Against such, there is NO law. Galatians 5:22-23.

A Christian brother recently brought up the fruits of the Spirit; that day, the item that stuck in my mind, and has been there for weeks, was self-control.

Self-control speaks to me about the multitude of times that I have been restrained by the Holy Spirit, thereby preventing me from doing something stupid, illegal, or deadly. Almost a month after that conversation, my pastor, Jack Hibbs, integrated the fruits of the Spirit into his teaching this last Wednesday evening, 2/3/2021. I felt impressed to share some insights with you.

Galatians 5:22-23 NLT But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

I used the NLT because it directly infers that the Holy Spirit produces this fruit in us, in contrast to the fruit as seen in the NASB, which could be thought of as something I could merely pick off a tree when needed.

Just seeing these words “as something I could merely pick when needed,” as though these fruits are not mine, accosts me.

Pastor Jack spoke about the Holy Spirit in two ways.

First, the Holy Spirit is the one who brought you to Jesus Christ, and therefore, comes into you when you receive Christ. Jack Hibbs says that this is the baptism into Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit. 

I suppose the logic to this comes from the fact that God is: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and that the soul, having asked Jesus to come in, now belongs to God, and therefore, the Holy Spirit. A roundabout way of saying this is that by inviting Jesus into my life, I am and have invited the Holy Spirit into my life.

(Think about this. Jesus, just before He went to the Father, said, 

John 16:7-15 NASB "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. (8) "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; (9) concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; (10) and concerning righteousness because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; (11) and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. (12) "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. (13) "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. (14) "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. (15) "All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.

Look at John 16:7-15 NASB above, for it says, that when He, Jesus, leaves the earth, the Holy Spirit - the comforter will come. The implications of this are that the interactions with man are fully enveloped in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit acts and responds just as Jesus did, for He did nothing without hearing from the Father.)

An example of what I just said about the Holy Spirit coming into our lives could come from Paul’s address to the church in Rome, which you can see in Romans 2:14-15.

For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, (Romans 2:14-15 NASB)

To say, “their conscience” can just as easily be stated, their spirit. The person indwelt by the Holy Spirit is then directed accordingly. The problem is that the majority of us think that whatever good thing we did was our great idea.

To be honest, I don’t thoroughly understand this teaching of how the Holy Spirit is instantly a part of every believer, although it makes sense that God would be looking for a way to regain those He has already paid for through the cross. Not being able to grasp this concept most likely comes from seeing so many, over the years, stumble back into the darkness; this is especially disturbing when you know that the verses before and after the reference in Galatians above tell you why you do what you do. The answer to the problem, every time is to admit that you just did what you wanted to do, change your ways, and get yourself into the Word. Scriptural references speak of receiving of and from the Holy Spirit.

Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38 NASB)

but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." (Acts 1:8 NASB)

In both of these instances, Receive is the Greek word lambano and means to take hold of.

When Peter, in Acts 2:38, instructed the large crowd that upon repenting and being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit was he telling them that they would receive the power and speak in other tongues?

I do not try to put God into a box anymore, nor do I try to control how God uses the box I assigned to Him or what is inside; so, to be honest, I do not know what parameters God was operating in that day.

In Acts 1:8, we see Jesus speaking to the disciples, of which there were many. He said, they would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them; this is entirely different for the disciples, as they were already followers of Jesus, however, without the apparent infilling of the Holy Spirit; that came later as they waited, in that room, as told.

Galatians 5:22-23 speaks directly about the Holy Spirit being in us, so for the sake of argument let's say you have received the gift of the Holy Spirit in your life and you are very much aware of that through evidence. That evidence, for me, exhibited itself by Him talking to me in conversational tones with frequency.

Paul tells us “ the Holy Spirit, produces this kind of fruit in our lives.” Those fruits look like this.

• Love,
• Joy,
• Peace,
• Patience,
• Kindness,
• Goodness,
• Faithfulness,
• Gentleness,

and

• Self-control.

Nothing deserves to go un-discussed but the Holy Spirit spoke to me rather pointedly along the line of self-control.

Pastor Jack, in that Wednesday night message I spoke about, talked about meeting a young man at the grocery store, in which Pastor was recently shopping. The young man recognized him through the mask and asked if he could speak openly with the Pastor. He then told the pastor that he was living a life that was displeasing to God and what could he do about it? The bottom line answer was to get yourself into God's word. Do not pursue Christianity or religion, but pursue a relationship with the Father; in other words, get to know Him intimately.

Self-control seems to speak of one who rejects God and tries to fix things themselves; that is not the case here. We are dealing with the Greek word egkráteia which means Continence, temperance, self-control.

TEMPERATE means moderate; not excessive. 

CONTINENCE, is to withhold; but also means the restraint which a person imposes upon his desires and passions; this includes sexual passions and lewd pleasures.

Now, this one thing alone would save many of us from a world of grief, and should, if we are listening cause us to wonder why are we doing things we don't want or need to do.

