insisted it was inadequate. That one must add to faith observance of law.

This doctrine was in direct contradiction to Paul's insistence that salvation was by grace through faith, so the Judaizers sought to discredit his teachings by challenging his authority. They said that he was a "secondhand apostle" inferior to Peter and James. They argued that he was a compromiser who made the Gospel more attractive to Gentiles by removing its legal demands. Paul vehemently reacts to the propaganda of the Judaizers by asserting his apostolic authority and explaining the gospel of grace through faith.

In today's portion we will discuss some of the practical application of the doctrine. Paul encourages believers to use their proper Christian liberty and not to abuse it. Rather than giving license to sin, the gospel provides the enabling means to attain the righteousness that the law demands. We experience this same type of perversion of the gospel that Paul combats in this letter. Legalism, which teaches that justification or sanctification depends upon our own efforts, it is the most persistent enemy of the gospel of grace because it denies the sufficiency of the cross. In simpler terms, everything we needed to do to earn our salvation was done on the cross. All we have to do now, is submit to His leadership and let Him change us from the inside out; to be the people He has set us apart to be. It's all Him.

Galatians 5:13-25

"13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Walking in the Spirit

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: [a]adultery, [b]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, [c]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [d]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

Romans 8:1-2 "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who[a] do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." The law here doesn't refer to God's written moral commands in the Old Testament, but to the system of operation that the Spirit of life carries out in our lives as we are submitted to His lead, thus breaking the dominion of the old law of sin and death.

2 Corinthians 3:14-18 "But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as [b]by the Spirit of the Lord."

Moses' literal veil illustrates the spiritual veil, which prevents some who read the Old Testament from seeing the true glory of God's Word, which is Christ. Whenever Moses left the people to go into the presence of the Lord, he removed his veil. Likewise, under the New Covenant, to turn to the Lord is to be open to the Spirit, who gives liberty of unveiled access to God in Christ.

Worship Jesus, your Reconciler. In Christ, God says, "yes" to all of His promises to you. In the face of Jesus, we see the glory of God. His glory is beautifully reflected in our faces as in a mirror, because Jesus has removed the veil of sin from us. Spend time in worship and prayer in the liberty and freedom of the Spirit, knowing that He is transforming you increasingly into the image of His Son. Acknowledge that the Lord is the Spirit. Welcome Him in all you do. Spend time in the presence of the Lord. Ask the Spirit to transform you continually from glory to glory. Understand that your face, like a mirror, should reflect the glory of Jesus!

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor [a]handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The god of this age, Satan, blinds the minds of people the world over. This results in the degradation of society as a whole. Just look back over the last say, 50 years! As he blinds the people via the world system, people choose not to believe. This results in an overwhelming inability to see the glory of Christ.

1 Corinthians 8:9 "But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a [a]stumbling block to those who are weak."

A stumbling block is an obstacle that if run into will cause a person to stumble or fall. In the New Testament, the usage of this phrase is figurative in every instance. A stumbling block would be anything that may cause one's soul to sin. In Romans 9: 32-33, the term is used of Jesus Christ, whose unexpected behavior so frustrated and offended the Jews that they never overcame their incorrect preconceptions about the nature of the Messiah, thus rejecting Him and bringing judgement upon themselves.

Being a stumbling block involves more than upsetting another or ignorantly offending. It is a serious deliberate offense that wounds and weakens another's conscience and ruins a relationship with Christ. Christian liberty must always be exercised in love with a view to strengthening others.

In summation, just because we believe in Jesus Christ, and just because we have certain liberties because of it, does not give us license to sin, or be a stumbling block that causes others to sin. This lesson has permeated every aspect of my life for the past 2 years! The devil will always be there, tempting you. We aren't called to use the grace given to us to cause others to fall. Take a careful look at your life to see if you have done something or said something that others who aren't close to the Lord, would use as a means to fall short of the glory of God. For me, it was modeling. It made me too concerned with who I am to this world. It made my worth dependent upon what I look like or how man sees me. That was so wrong! All the matters is the person of the heart. Take this simple advice, all you are is bound up in Christ. Care more about how He sees you than how the world does. Showcase the inner person that only He knows fully. Let others see your love, and gentleness. Not who you were or could be in a worldly, carnal manner. Learn to let go of anything that wouldn't bring glory to His Name. Because as a Christian, you bear His Name. Be a crown of beauty to Him as you are called to be to your own earthly husband. I hope this wasn't too long because I have so much more research on this topic. You're going to hear it mentioned alot. These snippets are from my own personal study times with the Spirit. As He teaches me, I share it with you all.

Be Blessed by being a Blessing!