RESOLUTE
30/06/24 08:52
Paul’s Gospel is Christ’s Gospel. It is not a variation, deviation or a half-gospel. This is the truth of life in Jesus, the Christ of God. Paul affirms what those of us who have tried to live Godly from the law have found. Any version of legalism does not make one whole or holy and is no protection against sin.
Timothy Keller unwraps what Paul was declaring. “First, this account tells them that he has already spent years seeking to live according to the Jewish customs and traditions. He says that he had beaten out almost everyone of his own generation ("of my own age" v. 14) at being zealous for moral righteousness (v.14). And yet it had not made him "right with God."
PERVERSIONS
“Up until this point in the book we have not been told the nature of the teaching of 'some people' who were 'trying to pervert the gospel' (1:7), but here is the first hint. Later we will see that they were encouraging the Gentile Christians to become full converts to Judaism, assuming all the Mosaic laws of diet and dress, including circumcision (Gal 2:12, 3:5, 6:12). But Paul's account, says: "I've already been there! I've already done that! I know all about this subject! You cannot make yourself acceptable to God by the most zealous and fastidious compliance to moral, ethical, cultural codes." (1) This applies to all who are trying to live full Judaism or just one element of the Jewish law. It smothers God to us and subverts you.
Loyalty to Christ means being resolute in promoting His Gospel rather than accommodating ourselves to some variation because it is ours.
DEVIANT SOCIALISATION
I was preaching this Gospel once and a lady intimated that I was preaching heresy. This kind of ‘gospel annulment’ is too common in Christian sects and cults. They frequently involve substituting Christ’s steps to us with what we must do to take steps to Christ. Our Gospel is the Gospel of Jesus, Paul and John. It’s less about us receiving Christ and all about our being received by Christ into His life. In Jesus we live in the fellowship of God while God is in us and with us.
(1) Timothy Keller. Galatians. p22.
Timothy Keller unwraps what Paul was declaring. “First, this account tells them that he has already spent years seeking to live according to the Jewish customs and traditions. He says that he had beaten out almost everyone of his own generation ("of my own age" v. 14) at being zealous for moral righteousness (v.14). And yet it had not made him "right with God."
PERVERSIONS
“Up until this point in the book we have not been told the nature of the teaching of 'some people' who were 'trying to pervert the gospel' (1:7), but here is the first hint. Later we will see that they were encouraging the Gentile Christians to become full converts to Judaism, assuming all the Mosaic laws of diet and dress, including circumcision (Gal 2:12, 3:5, 6:12). But Paul's account, says: "I've already been there! I've already done that! I know all about this subject! You cannot make yourself acceptable to God by the most zealous and fastidious compliance to moral, ethical, cultural codes." (1) This applies to all who are trying to live full Judaism or just one element of the Jewish law. It smothers God to us and subverts you.
Loyalty to Christ means being resolute in promoting His Gospel rather than accommodating ourselves to some variation because it is ours.
DEVIANT SOCIALISATION
I was preaching this Gospel once and a lady intimated that I was preaching heresy. This kind of ‘gospel annulment’ is too common in Christian sects and cults. They frequently involve substituting Christ’s steps to us with what we must do to take steps to Christ. Our Gospel is the Gospel of Jesus, Paul and John. It’s less about us receiving Christ and all about our being received by Christ into His life. In Jesus we live in the fellowship of God while God is in us and with us.
(1) Timothy Keller. Galatians. p22.
