Mere Cognition

Part 1 of the study on Galatians, covering Galatians 1:1-9

Paul's letter to the Galatians begins a bit differently compared to his other letters. In Galatians 1:1-5, he dispenses with his customary longer greeting full of commendations and courtesies and gets right to the point. There's likely numerous other letters not included in scripture that begin this way - however, this one is included and we shouldn't miss even this small difference. It's apparent, by the truncated greeting, that Paul has a deep concern about what he is hearing about the churches' defection from the gospel, so his greeting becomes brief and impersonal, likely in order to not waste time.

In Galatians 1:6-9, Paul drives right into the point of his letter:

⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel - ⁷not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. (v.6-7)

The word quickly here, in the Greek, can mean either quickly or easily, and I think it would be fair to say that either would fit here, based on the description of what's happening. Deserting, from the Greek, was used of military desertion, which was punishable by death during the time. It's used to both denote the seriousness of the matter as well as the fact that this turning from the gospel is voluntary. Paul is also making clear that they are not simply deserting the gospel that was given to them - they were effectively turning their back on God. These few words in verse 6 already pack lot of theology regarding soteriology - the doctrines of salvation.

Who called you...? This is clearly referring to God's call, through the gospel, to the grace and mercy of salvation provided in Christ. There are some that believe that this call is of man's own free will and that he is able to choose or reject Christ for himself and by himself; others believe that this call is effectual - that is, God calls whom He will to himself and because of our prime condition in sin from Adam, will never voluntarily come to belief on our own accord. I am convinced by scripture alone of the latter but that is a discussion for another time.

The word trouble, from the Greek, means "to shake back and forth" - literally what our modern word agitate means. Others were literally stirring up these relatively new believers by delivering a distorted gospel to them and creating agitation and strife.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.  As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (v.8-9)

Paul's absolutely clear here, and he is unequivocal. The use of "angel from heaven" is a good example of hyperbole, as any angel not in rebellion alongside Satan would never preach a gospel contrary to God's. Paul is making it explicitly clear that if anyone, anyone - preaches a gospel contrary to Christ's, that he shall be accursed. The word accursed here is the familiar Greek word anathema - devotion of someone to destruction. In this case, that destruction is an eternity in hell.

I would say that's pretty strong language. And it's often language that we pass over while reading the Bible, without giving too much thought to the gravity of what it means. We don't really have the capability to fathom the level of accursedness that an eternity down below would entail - we're far too limited in our imagination. Paul is literally placing a curse on those that distort the gospel - and doing so rightly in his position as apostle.

I'm beginning a study through the minor epistles, starting with Galatians. Of course, the word minor here denotes length, not that they are of diminished significance compared to the rest of scripture. I do this writing for my own study but I assume there's a chance someone else might find it edifying as well. Either way, it is good preparation for eventually enrolling in the Mastermind leadership program at some point in the future.

Galatians is one of the many epistles written by Paul, likely between A.D. 49-56 depending on the exact audience. The name refers to a region of the middle east in and around modern-day Turkey; based on Paul's journeys, he may be writing to the churches in southern Galatia earlier in his career or to the ethnic Galatians in the north later in his career. Regardless, the discourse was written to answer specific problems in particular churches.

To better understand the epistle, some background is required. The people of Galatia were considered Gentiles, or non-Jewish. Not long after Paul's missionary journeys and the Galatians had accepted the gospel, provocateurs arose that began to preach a distorted gospel and attack Paul personally. Their version of the "gospel" required circumcision for believers to be justified, or made righteous in the sight of God. Furthermore, they sowed even more dissention by making false and inaccurate statements about Paul and his preaching. They painted him as a renegade, modifying his gospel to better accommodate the uncircumcised Gentiles.

The Galatians, by this point, were showing interest in what the agitators were saying, both about circumcision and the rumors being spread about Paul. At the time Paul wrote to them, they were in the process of abandoning the gospel in order to be "under the law" and become circumcised. This was likely causing dissent amongst believers between those who believed in justification by faith and those who believed in, effectively, a modified form of Judaism where works/acts were required to be justified in the sight of God.

Paul therefore wrote in order to address two things: the falsity of the rumors being spread, as well as to reinforce that no Gentile is required to subject themselves to circumcision for justification. The new covenant in Christ is sealed with faith, not works. He exhorts to them that anyone who attempts to add other requirements to the gospel is violating and corrupting it and thus absolutely must be resisted at all costs.

The primary theological theme revolves around justification by faith alone. The Reformation Study Bible puts it like so: "Paul stresses that our works, however good they may appear to be, in no way justify us. By faith alone we receive the righteousness of Christ - His perfect obedience and His full satisfaction for sin - and it is on the basis of Christ’s righteousness alone that we are declared righteous before God. It is through this same faith that we are the adopted sons of God, and this justifying faith, far from being a dead faith, works by love, even as by this faith and through the Holy Spirit we eagerly await for the fullness of the gospel hope that accompanies our righteousness in Christ. ... Paul goes to great lengths to demonstrate that the Mosaic law was not contrary to God’s promises. The law was never meant to be and has never been an independent source of justification and life. It was training Israel to look to Christ; in fact, it was driving them to Christ, in whom alone life is found through faith. Believers, then and now, have always been saved by the work of Christ alone, set forth in the Scriptures of both the OT and the NT. Galatians helps us to understand that throughout redemptive history, God has always had one way of salvation, one gospel for all kinds of people."

Before continuing into Galatians, it is a good idea to add context to justification by faith alone. Belief in Christ and justification by faith is the inward fruit; there will axiomatically be external fruit that presents itself. I go once again to the Reformation Study Bible, because R.C. Sproul explains it much better than I can:

"The relationship of faith and good works is one that may be distinguished but never separated. Though our good works add no merit to our faith before God, and though the sole condition of our justification is our faith in Christ, if good works do not follow from our profession of faith, it is a clear indication that we do not possess justifying faith. The Reformed formula is 'We are justified by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.' True justification always results in the process of sanctification. If there is justification, sanctification will inevitably follow. If sanctification does not follow, it is certain that justification was not really present. This does not mean that justification depends or rests upon sanctification. Justification depends on true faith, which in turn will inevitably lead to works of obedience."

The above passage somewhat concerns me as I spent many years with faith but few good works. I haven't quite sussed out whether or not I was saved but ultimately I don't think it really matters now. The past is not the present, and the present has brought a rapid and tumultuous leap in sanctification that, a year ago, I wouldn't have thought possible. And none of it was through my own doing or strength, for I see clearly the condition of my heart and the mercies freely given anew every day. Here's to this study being edifying and enlightening!