(continuation of meditation 79)
3. The Churches in Galatia (part of modern Turkey)
The apostle Paul founded these churches during his first missionary journey c. A.D. 46-48 (see Acts 13 and 14).
After Paul’s departure, it seems that people came to the churches with a false gospel. These were Christians from a Jewish background. They taught that Paul’s Gospel was not complete.
According to them, one could only be a true Christian by being circumcised and keeping the Mosaic Law.
By listening to this teaching, the churches in Galatia were in danger of losing their freedom from bondage to the Mosaic Law through the sacrifice of Christ and the gift of God’s Spirit. Consequently they would ‘miss the way’ towards Christlike holiness.
Paul’s entire letter to these churches in Galatia deals with the fact that we only set things right with God through our faith in Jesus Christ, without trying to keep the Mosaic Law.
• Their lack of discernment regarding false teaching
The apostle Paul begins his letter with an attack on these false teachers: “I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who in his love and mercy called you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ. You are already following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ.” (Galatians 1:6-7)
Straightaway, Paul condemns these false teachers and places them under God’s judgment: “Let God's curse fall on anyone, including myself, who preaches any other message than the one we told you about.
Even if an angel comes from heaven and preaches any other message, let him be forever cursed.
I will say it again: If anyone preaches any other gospel than the one you welcomed, let God's curse fall upon that person.”
(Galatians 1:8-9)
Paul goes on to address the lack of discernment in these churches regarding the false teachers: “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the [Mosaic] Law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?
Have you suffered so much for nothing -- if it really was for nothing? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the Law, or because you believe what you heard?" (Galatians 3:1-5)
Later on, Paul warns the churches in Galatia: “... Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the (Mosaic) Law.
Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ cannot help you. I'll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey all of the regulations in the whole Law of Moses.
For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the Law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace.
But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive everything promised to us who are right with God through faith.
For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, it makes no difference to God whether we are circumcised or not circumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
You were getting along so well. Who has interfered with you to hold you back from following the truth? It certainly isn't you to infect all the others -- a little yeast spreads quickly through the whole batch of dough!
I am trusting the Lord to bring you back to believing as I do about these things. ...
Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised -- as some say I do -- why would the Jews persecute me? The fact that I am still being persecuted proves that I am still preaching salvation through the cross of Christ alone.
I only wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves. For you have been called to live in freedom -- not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love.”
(Galatians 5:1-10a and 11-13)
As we have seen in the two previous meditations, the apostles warn us that ungodly behaviour in the church will be subjected to God’s judgment: “God will judge that person, whoever it is, who has been troubling and confusing you.” (Galatians 5:10b)
At the end of this letter, Paul lays bare the true motivation of these false teachers: “Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised are doing it for just one reason. They don't want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save.
And even those who advocate circumcision don't really keep the whole (Mosaic) Law. They only want you to be circumcised so they can brag about it and claim you as their disciples.” (Galatians 6:12-13)
The apostle closes his letter to the Galatian churches with a personal testimony: “As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Because of that cross, my interest in this world died long ago, and the world's interest in me is also long dead.
It doesn't make any difference now whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people [NIV: what counts is a new creation].
May God's mercy and peace be upon all those who live by this principle. They are the new people of God.” (Galatians 6:14-16)
4. The Church of Thessalonica (Greece)
The apostle Paul went to Thessalonica during his second missionary journey c. A.D. 49-52 (see Acts 17:1-9). Probably within months if not weeks after his first letter, Paul wrote a second one.
In this letter Paul instructs the church about the coming ‘Day of the Lord’ (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). Anticipating that day, the church should stand firm and continue to pursue Christlike holiness (2:13-17).
• Warning against idleness
The apostle warns the church about those who were not pursuing Christlike holiness in expectation of Christ’s return. Instead, they were living disorderly lives. Paul writes: “... we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and wasting time meddling in other people's business.” (2 Thessalonians 3:11)
Paul instructs the church how to deal with this kind of church member: “... dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command with the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from any Christian who lives in idleness and doesn't follow the tradition of hard work we gave you.
For you know that you ought to follow our example.
We were never lazy when we were with you. We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so that we would not be a burden to any of you. It wasn't that we didn't have the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. Even while we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘Whoever does not work should not eat.’ ...
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we appeal to such people -- no, we command them: Settle down and get to work. Earn your own living.
And I say to the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good. Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed. Don't think of them as enemies, but speak to them as you would to a Christian who needs to be warned”
(2 Thessalonians 3:6-15).
Since Meditation 78 we have looked at how God dealt with churches in New Testament times that did not obey God’s Spirit and God’s Word, and did not pursue Christlike holiness.
In the coming meditations we will continue this theme and examine the rest of the New Testament letters.
(to be continued)
Galatians 3:1-5 is a quote from the New International Version. All other quotes are from the New Living Translation.
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