The Tuckasegee River, beautiful, flowing through Dillsboro, North Carolina. I made this photo yesterday afternoon as Debbie and I rode to Church.

This morning we left Dillsboro, North Carolina, the Revival having ended there last night. We drive home and repacked the car … and now I am in Knoxville, Tennessee (Alcoa really) ready to preach tonight. Wow, God is good!

TODAY’S BIBLE STUDY LESSON …

Paul is aghast!

Could anyone forsake the Grace of God and revert to a complex system of laws, 613 of them to be exact, in order to go to Heaven when he or she dies?

Yet some of Paul’s church-members in the Roman Province of Galatia had done that, or were on the verge!

So Paul earnestly asks: “For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.” Galatians 2:18

Wow!

If Paul (making himself an example to those Galatians) should go back to the observance of the Law of Moses, as a means of salvation … spurning (renouncing) in the process the Gift of God (salvation) that is offered to every man and woman, boy and girl … Paul would have (automatically) become a “transgressor!”

This noun, “parabates,” simply means one who has “stepped” back across a “line!”

The English etymology of “transgressor” is … one who “goes” (Latin “gradi’) “across” (Latin “trans”) a questionable barrier, maybe even a dangerous demarcation!

Paul is NOT going back!

He will NOT digress!

He will NOT frustrate the Grace of God!

What a lesson for us!

NEVER go back to … anything less than Jesus Blood and Righteousness!

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Today’s Text, verse is tough!

In fact, I have had to include a second (Galatians) verse to help further clarify what Paul is saying. At least what I believe he is saying.

Paul here asks, in his sometimes opaque way: “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.” Galatians 2:17

Meaning: “But if, while we (true Believers) seek to be justified (saved) by Christ (by faith alone), we ourselves also are found sinners (by side-stepping Jesus and trusting the Law of Moses) , is therefore Christ the minister (helper to) of sin (at least inconsistency, if now downright error)? God forbid.”

To Paul, falling back on the Law of Moses, for one’s soul salvation, is nothing less than a blatant SIN! It is a denial of the Power of the Grace of God! We who have been saved, who have received salvation as a “gift,” would never want to so dishonor Christ!

To revert to the (inferior) Law of Moses (for salvation) … would in essence (according to Paul’s logic) make Jesus Christ a “minister” (a “servant”) of sin! An “accessory” to sin, one scholar words it!

Jesus certainly preached salvation as the result of belief in Himself, of faith in His Father! (John 5:24 … “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”)

If Jesus is wrong here, and a man or woman has to also add obedience to Moses’ law as an aid to salvation … Jesus has become an adjunct to Moses! Moses who would then be a co-saviour! That’s impossible! Nearly blasphemy! Paul preaches: “Is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.”

Maybe Galatians 2:18, the next verse will help us. “For if I (Paul) build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.” That is: “For if I build again (go back to) the things which I destroyed (man’s works for salvation, including any legal list or lists), I make myself a transgressor.” And here “transgressor”means something like “stepping across the line!”

From Grace back into Law!

From Jesus back to Moses!

Now I too say, “GOD FORBID!”

The verb “destroyed” above is a translation of the Greek “kataluo,” to “loosen the bonds” of something! To “set free” something or someone!

Folks, no matter what anyone says … the LAW does not justify anyone!

Only the Blood of Jesus can do that!

Wow!

I never realized how much the Epistle of Galatians (it first half anyway) so dogmatically emphasizes “salvation” apart from human works, particularly obedience to the Mosaic Law.

Truly, we are “saved by Grace!”

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Paul the Apostle was ever impacted by the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

And he is also keenly interested in proving that Jews and Gentiles alike are saved “by Grace through faith!”

Listen to him review this vital theology, soteriology …

“We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 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 2:15-16

The Law (of Moses) does NOT save!

“Justified” means “made right” with God, in God’s Sight.

The Faith of Jesus, faith in Jesus … does save!

But the way Paul words this faith/Jesus relationship is intensely captivating!

Specifically … “a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith OF Jesus Christ.”

Then again in the same verse, only a clause later … “that we might be justified by the faith OF Christ.”

Sounds like here, the grammar almost demanding it, that Jesus’ Faith plays a part in our salvation as well! (Not just our faith in Him!)

We are saved by “Jesus’ Faith?” Again, “by the faith OF Christ!”

Which word, “faith” (in Greek “pistis”) can often mean (and does here) “faithfulness!”

Get this now …

Because of Jesus’ Faithfulness to obey His Father’s Will, to come to earth and die for us sinners, to shed His Blood on Calvary …we can be saved! We indeed ARE SAVED by the Faith OF Jesus Christ our Lord!

But still, and equally important, we are saved by believing in Jesus, exercising our personal faith in God’s Son, the Saviour of the world. Trusting His Finished Word on the Cross! The empty tomb as well!

And here is this vital Truth expressed in our Text today … “even we have believed in Jesus Christ!” I have underlined the preposition “in” for emphasis.

In Greek it is “eis,” we have believed “into” Christ Jesus!

One of Paul’s favorite words, ideas!

“Therefore if any man be IN Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

We, under Holy Spirit conviction, believed on the Lord Jesus Christ … and the same Holy Spirit instantly put us “in” the Body of Christ!

