Paul concludes the Galatians letter with some practical applications of their faith.

He speaks first of their relationships with each other. The chapter opens with words about helping those who struggle spiritually to overcome and defeat sin in their lives. He particularly addresses “you who are spiritual,” referring to those who remain faithful to God. He point their attention and concern to those Christians who have been “overtaken in any trespass.” We all know of our fellow disciples who at times have found it difficult to overcome temptations and have, therefore, surrendered to them. Paul wants the strong to help the weak, which is a common theme of his writings.

His advice (inspired, by the way) is to bear each other’s burdens, that is, to help others where we are strong and they are weak. In turn, in areas where they are strong and we are the weaker, they can assist us in remaining true to the Lord. It is rarely a one way activity. You may be stronger today and I may be stronger tomorrow. Or it may be that I struggle with a sin that you have conquered and you can help me to do better. We are a family of faith and instructed by our Master to exhort and encourage one another as we have the opportunity to do so.

In verses 3-5, he reminds us that we will be judged personally. As individuals, we can help each other to live better, but ultimately, I am responsible for me and you are accountable for you, so we need to make certain that we are doing the best we can. If I need help in an area of my life, I may need to go to someone who can provide the strength I need to make it through the struggle and ask for their aid.

Verses 6-10 are filled with individual responsibilities to carry out with loyalty to God and His cause. We should share physical blessings with each other, especially with those who help us to learn, know and obey the truth.

He speaks of the importance of remembering that we will reap what we sow in life, whether good or bad. Sometimes we act as though we forget that there will be consequences to our actions. And we should not grow weary or discouraged in doing the right thing in every circumstance of life.

Verse 10 reminds us again that Christians are to be benevolent, thoughtful people toward those who are less fortunate and less blessed materially. And that includes both fellow believers and non-Christians, as well.

Verse 11 begins the concluding section of the text and Paul spends a little more time reminding them that we should do all that we do to the glory of God. If we have any basis for boasting, it is only in those things that God accomplishes in us through the sacrificial cross of Jesus. Without we are and can do nothing.

He ends this great letter with a prayer that the grace of Jesus Christ might with them. What a blessing to know that this is so.

--Roger Hillis

Paul returns to his previously used illustration to drive home his major point that we are not under the Old Testament, but are living under the teachings of the New Testament. He speaks of the Old Law as being a form of bondage and the New Testament as liberty. (Remember that James also refers to the gospel as “the perfect law of liberty” in James 1:25.)

The apostle specifically mentions the first century issue of whether Christians from a Gentile background had to be circumcised and he lists two consequences of answering in the affirmative. First he says that Christ will profit you nothing and second, you will be required to keep the entire Old Law. (Do you recall that the Judaizing teachers wanted to bind a hybrid law, combining their favorite parts of both testaments?)

Our freedom from the Law of Moses is never to be interpreted as liberty (or license) to sin. The Judaizers were turning people back to the law with its detailed instructions and codified nature. Some thought they needed such detail to remain faithful. Paul wanted them to see that such a move led people away from Christ.  

Paul warns them in verse 15 that if they continued to argue and debate and quarrel over this matter, they would consume one another and Satan would be the only winner.

In verses 19-21, Paul lists an impressive number of sins that he refers to as “the works of the flesh.” It is vital that we realize what each of these sins includes. Although some of them are words or phrases with which we are not familiar, they involve attitudes or actions that can keep us out of heaven. If you do not recognize any of these words or sins, it is important that you learn what they include so you will not lose your soul over them.

Then, in verses 22-23, he names what he calls “the fruit of the Spirit.” These are nine positive qualities that we should strive to possess.

The fruit of the Spirit comes from the seed of the word of God (Luke 8:11). If we are led by the Spirit, as He leads us through the word, we will produce these characteristics in our lives (Colossians 1:5‑6). All men have the choice of bearing good or bad fruit (Matthew 7:15‑20; John 15:1‑6).

It is important to realize that these qualities are not miraculous. Each of these characteristics can be learned and developed in the life of a Christian who desires to serve God.

