Fighting For The Truth!
Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians is filled with fighting. Fighting for the truth! The new covenant message of God’s grace, and the power of God’s gift of holy spirit, were being vigorously and relentlessly assaulted. Certain ones were teaching that the behavior, or rules of conduct, given in the law of Moses needed to be remembered and obeyed.
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel [another message]: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel [the one, true message] of Christ. GALATIANS 1:6-7
The word ‘pervert’ here means ‘to change’ or ‘to turn into something else’. These self-appointed spokesmen for God were changing the one, true message from God into ‘another’ message. The thing is: there is no other message from God! The truth of God stands without any fluctuation. Its integrity must be upheld and fought for.
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? GALATIANS 3:1-2
The phrase ‘by the hearing of faith’ in verse two is translated from these three Greek words: ek = out from, akoē = hearing, and pistis = believing. It is better understood as ‘out from believing’s hearing’. Paul is reminding the Galatians that they received the gift of holy spirit as a result of (ek, out from) that which they heard and then believed (believing’s hearing). They did not receive holy spirit by doing any good work or works. Holy spirit is freely given by God’s grace. If any good works were required then grace would be void.
Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? He therefore that ministereth to you the spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? GALATIANS 3:3,5
‘By the hearing of faith’ is exactly the same here as in verse two: ‘out from believing’s hearing’. Paul is fighting for the truth of God’s grace to be believed. He doesn’t want God’s people to be bound in the bondage of legalism. Bondage results from believing that the works of the law are necessary in acquiring or in maintaining one’s holiness before God. By God’s grace we are made holy and made just. He who elevates his works repudiates God’s grace. To repudiate means ‘to reject as having no authority or binding force’.
There is a most remarkable account in this Epistle about Paul confronting a fellow leader ‘to the face’ because he was at fault for not upholding the truth of God’s Word. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed [at fault]. GALATIANS 2:11
Peter had come from Jerusalem to see Paul in Antioch. In Jerusalem there were “many thousands of Judeans” who believed and who all were “zealous of the law” of Moses (Acts 21:20). The leadership in Jerusalem were encouraging and reinforcing the continuation of the things of the old covenant. Peter had aligned himself with that leadership and had given up on standing against the wrong teaching.
But while Peter was visiting Paul in Antioch he was happy to conduct himself in the freedom of the new covenant until….Yes, certain leaders from Jerusalem also came to visit in Antioch. Then, in all hypocrisy, Paul separated himself away from eating with the non-Judean saints in order to look ‘law-abiding’ to those visitors.
And the other Judeans dissembled likewise with him [Peter]; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation [hypocrisy]. GALATIANS 2:13
Peter’s hypocrisy was not only joined by other local Judean believers, but then also even Barnabas, Paul’s ‘right-hand man’! When Paul “saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel” he took a stand and spoke up. He fought for the truth! Imagine if he had just let it go. The truth of God would have been even more compromised.
Look at this tremendous truth that Paul is quoted as saying to Peter and the others that day:
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” GALATIANS 2:16
Man is not justified by doing good works, but only “by the faith of Jesus Christ”. A more accurate translation of this is: “by means of (dia) Jesus Christ’s believing (pistis)”. The proper noun “Jesus Christ” is in the Genitive Case. The Genitive Case indicates the source or origin of something. Here, Jesus Christ is the source of the believing.
This truth is even repeated in this verse: “that we might be justified by the faith of Christ” (also Genitive Case). By = ek: out from, and faith = pistis (noun): believing. “Out from Christ’s believing” we are justified!
Sandwiched between the repeated truth of ‘Christ’s believing’ is that which we believe: “even [and] we have believed (pisteuō, verb) in Jesus Christ”. Because of his believing we are justified. We simply believe and receive the benefits of all that he accomplished for us.
Jesus Christ fulfilled the law of Moses and accomplished every requirement for man’s complete redemption and justification. Justification had to be given to man by God’s grace because no one could believe as Christ believed to fulfill every required detail. Such great love and great grace is worth fighting for!