Paul said this very thing, and if there was someone who would understand what this passage in Galatians 5 is saying, it would be him.

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand, I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. (Romans 7:18-25 NASB)

Simply put,

I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. (Romans 7:19 NLT)

There is an answer.

Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind, I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. (Romans 7:25 NLT)

It almost seems hopeless but there is Jesus. I work hard at living a life like Christ, but occasionally I choose to react inappropriately, and I am not talking about lewd acts, I am talking about anger and rage. The thing that caught my attention that Wednesday night as I watched Pastor Jack, was the tail end of Galatians 5:23. There it says,

There is no law against these things!

Those things are the fruits of the Spirit, not your spirit, but God's Spirit – the Holy Spirit, and it is He - the Holy Spirit, that is growing those fruits inside of you.

On your own, you are a hopeless cause. I know, you think you have got it all together, but you don't, and sadly, you know that. I suppose that knowledge and the fact that you keep running from God makes you rather pathetic. Let me know how it works out for you.

Instead of struggling, turn your life over to Jesus Christ and receive His free gift of the Holy Spirit.

Can I apply the principles learned here, even if I am not a Jew. Galatians 3:22

Sometimes, like today, I am battling with insecurities and wondering why I think anyone needs another commentary. But maybe, you're just like me and find yourself overwhelmed by the high theology of some; the convoluted approach of others, and the shocking oversimplification that you encounter in many of the Bible translations.

When it came to Galatians two things stood out in my mind. The radio pastor who seemed to be fixated on the phrase, “you foolish Galatians!”, and pointed those words at his listening audience, which included me. I don't value that approach. The other came from a Sunday morning adult class which used some “Christian” book on Galatians. The questions the authors asked were leading and poorly formed. Both of these instances left me with a lack of desire to pursue Galatians any further; and yet, here I am.

What have I learned? I have learned that Galatians was written explicitly to the Jewish converts if I can call them that. Can I apply the principles learned here in Galatians, even if I am not a Jew, to myself? Indeed, and we would be wise to do so with frequency.

So, let's see if we can find something in Galatians from which to learn.

Galatians 3:22 NASB But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

The phrase, “But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin,” is confusing at best. Some, would take this confusion and preach it, out of context, as though it is truth and the final word on our lives.

Why would it be confusing?

• Scripture to me, a former Gentile, means the New Testament. Some would act as though we do not need to spend any time in the Old Testament; not true. Since scripture, especially, at the time of this writing, would have been the Torah and Tanakh. These “scriptures” would only be found in the form of valuable, fragile scrolls, which were exclusively kept in the synagogues. So, from Paul's statement, I have another assertion of the Jewishness of this letter.
• If I apply the elements of Paul's letter to myself, what I find is freedom; a freedom that goes far beyond the limitations of my consciousnesses. Did not Christ's actions on the cross set us free (primarily regarding our freedom from the burdens of Sin; a condition which would shut us up under sin.)
  So, am I shut up under sin?
  Some will try to tell you that you are. However, because I have learned who I belong to, and what Christ did too and for me; not a chance.
• Why then would Paul say such a thing?
  The entire context of Galatians has been enveloped in Jewish believers returning to the Law (scriptures.) The Complete Jewish Bible translates this verse this way:

Galatians 3:22 CJB But instead, the Tanakh shuts up everything under sin; so that what had been promised might be given, on the basis of Yeshua the Messiah's trusting faithfulness, to those who continue to be trustingly faithful.

This Jewish understanding of being caught up in the Tanakh is why Paul opened what we call chapter three, with:

Galatians 3:4-5 CJB Have you suffered so much for nothing? If that's the way you think, your suffering certainly will have been for nothing! 5 What about God, who supplies you with the Spirit and works miracles among you—does he do it because of your legalistic observance of Torah commands or because you trust in what you heard and are faithful to it?

Notice something else about Galatians 3:22.

“But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”

The Gentiles did not live under the laws of the Tanakh; how then did the “scripture” apply to them. The same way it applied to Adam. The partaking of the fruit brought about the knowledge of GOOD and EVIL. Therefore an understanding that there was a moral authority existed since the beginning. Even without “the law” there was an understanding that God expected certain things, and He would carry out, faithfully, what He had promised. This idea is the underlying reason that we see Abel making the sacrifice of a lamb with no apparent instructions. The instructions were passed down from his father who had watched God himself perform the same process. This sacrificing wasn't done because God liked roast lamb, but because it was symbolic and the only method of maintaining a just relationship with the creator until the Lamb of God, the Son, would come and end the need for all this blood.

The Tanakh, in its original state, was universal, and satisfactorily passed along for generations by oral tradition, or it was held solely within ten commandments engraved in stone, that plainly told Israel, to love God only and treat your fellow man decently. The Tanakh then put everyone under the same rules, efficiently leveling the playing field.

This idea that we are all on an equal basis under sin is something we have seen before. While we have used this verse to stimulate people into a state of repentance.

