OUR FATHER WHO  SENT FORTH THE  SPIRIT OF HIS SON

The Apostle Paul, in Galatians chapter 4 verses 1 - 7, addresses the question of the period of latency where those who were destined to be in family of God remained in bondage under the elemental spiritual forces of the world until the auspicious time arrived and the Son of God entered into the world born under the law to redeem those who were under the law so that the children of God, who were indistinguishable from slaves, might be adopted as bona fide sons.

1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 

And these newly-minted sons, upon recieving the seal of the Spirit, could now legitimately cry out to God as they Dad and Father and as a son, an heir of God through Christ.

Amen

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OUR FATHER WHO PROVIDED FOR US TO BECOME HIS CHILDREN THROUGH FAITH

In the third chapter of his letter to Galatians from verses 19 - 25 , the Apostle Paul rhetorically asks the question of what purpose the law served if faith is all that was required to be admitted into the family of God. He then explains that the function of the law was to govern (or to benchmark) transgressions until the Seed (Christ) arrived among those to whom the promise was made.

The law was introduced after the promises were given to demonstrate  how contrary to the standards of God we actually were. The law, enforced  through angels, was delivered by  a mediator (Moses) who was to mediate between God and man. Mediation is typically conducted between two parties who are at an impass but in this case, God is the singular party who is undertaking the liabilities of all sides and thus everything is encompassed in Him.

19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.

The law does not contradict the promises of God and is not in competition with faith as the means by which righteousness is attained. 

Paul explains that if the law could provide righteousness, then the law would have been reserved as the single the gateway by which men could enter the family of God. However, the law only imprisons men and confines them to their conviction of sin so that when the promise of God is presented, they  would be able to believe and react in faith to the good news of the salvation provided by God. This reaction of faith is what confers the righteousness of Christ upon us.

 The law, as a tutor, educated us to our true condition of needing salvation but when the promised Salvation arrived, we were no longer in need of the tutor.

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise..

The apostle then reveals one of the implications of the universality of the law and

promise. Because we are all (without exception) saved by the same mechanism of faith, in the family of God, there is no distinction between the Jews or the Gentiles, slaves or free, male nor female. 

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE PROMISES ARE YEAH AND AMEN THROUGH CHRIST

In the 3rd chapter of the book of Galatians chapter from verses 15 - 18, the Apostle Paul tackles the concept of the efficacy of faith as the means of conferring righteousness upon those who would be justified. 

Whereas the law had a mechanism called inheritance by which families could confer advantages from generation to generation, the law, having come four hundred and thirty years after the estalishment of the promise God gave to Abraham, could not annul the pre-existing promise which God made to Abraham and to his Seed (singular).

This promise was given to Abraham and by extension, to the One who would come through his linage. This promise was secured by Abraham by his believing the promise and this faith was attributed to him as righteousness. Thus, we who would aspire to be justified, believe in the promise and this faith is how we too are justified because we are made righteous before God. 

15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. 16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER BEFORE WHOM WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH

The book of Galatians chapter 3 verses 9 - 14 contains the Apostle Paulˋs sophisticated and condensed analysis of the function of the law vis-à-vis justification by faith.

First, Paul invoked the principle that a curse would befall anyone who did not completely follow the law. This meant that if at anytime a person was unable to follow the letter of the law, they were subject to its judgement and if anyone tried to follow any part of the law as a means of attaining righteousness, they were obligated to follow the entirety of the law. This requirement meant that trying to qualify as righteous under the law was utterly impossible for any human. 

To compound matters, the book of Habakkuk chapter 2 verse 4 says this;

But the just shall live by his faith.

This precept asserts that only those who lived by faith would be qualify as justified.

It is into this insurmountable equation that Christ came to the earth and was able to live a life that was perfect under the law by fulfilling every requirement of the law since is birth. In His perfection, He subjected Himself to the ignominy of death on a cross and in doing this, He became a curse because it was written in the law that anyone who hangs on a tree was cursed. 

The gospel unto salvation that Paul preached was the synthesis of these strictures where there was only person who ever fulfilled all righteousness under the law. 

The rest of the human race was condemned to the judgement of death under the law but because living by faith was the means by which justification before God could be attained, we who were condemned by the law, could live by faith in the One who had fulfilled the law and in doing so, we are are able to come out from under the sentence of death under the law because Christ, the one who had attained  righteousness under the law, was condemned under the law on our behalf.  