This chapter concludes with a reminder to walk in the Spirit’s teaching and to put to death the sinful desires of the flesh.

--Roger Hillis

In this chapter, Paul uses three word pictures to show the difference between the old law and the gospel.

In verses 1‑7, he compares it to childhood and adulthood. Childhood, for both slave and heir, is a time of being under “guardians and stewards.” Paul refers to the Old Law as a time when the Jews were “in bondage under the elements of the world.”

But, in “the fullness of the time,” according to God’s divine timetable, He sent His Son into the world. Jesus was “born of a woman,” a reference to the virgin birth of the Messiah, with no earthly father. Christ came into the world to redeem those who were under the Law of Moses from that bondage. He says, in verse 7, “therefore you are no longer a slave but a son,” an heir of God through Christ. The old has been replaced by the new.

In verses 8‑20, he contrasts bondage to freedom.

There are several Old Testament practices that Paul was concerned that the Galatians might be involved in, even after the Law of Moses had been replaced. He specifies his concern about their religious observance of “days and months and season and years.” This is speaking of the various feast days, sacrificial days, including the weekly Sabbath. It also reminds us that under the New Testament system, the only special day is the first day of every week. There are no annual, quarterly, monthly or other special days in Christianity. There is no New Testament teaching to observe popular “Christian” holidays, such as Easter or Christmas, including lent and other common man-made practices. This is the type of practice that Paul refers to as “bondage.”

Paul reminds them that his work among them was designed to make certain that “Christ is formed in you.” He wanted all disciples to be like their Master (Luke 6:40).

In verses 21‑31, he refers back to the Old Testament story of Hagar, Sarah and their children. Many Bible translations call this comparison an allegory. He reminds us of the relationship between Hagar and her son Ishmael and the God approved family of Sarah and Isaac. Hagar was a bondwoman (household servant) while Sarah was Abraham’s wife. Hagar and Ishmael are compared to the Old Testament (bondage) and Sarah and Isaac are compared to the New Testament (freedom from the Old Law). Paul also uses the familiar language of the flesh (OT) and the spirit (NT).

--Roger Hillis

Chapter 3 is a clear explanation of the subject of salvation and the law. It divides into three major sections:

• Verses 1‑14 ‑ Salvation is not through the law of Moses
• Verses 15‑18 ‑ The law of Moses did not annul the promise
• Verses 19‑29 ‑ Why then was the law necessary?

In verses 1-14, Paul discusses again the reality that the Old Law was done away with and replaced by the gospel of Christ. He refers to their having begun their walk with God “by the hearing of faith,” but now they are trying to maintain their relationship with God through “the works of the law.”

One of the primary lessons from the book of Galatians is that we cannot earn ourselves a home in heaven by our good works. We are expected to obey God and do those things He reveals in the New Testament, but never with the thought that we will so perfectly carry out the will of God that He will owe us an eternal reward. The only way anyone will be saved is through God’s grace.

This idea of earning our salvation is sometimes called “works salvation” and sometimes it is called “legalism.” So many different ideas are thrown into that word, legalism, that I hesitate to use it at all. To me, legalism is not law keeping, but law depending, that is, believing we will do it well enough to justify our salvation. We are always going to need the mercy and lovingkindness of God.

As we look at verses 15-18, the apostle deals with the relationship between the Law of Moses and the promise of God to Abraham. The promise to Abraham (verse 16; see Genesis 12:1-3) of salvation through Christ was given long before the law was given through Moses. The question in the minds of many seems to have been, did the Law of Moses make the promise void? The answer, of course, was no. He says, in very clear terms, that the Law, given hundreds of years after the promise, did not annul, or make void, the covenant with Abraham. Salvation through Christ was not nullified by the giving of the Law of Moses.

But, if that was the case, why was the law necessary (verses 19-29)? This section answers that question and shows how the Promise and the Law fit together.

First, the law did not replace the promise, but rather was “added” to it. That means that during the Mosaic Period, there were two laws of God existing at the same time, one for Israel and one for everyone else.

