Quote:
Originally Posted by mfblume
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Ok, one final post lol.
I will make a few points about the passage you referenced.
1. It does not "say it all" as if there is no need for the rest of scripture. We must take the entirety of scripture as the authority, not one passage. Especially a passage in one of Paul's epistles which according to Peter contain things "hard to understand" and which the unlearned misunderstand to their detriment.
2. You ended your citation at verse 11. But verse 12 contains an important concludibg point: Paul says "Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am, for I am as you are, ye have not injured me at all." Paul requests the Galatians to be as he was. Paul often set himself forth as an example to be imitated, as an example of apostolic Christianity. So, did Paul keep the Sabbath, or no?
http://www.logosapostolic.org/bible_...SabbathDay.htm
3. The
context of the epistle is not Sabbath-keeping, but Judaising. Chapter 4 verse 21, chapter 5 verse 2, chapter 3 verses 1-13, the entirety of chapter 2, and the first half of chapter 1, indeed the entire epistle, is about being justified by grace through faith in Christ vs. being justified by the works of the law. Chapter 5 teaches the importance of walking in the Spirit as opposed to walking in the flesh. Chapter 6 concludes with the same theme of justification under the new covenant by faith vs. justification by the works of the law, and the conclusion is "in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."
These are themes mirrored in Romans and elsewhere.
Romans 6 - 8 deals with the same dichotomy, and includes the following teachings: Christians are to walk in newness of life (6:4), so that we do not sin (6:6-7, 11-14), that being "not under the law"
means sin will not rule in us (6:14), that
because we are not under law but under grace we are nevertheless not to sin (6:15), and that
the righteousness of the law will be fulfilled in those walk according the Spirit (8:4). Further, we read in 7:7 that the law is not sin, that the law is spiritual (7:14), holy, just, and good (7:12), that it is
the carnal mind which is not submitted to the law of God(8:7) and such disobedient people do not please God (8:8).
Further still, we read in
Galatians 5:6 "in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but
faith which works by love. In
1Corinthians 7:19 Paul says "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing" and tells us what is: "
but the keeping of the commandments of God". And in Romans this thought is likewise explained thus: "Therefore if the uncircumcision
keep the righteousness of the law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision,
if it fulfill the law judge thee who by the letter and circumcision dost
transgress the law ? For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, nor is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh,
but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God. (
Romans 2:26-29)
Therefore it would be error to conclude Paul's teaching in Galatians to mean we can transgress God's law. Paul made it clear that being under the law, being a Jew, being circumcised, was irrelevant. Instead, what matters is being in Christ, under grace, a new creature, where faith works by love, where the righteousness of the law is kept
by the Spirit, where it is fulfilled, where the commandments of God are kept. The dichotomy is not between obedience to the commandments as opposed to being in Christ under grace. Rather it is between being
disobedient regardless if one is a Jew or Gentile as opposed to being obedient through the Spirit by faith because of grace, regardless whether one is a Jew or Gentile.
4.
Galatians 4:8-9 indicate the Galatians were previously pagans, and were
returning to pagan observances of "days, months, times, and years" (v. 10). These cannot be the Biblical feasts because these are the "elements of the world" that they were previously in bondage to as pagans. This is the same terminology Paul used in Colossians, referring to pagan superstitions about "elements of the world", which were viewed by
Jewisu Gnostics as elemental beings or emanations of the Divine Essence manifesting as angelic orders which needed to be venerated at appropriate times. The problem in Galatia was essentially the same as in Colossae: Judaizing gnostic heretics subverting the gospel by requiring circumcision as well as syncretistic "mystery religion" elements, ascetic practices, etc. The phrase "days, months, times, and years" describes a pagan calendar, not the biblical calendar.
http://www.truthontheweb.org/whyfeast.htm
So, in conclusion, Paul is arguing against those who promote conversion to Judaism - becoming a Jew via circumcision - as necessary to salvation. He is NOT arguing against obedience to God's commandments, but against justification by works.
Obeying the commandments of God is not the opposite of justification by grace through faith, otherwise
Christians would be expected to sin as evidence of their faith!
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