Romans 3:21-24 NASB But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

The Tanakh, which was not just commands or demands written in scrolls, they were an understanding that God was the moral authority and compass. And, man, because of the fall, was broken and incapable of following this discipline and needed a savior, Jesus – the Son, was meant to demonstrate that God's mercy and grace were poured upon all people if they should accept it.

I sometimes find myself thinking if Christ's actions paid the price for sin, and redeemed us out of the hand of the enemy, then why do we need to accept anything? Because, still operating under those same laws that shut us up under sin, brings about our freedom through our ability to choose. Haven't you wondered how a God that would go through all this, to save a world that admittedly does not seem to love Him, would merely acquiesce to letting so many of them just go to a fiery hell? Well, He doesn't simply assent to the idea but honors the choices we make and allows us to serve whomever we choose. Freedom, peace, and a life with the Father in the Eden of eternity is available to all who choose to follow God as their master. The other path becomes painfully evident in time.

With the concept of a mediator in place, we continue. Galatians 3:20-21

When we last saw our hero Paul - I am just kidding because it has been weeks since I stepped away from my commentary on Galatians. Like most of Paul's letters, this letter to the followers in Galatia is an admonition to those who grasp the expanse of this grace; it is the grace under which we live. Though we do not live under the Law/Torah of God, we still have constraints, such as walking in love. We call those never-ending rules, the perfect law of liberty.

If you followed my commentaries on Galatians, then you understand that Paul's target audience was, believing Jews. The letter to the Galatians was not written to a particular body of believers; he addressed what is effectively the Messianic Jewish congregations of Asia Minor.

Some might question, how do I know this?

• Galatians 1:2 says,”... To the churches of Galatia:”
  He is telling us to whom he is writing, and he continues with his customary greetings and blessings.
• After Paul's conversion, all we see him do was take his message into the synagogues. We see examples of this in:
  Acts 13:13-44 NASB “Now Paul and his companions ...arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.”
  A significant portion of the chapter details what Paul said, and how the attendees clamored for more the following Sabbath.
  Acts 13:45-48 details how the Jews got jealous and began contradicting Paul and Barnabas.
  Paul's response, recorded here, is one of the primary places we find him saying, I am taking this message to the Gentiles. This reference about the Gentiles was convenient because there were a number of them that heard his voice as he spoke in the open, and they were excited about what they heard. And yet, Paul never explicitly took this message to the Gentiles. The other place we find multiple references to Paul taking the gospel to the Gentiles, is here in Galatians. The fact that most of us have found a relationship with Jesus Christ is evidence that Paul did just what he said; however, it is difficult to find a vast number of references to his doing so.

Because we can perceive the book of Acts as chronological, then virtually every example we find of Paul's preaching in the book shows him first entering a synagogue.

• Acts 14:1 they entered the synagogue.
• Acts 17:10 they went into the synagogue.
• Acts 19:8 And he entered the synagogue.

Since Gentiles were not allowed in the Synagogues, then it is safe to say there are only Jews there.

In Galatians 1:13-15 Paul tells the reader that he had a former life in Judaism, and how he, as one skilled in the Law and Prophets, persecuted the church, which was primarily comprised of Jewish followers. He also speaks of how God set him apart and called him to this grace that is found in the Messiah. None of this would have made sense to the Gentiles for they were not subject to Saul's (as he was known then,) brutal persecution.

Galatians 2:15-16 gives us the statement, "We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles;” Would make no sense to a Gentile, and they might find it insulting. The reason being that it is a Jewish way of thinking. Paul straightens this all out by pointing out that man is only justified through faith in Christ Jesus, not obedience to the Torah (law.) The Torah, or Law, also meant nothing to a Gentile.

One last passage to demonstrate who Paul was writing too.

Galatians 3:1 NASB You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?

If you read the letter to the Galatians, you would know that Paul went before the Jewish elders of this new Christian faith in Jerusalem, and told them the message that he preached before the Jews and the Gentiles. In a sense then, the statement, “you foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you,” could apply to anyone who has fallen back into their legalistic patterns. What makes this such a Jewish statement, is that the Gentiles had nothing to fall back into. Regarding law, the Gentiles only understood the law to mean whatever the Romans were enforcing. The Jews, however, had Roman law and their own, called the Torah.

Previously, we read this.

Galatians 3:17-19 NASB What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. 19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.

What happened, according to this section of scripture, 430 years previous? God made a covenant; a pact; a contractual agreement, with Abraham. That contract has never ceased to be valid; it has never stopped working as it should. Paul asks, why then add the Law? We are told the answer, although we may not grasp the reasoning, “it was added because of transgressions.” And, this Law would have to hold “until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.” That seed and the mediator was none other than the Son, Jesus Christ.

With the concept of a mediator tightly in place, we continue.

Galatians 3:20-21 NASB Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.

Webster's dictionary defines "MEDIA'TOR," n. As "one that interposes between parties at variance for the purpose of reconciling them."