Second, the law was added “because of transgressions.” Something needed to be done to help the bloodline of the Messiah remain pure. God’s solution was the Law of Moses, for the Hebrews alone (the descendants of Abraham). The Law of Moses served as a tutor, to bring people to faith in Jesus.

--Roger Hillis

The events mentioned early in Galatians 2 probably occurred in Acts 15. Paul found it necessary to go to Jerusalem to help clarify the issue of circumcision in the early church. It would be helpful to read Acts 15:1‑31 in connection with this chapter.

As those great men of faith gathered in Acts 15, they came to the realization that circumcision was strictly an Old Testament requirement and that, once the Law of Moses was replaced with the gospel, circumcision was no longer an ordinance of God. It has been nailed to the cross. People could still circumcise their male children if they wanted to, but it was not necessary to please God.

Both the circumcised and the uncircumcised could join hands in fellowship with God and with one another. This was a huge test in the first century church. Once they got past this issue, real spiritual and numerical growth could occur.

Verse 10 also gives a brief, but important reminder to Christians to help those who are less fortunate. Do not underestimate the value of helping others.

In verses 11-14, Paul recounts an occasion when he had to confront the apostle Peter to the face because he had not handled an encounter with Gentiles in a proper way. Peter had come to Antioch and was eating with Gentiles, according to the agreement reached in Acts 15. But when a group of Jews from Jerusalem (“certain men came from James”) came there, Peter withdrew himself and would not associate with the Gentiles, while his Jewish brothers were there. Paul says that they “were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel.”

Notice Paul’s statement in verses 16 that makes it crystal clear that we are under the New Testament and not the Old. “…that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law.” This truth is taught multiple times in the gospel of Christ.

One of the hardest lessons for the first century Jews to learn was that Gentiles who were converted to Christ were full heirs of God and not subject to Old Testament Jewish customs and practices. It was not easy for them to set aside hundreds of years of traditions.

--Roger Hillis

The great apostle Paul is under attack. Judaizing teachers, who wanted to return to at least part of the Old Law, needed somehow to discredit Paul and his apostleship. Their influence was leading many away from Christ to a perverted gospel which would only condemn their souls. Galatians is Paul's attempt to reaffirm the truth of the gospel in their lives.

Some have divided the book of Galatians into three major sections:

• Chapters 1‑2 – Personal
• Chapters 3‑4 – Doctrinal
• Chapters 5‑6 – Practical [applications of the truth]

The first ten verses of this opening chapter are a defense of the gospel in its purity and simplicity. The apostle makes it quite clear that no other gospel than the one he had preached to them was acceptable. Even if an angel tried to change the message of the gospel, they were not to listen to any false teaching. Those who preach a different gospel (which he says is not another true gospel, but a perversion of the only true will of God) are under a divine curse from the Lord. Most translations say that such a false teacher is “accursed.” Some versions say that he is “anathema.” This means that the curse comes from God Himself.

In verses 11-24, Paul clarifies and reminds them that his message came through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, not from mere men. This is a fulfillment of the promise from Jesus that He would send the Helper (Comforter, KJV) who would reveal all truth (John 14:26; 16:13).

False teachers (Judaizing teachers) sought to minimize Paul’s influence on Christians by claiming he was not a true apostle of Christ. If he was a false apostle, his teaching could be ignored. In this section, Paul refers to his pre-Christian background and then to his conversion and his inspiration from God.

The account of Paul’s conversion from Judaism is one of the strongest proofs for the validity of Christianity that there is. Why would he change so suddenly from being a persecutor of Christians to one who preached that Jesus was indeed the Christ and the Savior of the world? He explains it in several places by telling them that he personally saw the resurrected Lord after he knew he had been put to death. He could no longer deny that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah of Old Testament prophecy.

--Roger Hillis

Lord willing, beginning on May 1st, I will post, for the first sixteen days, chapter summaries of the New Testament books of Galatians, Ephesians, and Philippians. I hope you will find these studies helpful and encouraging to your walk with the Lord. Thank you so much for reading these posts.

--Roger Hillis

Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

As Christians, we most certainly recognize the importance of self-examination. It is all too easy to drift into bad habits and attitudes that would lead us away from the Lord. “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away” (Hebrews 2:1).