Faith is the mechanism by which the righteousness of Christ is conferred upon us thus justifying us. This faith is the same faith that Abraham lived by and was justified before God and all of us from the realm of the gentiles have access to this mechanism of faith by which we are justified before God and can receive the promise of the Spirit of God by which we can live unto God.

 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written,e  “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”

13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHO DOES MIRACLES AMONG US

In the book of Galatians chapter 3 verses 1 - 9, the Apostle  Paul confronts the Galatians with the concern that he had pertaining to how they had been bewitched into abandoning their new life founded on faith and reverting to a life of obeying the law as a way of attaining righteousness.

Paul asks the Galatians if the new life they had started in the spirit was now going to be perfected in the flesh. 

Paul presses the point by asking the Galatians if the Spirit that they had in their midst who did miracles, did the miracles by faith or by works.

Paul then reaches the pinnacle of His argument by pointing out that if Abrahamˋs faith is what was accounted to him as faith and that his faith was the forerunner that would will be given to all the families of the world, how then would reverting to the law for righteousness provide the pedigree of belonging to the family of Abraham.

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE SON LOVED US AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR US

Paul, in Galatians chapter 2 verses 11 - 21, records an intense friction point that occured because of the lack of conviction regarding the ultimate source of righteouness. Under contention was whether it came from following the law or if it came solely through faith in Christ. 

Even though the original disciples like Peter and James were living in grace among the gentiles, their conduct was being influenced by the presence of the Jews who were equating adherance to the law as the final source of righteousness. As such, Peter would withdraw from associating with the gentiles when Jewish contingencies came into their midst so as not to draw their ire for breaking the commandment to keep separate from the Gentiles.

Paul, observing this conduct, directly confronted Peter by asking if it was reasonable to ask the Gentiles to live as Jews under the jewish law when those who were actually born under the law were not compelled to live under the law because it had been understood that no one could be justified under the law.

Paul presses further by asking if those who had been justified in Christ were found to be sinners and in need of the law to provide righteousness, was Jesus Christ now to be understood as a minister of sin?

The clarification of the matter comes in the last part of this passge: A believer in faith is crucified with Christ and it is no longer the believer who lives but Christ who lives in him.

The life of the flesh is now lived by faith in the the Son of God who loved each believer and gave Himself for us. Paul declared that at no time did he set aside the grace of God because if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ would have died for nothing. If the righteousness under the law was all that was needed to fulfill all righteousness, then men could have just worked to fulfill the law and be declared righteous based on that.

But the law cannot save because it is designed to administer death and in the context of Christˋs work on the cross, once faith in Christˋs salvation is gained, it is the law that is employed to administer the sentence of death to the flesh.

11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

17 “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO SHOWS PARTIALITY TO NO MAN

The book of Galatians chapter 2 verses 6 - 10 says contains the Apostle Paulˋs recounting the acceptance that the original apostles ( James, Cephas and John) extended to him when they realized that the Lord had committed to Paul the gospel for the gentiles when they saw that the Holy Spirit, who worked so spectacularly in Peter when he was ministering to the Jews, also worked spectacularly with Paul as he ministered to the Gentiles.

As such, the original apostles accepted Paul as a peer and the only imposition that they laid on him was he include the care of the poor in his ministry and Paul was already eager to incorporate such practices. 

6 But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter 8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do. 

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO SALVATION IS BY GRACE AND NOT BY WORKS

Chapter 2 verses 1 - 5  of his letter to the believers in Galatia, the Apostle Paul related the story of his second journey to Jerusalem where, fourteen years later, he travelled with his companions Barnabas and Titus to meet with the original apostles so that he would calibrate the gospel he was preaching to the gentiles against theirs so that he didnˋt  spread false doctrine and end up expending all his effort in vain. 

To his chagrin, Paul discovered that there were those in Jerusalem who were carrying a false doctrine where they were  asserting that those who were in Christ were being compelled to be circumcised.

In fact, while Paul and his travelling companions were at the Jerusalem church, a cadre of spies had been sent into their midst in order to find material with which to accuse Paul and his companions and to ultimately bring them under subjection to the false doctrine they were purveying.

Discovering that Titus was an uncircumcised Greek, the false brethren tried to compel Paul and those who were with him to accept that circumcision was a requirement even for non-jewish believers.

Paul explained that they did not fall for this falsity for even an hour and this uncompromising fidelity to the true gospel was important because it prevented them from carrying false doctrines back to the Galatians and infecting them with the same deception so that the original work that was being done could successfully continue without derailment.

1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 

Amen.

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