Because of Adam's transgression we were all put at variance with God.

Who then became the mediator, and what was the outcome?

The answers are found in scripture.

1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

The entire eighth chapter of Hebrews explains the whys but focus on verse 6.

Hebrews 8:6 NET. But now Jesus has obtained a superior ministry since the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted on better promises.

As for reconciliation.

Romans 5:10-11 NET. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, since we have been reconciled, will we be saved by his life? 11 Not only this, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.

So, not only do we find Jesus in the role of mediator, He has enacted and obtained better promises. Note, that it says promises, not laws.

Since one of the themes of Galatians is the grace and freedom we have in Christ, then shouldn't we be able to do anything without regard? The answer is NO because we live under the Law of liberty. Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians 8.

I suggest that you pay attention to the entire selection.

1 Corinthians 8:9-12 NET. 9 But be careful that this liberty of yours does not become a hindrance to the weak. 10 For if someone weak sees you who possess knowledge dining in an idol's temple, will not his conscience be "strengthened" to eat food offered to idols? 11 So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed. 12 If you sin against your brothers or sisters in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

What are some of the variables in this passage?

• “This liberty of yours.”
  Given the freedom of grace, it seems that many of us set our own standards for liberty. In trying to make a firm point about the grace we live under, the late Pastor Gene Scott would sit in a chair, in front of the television cameras, sipping Scotch whiskey and smoking a cigar. In the church, I grew up in, where grace was spoken of, you understood there were limits to this grace. These boundaries, it seems, were imposed by the church, and the older people who had been forced to live sterile, non-indulgent lives.
  Having spent some time in recovery, as a participant and a leader, you become acutely aware that some people are spiritually and emotionally fragile. Many, on a regular basis, “fall off the wagon.” Talking freely about what you are comfortable with can provoke, often unknowingly, others into pushing boundaries they don't need to keep exploring. I, put myself in recovery because I had anger issues. After time and some understanding, I have learned, most of the time, to step away from things that will agitate me and set off.
• “If someone weak sees you who possess knowledge.”
  I get it, you and I are not mandated to encourage co-dependency and weakness in others. But what harm does it do to set aside your so-called freedoms for a moment? Imagine the believer who lives in Amsterdam, where Marijuana is sold like Starbucks's coffee. Just knowing what it used to do to me when I was younger, precludes me from indulging.
  When someone recently tried examining the hows and whys involved with Jesus not sinning. I calmly responded with; He was born without the driving force that makes us do, what we want to do. Think about for a moment. When challenged, Jesus replied, I only do what I see and hear the Father do, NOT his own thing. So then, our so-called liberties are more a satisfaction of wants as we take advantage of this freedom we have in Christ, often to extremes.
• “dining in an idol's temple.”
  Wait a minute; this just took a twisted turn. That so-called weak person didn't just see you in the market; they saw you in an idol's temple. I am not sure what to equate this too, as we rarely find a building that is openly identified as an idol's temple. What we do have is other forms of worship that do not honor God. Such as lodges, fraternal organizations, bars, strip clubs, and organizations that qualify as cultist in nature.
  I suppose the question is, what do they idolize there?
  A former father-in-law paid for our steak dinners at a particular bar years ago. Since they were known for their inexpensive steaks, I thought little of it. But, if I were spotted frequenting a topless club, I can't imagine the “I go for the steaks” plea working.
  My first reaction when I read “dining in an idol's temple,” is that I am dealing with a Gentile world. But that is not the context here in Galatians. I already established that Paul was addressing a Jewish audience, and by Jewish law, there should be no idolatry. And yet, idolatry has been God's problem with His people since their inception.
  1 John 2:15-17 NET. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, 16 because all that is in the world (the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance produced by material possessions) is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away with all its desires, but the person who does the will of God remains forever.
• “will not his conscience be "strengthened" to eat food offered to idols?”
  Strengthened typically implies something good happening, but that is not the case here. The concept is that the weak brother or sister in the Lord, who sees you, taking full advantage of your liberties by eating dinner in the temple of an idol, will be bolstered or reinforced to partake in behaviors that will cause them harm. You surely know that pathetic expression, if you can do it, then so can I.
• “So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed.”
  Your knowledge equates to your understanding of this grace given to us, through our relationship with Christ. However, taking advantage, without regard, can cause a person not just to stumble, they are destroyed.
• “If you sin against your brothers or sisters in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.”
  What do I make of all this? My unnecessary self-indulgence and misuse of liberty can cause the weak believer to be destroyed, and God calls this sin. Are they damaged to the point of losing God's love toward them? Probably not, but why, once again, do we think we need to test God to see if He has any boundaries.
  What do you think was happening when God sent Jonah to Nineveh or, destroyed all humankind with a flood? God had reached the limit of His boundaries. And yet, there was still enough mercy left for a short reprieve in Nineveh's case, and, here we are, a great expanse of time after the flood, discussing such matters. In my mind, this is merely one of the proofs that we serve a merciful God.