Especially are we in danger when we have been influenced by false teachers, as had the Corinthians.  They had listened to the Judaizing teachers and had fallen prey to their evil leaven. They had been the victims of a “spiritual con job” and did not even realize it.

This should be a grave warning to us today. Earlier the apostle had written to these Christians, including this warning: “Therefore let him who thinks he stand take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). This is an interesting passage in view of the prominent false teaching in the religious world that one cannot fall from God’s grace. Paul says you can and you need to “take heed” that it not happen.

Paul says that he trusted that they will not find themselves out of favor with God and be disqualified. But, in order that this would happen, they needed to listen to what he has written them in both of these inspired letters and make changes in their lives and their relationship with God. Without those changes, they might easily be disqualified.

He wrote these things to them, not to make a show of his apostolic authority, but for their “edification and not for destruction” (verse 10). We are in the church so that we might gain strength from the encouragement of one another.

Because the same thing could happen to us (that we might be led astray by false disciples), we must be constantly on guard, never forgetting that these false teachers appear as “ministers of righteousness” (11:15).

--Roger Hillis

“This section is the climax of Paul’s defense of his apostleship and his love for the believers at Corinth. He was reticent to write about these personal experiences, but there was no other way to solve the problem. In fact, to avoid exalting himself, Paul described his experience in the third person rather than the first person” (Wiersbe, page 132).

The apostle refers to one who was taken up into the third heaven (the realm of God) and had seen “the abundance of the revelations” from God. He had seen and heard things which it was “not lawful for a man to utter.” He wanted them to judge his faithfulness based on the truth God had revealed to Paul and that he had delivered to them.

He makes a brief reference to his “thorn in the flesh” from Satan that God used to keep him humble. He had pleaded with the Lord to remove it, but God would not, choosing rather to help Paul work through his challenges than to take them away. (That is a hard lesson for all of us to learn, isn’t it?)

Paul tells the Corinthians that he just wants them to recognize him for what he was, an apostle of Jesus Christ . He did not take from them the financial help he had a right to because he did not want them to misjudge his motive for preaching.

Reminding them of his upcoming visit to Corinth, he says that he still will not accept any money from them. Even though Paul was “in nothing,” any less than “the most eminent apostles,” he was not boasting in order that he might receive personal gain or benefit from them. He even asks their forgiveness in this area.

He makes the clear statement, in verse 15, that he had done this to care for their feelings on the matter and, as a parent who loves his children, was willing to spend and be spent for their salvation.

He concludes the chapter by insisting that they needed to repent of all ungodliness so that the trip would not cause him even greater sorrow.

--Roger Hillis

In challenging those who were questioning his apostolic authority, Paul pulled no punches. He wanted the Corinthians to know that the false teachers were messengers of Satan who would destroy the Lord's church.

Of course, they did not see themselves or present themselves in that way. False teachers do not come with a name tag identifying themselves as such. 

The Judaizers had so bragged about themselves that many of the Corinthian Christians had believed them and begun to follow them and their teaching. It has often been said that if you repeat a lie enough times, people will begin to believe it. That seems to be what was happening to Paul’s reputation in Corinth.

Although Paul considered it to be foolishness, he realized that he needed to do some boasting of his own in order to persuade the Corinthians of his credentials.

And so reluctantly, he warns them against being deceived (verses 3-4) by those who would make false accusations against him, with no proof. He was innocent until proven guilty.

He also reminds them that he was not preaching simply for the money (verses 5-10, he had probably been accused of that by the Judaizers). He had not taken financial support for his work in the gospel at Corinth primarily so such a false claim could not be made against him.

Paul gives them a warning against being deceived, not only by Satan himself, but by those false apostles whom the devil had sent into their midst (verses 12-15).

To assure them of his faithfulness to God and not to money, he then recounts the tremendous suffering he had endured because of his devotion to Christ (verses 22-33). They knew all of these great hardships he had gone through for them and the sake of the gospel.

Surely they would realize the truth when they saw it clearly.

--Roger Hillis