Really Understanding Galatians

Many Believers become very disoriented while reading the Letters of Paul. One of the most difficult to discern is the Book of Galatians. Throughout the Book, it seems like Paul both affirms and denies the validity of Torah. Some say he often contradicts himself, others say he never teaches against Torah Observance in its entirety, some say he teaches it is all useless. To really understand Galatians, let's try considering each chapter in context, very carefully. The best way to do that is to consider a word-for-word English translation like this one here:

Chapter 1: Paul is shocked the New Converts to Faith in Messiah are so quickly and easily being persuaded by Judaizers they must keep the entire law of the First Covenant Age. They should have realized by his example and teachings that is not necessary or righteous, but self-righteous.

Chapter 2: He didn't do sacrifices, go to Yarushalam for the Feasts or require his closest brother (Titus) in ministry to be circumcised (because it is no longer how we obey the Covenant, Hebrews 10). However, Judaizers falsely led many Newly Converted Believers astray bullying them into observing laws which were changed (Hebrews 7:12) while Paul was away continuing to teach the correct Gospel to the Gentiles. Peter and Barnabah unrighteously became peer-pressured by Judaizers to separate from the Gentile brethren so as to require them to be circumcised to accepted into the Assembly (one of the false doctrines of the Judaizer Sect). Which started out of fear of being discredited or condemned by Jews, but was not the correct response. So when Paul met them again he rebuked their immature decision and persuasion, reminding them to stand boldly for the Truth of the Gospel because it is better to be persecuted for the Truth than accepted for partnering against the Truth.

Chapter 3: Paul asks the New Converts why they ever even entertained the Judaizers' false beliefs because it led them astray. He reminds them of the Gospel of the New Covenant (found in Hebrews Ch. 10). He explains some laws were added due to Adam & Eve's sin, but the Messiah has come to make it right: making a New Way into Covenant which no longer requires temporary atonement. Those Laws were a temporary fix until the Messiah's Eternal priesthood, Kingship and Atonement came and offered a new way to be eternally made clean through His Blood. Therefore, those who continue doing what they think they're supposed to do (sacrifices, circumcision, tzit-tzits, stoning to death, etc) are rejecting the Finished Work of the Cross which has made us acceptable in the Father's eyes and One Body regardless of our sinful past.

Chapter 4: Before the Messiah, the Hebrew people were required to obey those "added laws", (like the sacrificial system, stoning to death, etc), but now that He has died and resurrected the Set Apart Spirit can dwell inside of us to lead us into Righteousness regardless of our birthright. Even Gentiles who used to worship the Celestial Bodies and false idols, who kept pagan Festivals are called into Covenant and should learn to listen to the Set Apart Spirit to let go of the unprofitable pagan religious rites and traditions passed down through the millennia. However, the Spirit doesn't lead us back to the observance of the unprofitable added laws of the Hebrew Torah either. If they choose that path, it is a heavy yoke they are not called or able to bear. They are called to the New Covenant to worship the Father "in Spirit AND in Truth".

"For there is indeed a setting aside of the former command because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the Torah perfected naught, but the bringing in of a Better Expectation, through which WE draw near to Alahym." -Hebrews 7:18-19

Galatians 5: If anyone chooses to take the yoke of the First Covenant Torah, rejecting the changes of law and priesthood (Heb. 7:12), then they will be held accountable by that standard and the Blood of Messiah will be useless because they counted it worthless. It is imperative to reject teachings which seek to persuade us to return to the Old Covenant Torah because it causes entire Assemblies to be led astray. Whoever teaches there was no change or law or priesthood will be judged by the Father. Paul reasserts he is often persecuted because he teaches circumcision is no longer required which should be evidence of his stance on the matter. He acknowledges the Gospel is confusing for some who misunderstand how it is both true and applicable. However, those who persecuted those teaching it and reject the New Covenant as a valid Scriptural prophetic reality simultaneously cut themselves off from the Covenant altogether because they don't actually observe the entire First Covenant themselves, and have no sacrifice to atone for themselves because He no longer accepts the sacrifices of bulls and goats. Only through the Set Apart Spirit do we actually observe the Torah in Spirit and in Truth, and are "counted worthy to escape" the Judgement of the Father. Only those who Believe in the Finished Work of the Cross can recieve the Set Apart Spirit. The Spirit doesn't lead us to jealousy which the Judaizers persecuting them so exhibited.

Galatians 6: Instead of harshly judging one another, it is important to have patience with the Sanctification process for New Converts and to help one another. Rather than bragging about how many people we believe we help Convert or Repent, we should focus on our own walk to ensure we are striving for blamelessness. Only then can we really teach. Then when we teach we will receive a true harvest of Righteous Converts rather than confused Believers. But even that work is not always easy and we should not give up on completing it. It is important to love others selflessly, especially those of the Body of Messiah. But Judaizers were not doing this, instead they were seeking their own fame by bragging on how many Gentile Converts they convinced to get circumcised. Paul asserts he would not follow suit. He would stand for the true Gospel which does not require circumcision of flesh but a circumcised heart. He proclaims the Father's peace and compassion on anyone who understands the change of law and priesthood thoroughly. He leaves off telling them to stop questioning his position on the matter, his scars of persecution stand as evidence he does not teach circumcision is necessary but a failed attempt to please the Father. He encourages them to instead focus on the Grace offered through the Blood of Messiah.

Therefore, as we see Paul didn't say the Messiah came to "do away" with ALL the Torah, but he does echo Hebrews explaining how He did come to change the "added laws" by which we "could not live", so the burden of requiring the 8th Day Circumcision to be fulfilled in the flesh or the Converted Gentiles to be circumcised in order to "enter the Assembly" as it was in the Day of the First Covenant is no longer necessary nor does it make us any more or less righteous.

For more understanding on the "Change of Law and Priesthood", visit our New Covenant Series here!