The evidence was so substantial that it .. Galatians 1:12-24

It almost seemed deceptive titling my last post, “It was not of man.” Having become carried away with verse eleven, I had to cut it short and hope to keep your attention. But, there is no way you can separate Paul's undefined message of hope from where he got that message.

In my previous post, in focusing on verse 11, I discussed what I believed the message Paul spoke of, may have been. The hypothesis I presented was not a guess, but a logical, scriptural approach, to what Paul said and why. I made the case that Paul preached a message to the Jews that went right along with the lifetime of synagogue training, any proper Jew, would have received.

Since all Jews are awaiting the coming Messiah, then there has to be a fulfillment of all the events they associate with the end of time, such as an associated peace; a restoration of all things; a final judgment, and the endless reign of the Messiah.

If this understanding played a role in what Paul said, then what could you say that would make this information better? It seems the only thing that would or could do that is the knowledge that the Messiah has already come. One of the things we hear in church on Sunday mornings is that we are children of the kingdom now. However, because I am alive and breathing; living in varying degrees of pain, both mental and physical, I am aware that something is missing from the simplistic statement about "living in the kingdom."

As I told the men I sit with, where we are reading a John Eldredge book entitled, All Things New, where he talks about a restored heaven and a restored us, I find it difficult at times picturing myself in this restored, heavenly scenario. Don't get me wrong, I believe without a doubt, that this time of restoration is coming, the question is when? To be honest, I thought it would have already happened by now; but alas, we are all still here. Is it possible the Jews feel the same way? As an acquaintance said to me, people have been saying this stuff (he was speaking of the rapture and how we should be looking for it,) for over two thousand years, so don't get all worked up about it. And yes, we have, but hasn't the Jew been awaiting the Messiah for even longer?

But, as you would have seen in the previous post, the evidence that the Messiah came is there – in the Torah and Tenach. The evidence was so substantial that it:

• Compelled by His star that pointed to Him, the wise men came from the East to see the young boy born the King of the Jews.
• Herod, having called the chief priests and elders of the Jews, demanded they tell him where this baby had been born.
• And what did chief priests and elders of the Jews do? They answered him by reading the information from the Holy Scrolls. The result was the death of many boys two years old and under in that region.

What do I get from all this? The Jews knew.

If we know the message that Paul preached, then where did he get this information that he obviously missed in previous readings from the law and prophets?

I did not get my message from any other human. The Good News is not something I learned from other people. Jesus Christ himself gave it to me. He showed me the Good News that I should tell people. Galatians 1:12 ERV

Wait a minute. Paul, an intelligent man; a man we have to presume had a knowledge of Isaiah's prophetic word, could not see this on his own. The Jewish leadership were able to point it out to Herod, but they could not or would not see it.

How is it that no one else saw this amazing stuff in the scriptures? They did; two of them, for example, were in or near the temple when Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to be circumcised. Anna met them outside the gate; it was as far as Mary would have been able to go.

Anna, a prophetess, was there at the Temple. She was from the family of Phanuel in the tribe of Asher. She was now very old. She had lived with her husband seven years before he died and left her alone. She was now 84 years old. Anna was always at the Temple; she never left. She worshiped God by fasting and praying day and night. Anna was there when Joseph and Mary came to the Temple. She praised God and talked about Jesus to all those who were waiting for God to free Jerusalem. Luke 2:36-38 ERV

And Simeon, a priest who, knowing what the scriptures said, awaited the Messiah.

And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, "Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel." And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed--and a sword will pierce even your own soul--to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed." Luke 2:25-35 NASB

Both of these had been looking for the Messiah. So, the truth was made plain and available.

I already pointed out how the Magi/Wise men, came from the East – The East was a region of Babylon, and these men were probably trained in the school that Daniel had established while a captive.) And, I brought out how the priests and elders were able to answer Herod when he demanded. So, many knew of the advent and birth of the Messiah. Did they accept Him as such? Not a chance. Much of this stems from the veil that is over their eyes, preventing them from seeing the truth. So, the truth was there, and yet many could not see it, this includes Saul – soon to become the Paul that we Gentiles know of.

Obviously, Saul's eyes were opened. You find this information in the ninth chapter of the book of Acts.

“Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men, and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do." The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight." But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake." So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;” Acts 9:1-18 NASB

Well, an obvious fact is that Saul had good men interact with him. Does that mean they told Saul the better way? We are not told the answer to that question, but we do have clues that could lead to an answer.

“and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus,” Acts 9:19 NASB

The logical assumption is that he is at the home of Ananias, but the picture expands, as we see him “with the disciples who were at Damascus.”

The NASB translates this simple idea of length of time as, for several days, when in reality the quaint little word “tis” can also mean some time, or a while. Here is what we know; we do not know how long Saul stayed with the disciples. However, immediately we see Saul preaching in the local synagogue.

“and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God."” Acts 9:20 NASB)

Two things jump out at me.

