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Are We Galatians?
By Jeff Reed
A few years ago I was invited to teach a Bible study to a group of people in a Sunday keeping church. The topic I presented was the Sabbath. I talked about the biblical and historical origins of the Sabbath and God’s commands requiring its observance. I went over numerous New Testament scriptures that support Sabbath keeping by Christians today. The group I presented the scriptures too seemed very polite and listened carefully to everything I covered. After I was finished they began asking me several questions. All of their questions were related to their belief that God’s Law was done away with. They used several passages from Galatians to support their position, such as:
“All who rely on observing the law are under a curse” (Galatians 3: 10).
“Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith’” (Galatians 3:11).
“But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles?” (Galatians 4:9).
“You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace” (Galatians 5:4).
Taken out of context these passages and others seem to support the view that the Law is done away with and that by keeping it you are displeasing God.
The group that I had the Bible study with was not persuaded by my presentation. Their actual agenda was to try to persuade me. They believed I was wrong and a modern day Galatian.
They Call Us Galatians!
The vast majority of professing Christians believe the apostle Paul taught in his letter to the Galatians that either the entire the law was done away with or that certain parts of the law, such as the Sabbath, Holy Day observance, and dietary laws were done away with for Christians. In researching for this article I found that every commentary, dictionary, or encyclopedia article on Galatians supported these views. There are many books written by Christian apologists that label our Church as a cult, a modern day Galatianized Church, because we keep God’s Law. But just because the majority of people believe something does not make it the truth! A careful reading of Galatians not only dismisses the belief of God’s Law being done away with, but it reinforces the fact that it is necessary to be kept.
The True Story of Galatians
Galatia was a Roman province in Asia Minor that included several churches mostly comprised of non-Jewish converts to Christianity. These Galatians had been baptized according to the command in Acts 2:38, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” They received the Holy Spirit and entered into the New Covenant with God. The terms of this Covenant is if one repents, is baptized, and lives a life of faith then Jesus will place him into His Kingdom when He returns. It includes a life of overcoming in which God’s Law is internalized and goes beyond physical observance to include attitude and intent.
These Spirit filled Christians in Galatia were encountering false Jewish teachers who were teaching them they had too be circumcised to be saved. This wasn’t logical since these Galatians had already been given the Holy Spirit. Gentile converts had to be circumcised to enter into the Old Covenant (Exodus 12:48), but entrance into the New Covenant for everyone is baptism and the laying on of hands, which is figuratively a circumcision of the heart. These false teachers were teaching the Galatians should be circumcised, and that salvation only comes through a strict physical observance of God’s Law.
Paul writes:
“Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law. Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, ‘The man who does these things will live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit” (Galatians 3: 10-14).
It is impossible for a physical human being to keep the law perfectly. So the premise of these false teachers was wrong. Because we all fail we are all under the “Curse” of the law that is the death penalty. No amount of strict observance or physical works can remove that penalty. Only through faith in Christ and His sacrifice can we be forgiven and made just. But just because we are forgiven, we shouldn’t turn back and break the law, that wouldn’t make sense.
Purpose of the Law
Paul writes, “What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come” (Galatians 3:19).
The law was added because of transgressions. The best way I can explain this is through something I once noticed in a classroom. I was in a classroom for elementary age children and I saw a sign hanging on the wall that reads, “Rules of The Classroom.” Underneath the heading were several rules such as “No Hitting,” “No Running,” “No Gum Chewing,” and “No Hair Pulling.” I imagine there was a time when the teacher of that classroom had not yet posted these rules. I also imagine that before this time there were several kids hitting, running, gum chewing, and hair pulling. Before these rules or “laws” were posted these actions were inherently wrong behavior. I can further imagine the teacher got fed up with all of this misbehavior to the point she had to post these rules. These rules then served to identify to these children their actions were wrong and probably included a penalty to enforce them. In the same way God’s Law serves to point out our sins.
Paul Upholds Law Keeping
Once we enter into the New Covenant we must avoid sinning by applying God’s law to how we live. “If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God” (Galatians 2:17-19). God empowers us with His Spirit to go beyond keeping the mere letter of the law. He transforms our character and makes His Law become part of our nature. Paul in his letter to the Galatians confirms this. He explains that to be led by the Spirit of God is the only way to truly keep the law. “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature” (Galatians 5:16). i
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