Mere Cognition

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!

Dr. Steven Lawson has been re-broadcasting his bible study of Romans and the current episodes have been over Romans 7. This week, he began by camping out in Romans 7:14-15, part of the section on the law and sin.

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.
15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.

Several commentaries and study bibles tend to have different interpretations regarding exactly who Paul is referring to here, from describing a general unregenerate/regenerate person, describing the experience of Israel under the Mosaic law, to Paul describing himself.

I am of the same mind as Dr. Lawson in this regard; Paul uses the pronoun I so many times in this section that in my mind, it is unmistakable that Paul is describing himself and his experiences here. Repetition in the bible is important and Paul uses I/me/my nearly 30 times in v7-20 alone.

Paul is describing the conflict between God's law and the corruption in our hearts. He wants to do what is right in God's view but no matter how much he wants or wills it, he still does the very thing he hates. Such it is with all of us; such it is with me, continually. As we become progressively sanctified, this process becomes easier, as we transition from doing the very things we hate to those pleasing to God. We will never reach a point where we do this perfectly, at least in this life. But our struggle is not in vain.

We can see the progression of Paul's conviction and sanctification throughout his epistles. In 1 Corinthians 15:9, he states "For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God." Here, we see an admission of his humility that, personally, makes my heart grieve. I was such the same as Paul, in my youth. As an atheist, I didn't persecute to Paul's extent, but I still despised it, which isn't any better.

Fast forward a few years (~5 or so) to Paul's writing of Ephesians. In Ephesians 3:8, he states, "To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ..." -- to quote Lawson, "it's getting worse!" He's gone from being the least of the apostles to the least of all saints. His scope has expanded in his increasing sanctification.

After a few more years, in his epistle to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:15), the needle moves even further: "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." Talk about getting worse! He's gone from the least of the apostles, to the least of all saints, and ultimately to the chief of all sinners!

Does this mean Paul's faith and walk with Christ is going backwards? By no means! This is simply the increasing of humility as Paul's faith and knowledge of Christ increases over time. At first, he recognizes that out of all of the apostles, he is objectively the least, for his persecution of Christians was fairly extreme. Some might say that this is even worse than Peter denying Jesus thrice and a good argument can be made for that. Later, he has expanded his understanding of his condition to where he recognizes that, amongst all Christians, he is the least of these. Finally, Paul reaches the coda where he understands that, amongst everyone that has ever lived, he is the foremost sinner.

Now, all of us can't be the foremost sinner. That's not the point, however. The point is that we are to understand that all are sinners and that in this condition of sin, we are all equally accountable and condemnable outside of the grace and mercy of God. There is no one less a sinner nor anyone greater. We are all equal in sight of God.

If we understand and accept this humility, the more grace we will likely be given to understand how this station aligns with the rest of Scripture. It helps link together the compassion and love exhibited by Christ and exhorted all throughout the Bible. It helps reconcile and weave together the (seemingly contradictory) natures of a God that is both loving and vengeful depending on the needs and circumstances that only His omniscient view can discern. The same God that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah also said, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."

Important things in the Bible are often repeated or rephrased throughout as a means to emphasize their importance. The latter half of Ephesians 4 is no different.

Ephesians 4:17-32 generally expresses similar sentiments and critiques as Romans 1 - describing the condition of Gentiles whilst in paganism. While Romans tends to look at it from God's perspective, Ephesians reiterates this same condition from a more man-centered perspective. We're exhorted to put off our old self (v.22) and put on our new self, washed in the blood of Christ and renewed by the grace of God (v.23-24).

I'd like to put some extra emphasis on the latter half, verses 25-32. This is a significant problem that I have had over the years, understanding the nature of this passage and how to rightly apply it even amongst the outpouring of sinfulness in my own heart. It is a good reminder to all of us that we are to be above the pettiness that we see exhibited by the world.

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
27 and give no opportunity to the devil.
28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.