• He is preaching this newly learned truth, to Jews
• And, he said, “He is the Son of God.”

As I said, some knew. Are you kidding me? No, I am not. So, when the scripture tells us that there will be a point at which the veil will be lifted off of, not only the eyes of all Israel, but the whole world. Then we are being told that there is a blindness, placed in some cases by the enemy, Satan. But, there is also an intentional action, much like racism, that is intentionally taught. Yes, that right, Jews are taught a separatist and discriminatory attitude that calls this Jesus we serve, the Gentile Jesus, and most will have nothing to do with the salvation message we non-Jewish, adopted branches, preach.

For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. Galatians 1:13-14 NASB

Saul was not defending the Torah and Tenach, he was defending ancestral traditions.

But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus. Galatians 1:15-17 NASB

Saul's sight restored, he stays for an indeterminate time frame, in Damascus, with disciples. Once again, what the writer of Acts 9:19 tell us?

Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus,” Acts 9:19 NASB

We hear the word disciples and what do we think? The guys who hung around with Jesus. But, that may not be the case. These disciples may have been mere followers of the Way.

Once again,

For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:12 NASB

I would think this would exclude the influence of the disciples of Jesus as well. But as I pointed out in verses 15 -17 above, Saul, did not consult with flesh and blood. We also see that he did not bring the disciples of Jesus into this either.

Three years pass.

Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord's brother. Galatians 1:18-19 NASB

Why would he have to add this next verse?

(Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) Galatians 1:20 NASB

Because, for that day and time, no one went outside of standard traditions, and Saul told us that he had been zealous for their traditions.

Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; but only, they kept hearing, "He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy." And they were glorifying God because of me. Galatians 1:21-24 NASB)

Why add this? Because, though there were Jews there, they were not Apostles. We will call them that, as a disciple is to broad a term, and the reference is specifically separating Saul, and his recent education, from those who had the influence of Jesus upon their lives. The Apostles, it seems, still held tightly to Jerusalem; held tightly to Jewish traditions – not that traditions are a bad thing unless they keep you from seeing the Messiah, and, finding the freedom in this perfect law of liberty - grace, thanks to Jesus, we now walk in.

There is one last clue, as Saul says, “ I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ.” It may have been a Jewish audience, but most of these people did not know who Saul, the former Pharisee, was.

No, this message Saul received, though deeply intertwined in scripture, came straight out of the mouth of the Holy Spirit.

Do you think he can teach us today? Absolutely, but I still need people to be a part of the fellowship in my life; for that reason, I cannot give up on the body of Christ.

Why would someone feel it is necessary to control us? Galatians 1:6-10

While I wrote these studies on Galatians about three weeks ago; since then, so much has happened. As you probably gathered from my last post I had a bit of a verbal collision with my pastor. Whatever definitions I might understand from scripture that defines a pastor, there has only been a couple that even came close, and this one, in my mind, isn't one of them.

An example could come from the sermon many years ago, where he is telling the audience how the shepherd intentionally snaps the leg of the little sheep that continues to stray. He said all this with a horrifying gusto. I can remember sitting there in shock, and thinking, if this who or what God/Jesus is really like, then no thank you. As I have given this idea more thought over the years, the practicality of such a scenario is ludicrous, especially if you look at scripture through befitting, Jewish eyes. You see, the shepherd, in Jewish society, is trying to make a living, and, he does so by selling unblemished lambs for three reasons: food, clothing, and sacrifices. The sacrificial lamb had to be without spot or blemish as mandated by the law of God. Breaking the leg of a valuable sheep seems counterproductive, doesn't it?

Not only that, but the idea of breaking the leg of one of the lambs also seems to go against everything I understand God to be - grace and mercy. Since breaking the leg of one of the sheep might fall under the category of wrath, and WE are not subject to wrath, then the idea gets more absurd. A couple of scriptures for you to look up, on your own, would be 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9.

Now, to be fair, I talked with a lady from church whose family had raised sheep in Texas; she responded with, oh yes, it was a common method of controlling young sheep. Well, that sounds horrid, but not being a farmer, castration sounds horrid also, and we don't do that in our churches, or, do we?

How appropriate then is this line from verse 6 - “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.” Give yourself a moment to think about things that have been said and done in the name of religion. I am not just talking about history; I am talking about NOW. The things done to me, and said from the pulpit, are nothing more than methods of control. Why would someone feel it is necessary to control us? I can think of many – all of the reasons have some deep insecurity attached to them. The reality is, the person acting this way does not trust the Holy Spirit's ability to lead and guide us and therefore does not believe God.

John 16:13 KJV Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

The NASB entitles this section, No Other Gospel.

Galatians 1:6-10 KJV I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9) As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10) For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

• Verse (6) “I marvel,”

Marvel is the Greek word thaumazō; from G2295; to marvel, wonder: - am amazed (1), amazed (15), amazement (1), astonished.