Thus we have trusted “into” Christ our Lord!

Saved, not by law, but by belief, by faith!

And now we are found “IN HIM!”

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Paul is upset!

At the way Peter has been acting!

Some of the time (while in Antioch with Paul) the famous Jerusalem Apostle would eat with the Gentiles, apparently “no questions asked.” Then at other times (depending on who was in town, especially certain “believers” from James’ coalition) … Peter would not “touch” a bite of Gentile food!

Inconsistent!

Partial!

Politics at Church!

So Paul confronts Peter, face-to-face!

Paul remembers the event in some detail! “I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?” Galatians 2:14

The key word here is the verb “compellest.”

If Peter (at times) ate just like the Gentiles did, so as not to offend them. So as to show them parity in the family of God, equal-footing with the Jews! Then WHY, at other times, would you do an “about-face” … and require the Gentiles to then live (eat) like the Jews! With all the stipulations of the Mosaic dietary laws?

Makes no sense!

In fact, it appears Peter was “compelling” this legalistic behaviour (these specific eating habits) upon the newly saved Gentile Brethren!

And again, that made Paul “hot under the collar!”

The verb is “anagkazo,” translated “compellest,” as I said. It means “to force.” Or “to drive” a person (here) to a certain course of action!

And that today is the “heart” of our lesson.

Willingly serving Jesus … a beautiful expression of love for our Lord!

Coercing and bullying and browbeating a person into serving God … not such a beautiful expression!

God longs for a willing people!

Do what you do for Jesus … out of a free (cheerful) heart of gratefulness. “Not by constraint,” Peter himself once said! (In 1st Peter 5:2, matter of fact)

TO FORCE “CHRISTIAN” BEHAVIOUR, DICTATING SOME PARTICULAR DEED, IS NOT A WISE PATH TO FOLLOW!

In my eyes, the Holy Spirit is a Gentleman, not a Taskmaster! I am talking about God the Holy Spirit!

Way back in Exodus 25:2 (the first mention in the whole Bible of the word “willingly”) God taught: “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.” Long ago, when Israel was just beginning to amass the materials for the Tabernacle in the wilderness!

Do things for Jesus today, willingly!

And as you pursue your daily life for Him … DO NOT let anyone force you into a mode of behaviour you’re not convinced is right! Christian leaders are NOT bosses over God’s heritage!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

It, “hapax legomenon,” means a word that appears only once in a document, in a book, in any body of literature! (It has a Greek origin, the language of the New Testament. Where “lego” means “to say.” And “hapax” means “once, once only.”)

And in today’s Text, Galatians 2:14 (only its first clause), a drastically important “hapax” occurs! Let me show you what I mean.

Paul is here writing … “But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter …”

“They?” Yes, a group of Jews who thought way too much of Moses’ Law and not enough of Jesus’ Grace! Men who had come to town (Antioch in Syria) and coerced some of the Jewish believers to forsake the Grace of God and retreat into the observance of the Law, at least in some areas.

Paul watched them closely! The verb “saw” is “eido,” Paul absolutely “knew” (or “perceived,” the meaning of “eido”) what they were doing, hurting the Cause of Christ! Negating the Value of the Cross of Calvary!

Paul expected people who had seen the “Truth” (in Greek “aletheia,” something once learned that can “never be forgotten”) of the pure Gospel … to afterwards LIVE by that Gospel. To believe it and preach it and practice it! Never to abdicate from it!

But the “hapax legomenon” in today’s Text (the Epistle of Galatians has well over a dozen of these, nearly two dozen) is the verb “walked (the little word “not” is an adverb, “ouk,”) uprightly.”

The word is “orthopodeo!”

Again it is Greek, where “ortho” means “straight!” As in English “orthopedics” (straight bones or tendons, especially in children) or “orthodontist” (straight teeth)! Or theologically, “orthodox” (straight belief, doctrine, based on Scripture)!

Plus the verb “podeo” (from “pous”), which means one’s “feet!” (As in podiatry!) The verb then: what one does with his or her feet … “to walk!”

So … “orthopodeo” suggests “walking straight”…  according to some truth one has learned and internalized!

Living the Gospel (as a Gift of God, not as a reward having been earned by human effort) … is clearly what Paul has in mind here!

The Grace of God in soul salvation being exhibited every day in shoe leather! By human beings!

“Saved by Grace!”

And that kind of life is worth a “hapax legomenon” any day of the week!

“But when I (Paul) saw that they (some of the Jews) walked not uprightly (orthopodeo) according to the truth of the Gospel (Grace, not Law, Jesus not Moses), I said unto Peter …”

Are you orthopodeo-ing the Gospel today?

Trusting (for salvation) the Blood of Jesus, His sinless Life, exercising faith in His finished Work on Calvary? That is Grace!

Or … are you rather wavering over this great issue? Trying to mix your good works (a misnomer) or fine life or human achievement into the salvation equation?

Paul wrote in our current context (though we will not study this line until next week) … “By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Galatians 2:16

Then, how can one be saved? “By the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ.” Same verse, Galatians 2:16!

Wow!

“This is the way, walk ye in it!” (An allusion to Isaiah 30:21, by the way. Really a direct quote!)

The “straight” way!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell