Grace and Peace to You

One of the great novels of the nineteenth century is Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. The letter to the Galatians could be given a similar title: A Tale of Two Gospels. Paul’s ‘tale’, however, is factual, not fictional, and warns us that of the two gospels being heard in Galatia (and still being heard today), only one is true.

Galatians 1:1 ESV

1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

Judaizers - These people taught that a christian must also be live as a Jew. The law and works were still required. If you have ever read any commentary on the Epistles you have likely seen this word.

Their main contention was circumcision.

That was simply an opening salvo however. It led to increasing need to live out the law.

Galatians 2:14 ESV

14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

The Antioch Incident

Jerusalem Council

Acts 15:7–11 ESV

7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

Acts 15:19–20 ESV

19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.

Cultural Distinctions

Freedom in Christ has always been scary.

Here we find agreement among all the books of the Bible.

James and Paul

Romans 12:2 ESV

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

James 1:19–27 ESV

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. 26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Not about law, it is about distinction

Here is the point of the book of Galatians

Galatians 2:16 ESV

16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

So how can you be saved?

Believe on the Son of God

John 14:1 ESV

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Acknowledge your sin.

Romans 3:23 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Repent

1 John 1:9 ESV

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Forgiven

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Surrender to Jesus as Lord

Romans 10:10 ESV

10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Grace and Peace to You

The Galatians needed to be reminded of the simplicity of the Gospel, the true gospel. We need that same thing today.