Considering the context, the usage of word amazed doesn't fit the scenario unless Paul is simply that shocked. The two significant usages, as we can see from KJC are marveled and wonder. An example from Matthew:

Mat 21:19-20 KJV And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. 20) And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

The Word Study Dictionary also expresses the idea of being struck with astonishment or admiration. Since the people, Paul is writing to have allowed themselves to be removed from the one who called them to grace (This, of course, is Jesus Christ.) Paul is not conveying an attitude of admiration.

• “that ye are so soon removed from him”

Keep in mind that Paul is writing to a generalized region called Galatia. Since this is not a specific church body, then you can assume that a significant number of people, across the region, had walked away from the freedom/grace that is in Jesus. I would love to say, “you should know,” but recently sat in an adult Bible class, where we read from a purchased book, focused on the Acts of the Apostles. Since the majority of the book of Acts was focused on Paul; In the book of Acts, you can see that Paul's primary influence was on Jews. Since his intent was never to pull them away from the truths in the law and the prophets, then these are Jewish converts that returned to the abundance of man created laws and oppressive traditions.

• “that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:”

While evangelists and pastors may think they are the ones who called you into the grace of Christ, it has never been anyone other than the Holy Spirit/Jesus himself.

If the gospel is the good news, what other good news could there have been?

Considering that these were, in the majority, Jewish converts, then the message used to draw them back could easily have been “Come back to the synagogue; we are God's people; you are God's people. Reject this Jesus, a man – hung like a common criminal, and called, by Pilate, the king of the Jews.” The point here is that there was no other gospel – no good news. It was a pull to come back to traditions and a way of life, filled with bondage.

These days we have a multitude of variations on the gospel, as some, while preaching freedom and forgiveness in Jesus, will hold you in bondage and never forgive you; even to the point of lording over you as a judge. This lording over people in judgment is in opposition to what the Word says, such as, all judgment has been given to the Son.

The word another is the Greek word heteros and means (an-, the) other or different: - altered, else, next (day), one, (an-) other, some, strange.

This (idea of another gospel) leans more heavily upon the idea of twisting the gospel of Christ; the message that Paul delivered to them. Contributing to the idea that Paul is talking about a twisting of the gospel, the translators, or editors, placed the continuation of verse 6 in verse 7, where it says, “Which is not another;.” 

Seeing the verse unbroken may help you understand that Paul is talking about a twisting of the gospel of grace. “that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another;”

Having experienced a twisting of the gospel of grace on many levels, I can tell you that it takes on many forms, most coming under the cloak of religious guidance.

• Verse (7) “Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”

If, as Paul says, it is not another gospel, then it is some perversion of the gospel of grace.

Allow me just to say, that anything or anyone that strives to put you under the law is not only perverting God's grace but attempting to put you under bondage. In doing this, they have essentially exercised witchcraft on you, which is a form of slavery and manipulation through words and curses.

Pervert is the Greek word metastréphō; fut. metastrépsō, from metá (G3326), denoting a change of place or condition, and stréphō (G4762), to turn. To turn about from one direction to another. In the NT, to turn into something else, to change.

At our men's Monday morning bible study, the leader recently spent far too much time on Matthew 25. In doing so, he focused on the great white throne judgment (this can also be found in Revelation 20.) A cursory read will demonstrate the true nature and character of God, as in Matthew 25 where the sheep, a part of that vast crowd, obtain mercy. The sheep receive this mercy because they performed some simple act of mercy or generosity. The goats, on-the-other-hand, are sent off to eternal separation and flames of torment with Satan. In the Revelation, the Holy Spirit is trying to make the point that Jesus is God and deservedly angry with those whom he does not find written in those books before Him. These are sent off to that same eternal torment and separation. Just because the sheep who obtain mercy in Matthews exposition is not apparent in Revelation 20, does not mean they are not there. Simply put, they are not an aspect of the context in Revelation 20. The bible study leader still, many weeks later, persists in sending everyone who stands before the great white throne to hell. Since this is unquestionably in opposition to the heart and nature of God, and, it is a perversion of the gospel of Christ.

“but there be some that trouble you” Trouble is the Greek word tarassō; from a prim. root ταραχ- tarach-; to stir up, to trouble: - disturbed (1), disturbing (2), stirred (3), stirring (1), terrified (2), troubled (9). The Word Study Dictionary tells us this: tarassō is, “Figuratively used of the mind, to stir up, trouble, disturb with various emotions such as fear, put in trepidation.” 

I might rewrite this to read: there will those who will disturb and stir up your emotions through a twisting of the gospel.

• Verse (8) MSG Let me be blunt: If one of us--even if an angel from heaven!--were to preach something other than what we preached originally, let him be cursed.

(Moffatt NT) Now even though it were myself or some angel from heaven, whoever preaches a gospel that contradicts the gospel I preached to you, God's curse be on him!

I don't know if this is merely Paul expressing his disdain for anyone who might teach or preach anything other than what he has already said, or, this is the heart of God. Since God is love and longs that everyone should be saved, why would He want someone to be cursed? What evidence do we have then of God drawing a line in the sand?

Matthew 12 lays out a scenario in which Jesus casts out a demon. The Pharisees attributed his actions to Satan. Verses 31,32 tell us His direct response.

Matthew 12:31-32 KJV Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 32) And whosoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Plainly we can see that God does draw a line, and blasphemy is it. I doubt Paul knew of this declaration by Jesus. If he did, and this was an aspect of what he wrote, then it would have been by direct revelation through Jesus.

One other piece of evidence might be drawn from the Revelation.

Revelation 21:8 KJV But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

While the verse takes in much more than blasphemers, it scares me, as I have: lied, wanted to kill, been unbelieving far too often, and spent the majority of my life feeling trapped by fear.

One other thing you need to consider if you are, to be honest in trying to decipher what is being said. Look at the verse once again.

Galatians 1:8 KJV But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Now, ask yourself, how many translations are there? Do they vary? Of course, they do, and one of the reasons for that is the variations a Greek word can carry depending on the defining word associated with it. This is one of the reasons why I used the Message in conveying the intensity of verse 8. I love how Eugene Peterson interpreted what Paul is trying to convey and therefore said, "Let me be blunt."

"or an angel from heaven”

This seems simple enough, but analyzing words opens doors to understanding. Angel is the word aggélous. The Word Study Dictionary tells us: A messenger, an aggelous, is one who is sent in order to announce, teach, perform, or explore anything;

Matthew 11:10 KJV For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Matthews gospel tells us that Jesus explained to the crowd, that the messenger/aggelous was John the Baptist.

In Luke 7:24 John the Baptist had sent messengers to Jesus. KJV And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

In Luke, the messengers were men sent from John.

Galatians 4:14 KJV And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Paul, here, points out that the people, of the region of Galatian, received him as an aggelous/messenger.

James 2:24-25 KJV Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25) Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

Here, the messengers/aggelous were men from Israel under the leadership of Joshua.

Malachi 2:7 KJV For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

Malachi speaks of the priest as an aggelous/messenger of God. A rewrite of this verse could read like this: For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the one who is sent in order to announce, teach, perform, or explore.

Does this imply that the priest is untouchable or above all reproach? Not at all, but it is not our place to judge and execute judgment against them. I suppose that is why we have these horrific church hierarchies – to displace bad priests/pastors. It seems all we can and should do is pray; pray that the Lord of Hosts can straighten this brother out or remove him. Having done all that, all we have left is to move on in most cases.

• Verse (9) KJV As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Verse 9 is merely a repetition of what Paul previously said.

• Verse (10) KJV For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

“Paul had to speak harshly to the Christians in Galatia because they were in danger. He did not apologize for his straightforward words, knowing that he could not serve Christ faithfully if he allowed the Galatian Christians to remain on the wrong track.” Life Application Study Bible

The Greek word for persuade is peíthō, meaning to persuade, particularly to move or affect by kind words or motives. [WSD] We don't know what he said or how he said it, but I have never pictured Paul speaking in a manner that was anything other than straightforward and to the point. The statement he just made is an example of that - “I have said it before and I now repeat it: whoever preaches a gospel to you that contradicts the gospel you have already received, God's curse be on him!” Moffatt NT

Please is the Greek word aréskō meaning to fit, adapt, or please. Having recently been accosted by a pastor who told me, with the admonition that his was a Godly council, that I should not pursue or study Eschatology for the next five years. If I took his “so-called” Godly counsel to heart, then I would be attempting to please a man, for I can assure you that what he gave me was nothing less than demonic. Paul asserts, “I am not trying to please people. I want to please God. Do you think I am trying to please people? If I were doing that, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (CEV)

So, much like Paul does - with an adamant declaration, I emphasize, once again, “As we said before, so I now say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel different from or contrary to that which you received [from us],” (AMP)

Since I was not there and could not listen to Paul orations, then I must trust his words given to us in the Bible and presume the tone and inflections in his voice. I have to establish in my mind that these words are the basis and foundation of what I believe and charged to understand. Therefore, when a pastor accosts you, telling you that eschatology (end times teachings) does not and cannot change people, and, that you should not study it or speak of it, then he is operating in contradiction to God's word. This subtle opposition moves him into the category of a false teacher, and he needs to repent publicly.

2 Timothy 3:16 AMPC Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action),

The point being made here, in 2Timothy, is that eschatology can and does change people. We can know this because it is the spirit breathed Word of God. If you stand around waiting for the changes to happen, you may not see them.

2 Peter 2:1 BBE But there were false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly put forward wrong teachings for your destruction, even turning away from the Lord who gave himself for them; whose destruction will come quickly, and they themselves will be the cause of it.

The subtlety of what they say can catch you off guard, especially when they speak in an authoritarian manner, and add, I am telling you this because I love you; sadly, this is what most of them do, and we are expected by them to accept what they say without question. Shouldn't this be proof enough that we desperately need to be invested in the Word of God?

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