A majority of church members are under a spell. The church is putting on great entertainment. As long as the devil can keep people in church, he has nothing to worry about. Remember, Jesus didn’t say, “Go to church”, He said, “Come unto Me”. That is the choice we have to make. The churches of today are no different than the church of Christ’s day. In Christ’s day, the church refused to accept Jesus as their Messiah. It would be too humiliating. They would have to give up their power. Everything that held the people together as “Jews” would be swept aside and demolished, therefore, Jesus had to die.
So it is today in our churches. The churches don’t want Jesus. They want power and money. Jesus is not welcome in the churches of today. The moment you teach the teachings of Jesus you will be sent packing. The churches want Jesus as their Savior, but not as their Lord. Unfortunately, if you do not obey Jesus as your Lord, He will not be your Saviour. “If you love Me, you will keep My Commandments.” John 14:15.
Galatians 3:1 to Galatians 3:29
You foolish Galatians! Who put you under a spell? Was not Jesus the Messiah clearly portrayed before your very eyes as having been crucified?
Obviously, prior to this letter, Paul had instructed the Galatians as to the Messiahship of Jesus. Knowing how thorough Paul is in his instructions in his letters, I can only imagine how thorough he was in person. Maybe to a fault. He “clearly portrayed” Jesus as the Messiah, using the Old Testament prophecies and eye witness accounts. It is very possible that Paul was one of those who looked upon Jesus as He was hanging on the cross.
The other point is, “having been crucified”. The Jews had been taught for centuries that the Messiah was coming at the head of armies to conquer their enemies and build them into a worldwide powerful nation. Having a Messiah hanging on a cross just didn’t fit their narrative. Therefore, Christians had to be instructed in the facts and prophecies of the Messiah’s perfect, sinless life and His suffering and death. Separating fact from fiction is not easy when dealing with minds that have been brainwashed with fiction. Just take a look at our politics today to understand how brainwashed people can be.
I want to learn only one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the actions of the Law or by believing what you heard?
Early Christians didn’t have 2,000 years of church brainwashing under their belts. The special manifestation of the Spirit of God (tongues of fire and speaking in tongues) was given for two very specific reasons.
1) In order to confirm the truth.
2) Facilitate the spread of Christianity to the nations and peoples of different languages (tongues).
Now, why did they receive the sign of the Spirit? What “law” is Paul talking about? Well, as we learned earlier, it was church law. The “spies” were infiltrating in order to convince the new converts that they had to be circumcised, wear the right clothes, adhere to certain church doctrines, rites, traditions, feast days and ceremonies. They received the Spirit as they left their church. On the other hand, in order for the Christians to receive the Spirit of God, they had to be obedient to the Ten Commandments. The Spirit of God does not dwell in those who are sinners. It strives with sinners, but cannot dwell with sinners.
Are you so foolish? Having started out with the Spirit, are you now ending up with the flesh?
“Ending up with the flesh”. They were being induced to be circumcised (flesh). No different than churches pushing people to be baptized. Neither have anything to do with eternal life. They are simply outward expressions of one’s commitment to live by the Ten Commandments. Somewhere along the line, the “commitment” was thrown out and replaced with church rituals, services, rites, traditions and “law”, These became their savior.
Did you suffer so much for nothing? (If it really was for nothing!)
The early Christians considered themselves Jews because they kept the Ten Commandments, which included the keeping of the 7th-day Saturday Sabbath. Remember, Paul taught that those who accepted Christ were grafted into Spiritual Israel. The rest of the world were pagan and worshipped their gods on the 1st day of the week, Sunday, in honor of the sun-god, Latin name Sol. For the Egyptians it was Atum. For any “Gentile” to become a “Christian” was to give up the pagan, Sunday worship, and accept the 7th-day Sabbath that was created and made holy by Jesus when He created the world. (Genesis 2:2, 3; John 1:3). Giving up the pagan Sunday worship for the 7th-day Sabbath caused them great suffering and persecution. For Jews, leaving the temple-church services, rites, traditions and customs created great suffering and persecution.
Does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you because you do the actions of the Law or because you believe what you heard?
Keeping the church laws, or doing “the actions of the law”, did nothing for the Jews. Going to church didn’t make them any holier. In fact, it degraded them to the point where they put the Messiah on the cross. So why were the newly converted Christians from paganism submitting to the Jewish church laws of rites, traditions, rituals and ceremonies which started with circumcision, “the flesh”? Belonging is a very powerful human need. They were beginning to believe that by belonging to the temple and accepting all that went with it, they would be justified and draw closer to Jesus. We humans just have to be “doing” something.
In the same way, Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Paul states that the pagans who converted to Christianity were grafted into Israel. But not to the church organization of Israel. They were grafted into the original Israel which started with Abraham who was a friend of Jesus and kept the Ten Commandments. In other words, to become a Christian was not to become a church member of the Jewish nation, but a member of Abraham’s religion by faith, belief and obedience to Jesus. “Abraham did what I told him to do. He kept My instructions, Commands, statutes, and Laws.” Genesis 26:5.
You see, then, that those who have faith are Abraham’s real descendants.
Absolutely! It isn’t going to church that makes you a Christian. It isn’t belonging to any denomination or religion that makes you a Christian. To be a Christian is to have the same “faith” as Jesus and Abraham had: obedience to the Ten Commandments.
Keep in mind, the organization of the Israelites into a nation did not take place until about 400 years after Abraham. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had no church or nation. They were simply a family that lived in faith that the sacrifices they made represented the Messiah who was to come to pay the death-penalty for their sins. As such, they then obeyed that Messiah by living in obedience to His Ten Commandments.
And by the way, “church” was not introduced into the Jewish culture until they were taken captive by the Babylonians 500 years before Christ. “Church” was a “new” thing that was taking the place of faith and obedience to the Ten Commandments.
Because the Scripture saw ahead of time that God would justify the gentiles by faith, it announced the gospel to Abraham beforehand when it said, “Through you all nations will be blessed.”
Keep in mind, we are talking about justification, not sanctification. The gospel, the keeping of the Ten Commandments, was given to Abraham, Old Testament, and revealed through his offspring. The whole world was to be taught how to keep the Ten Commandments. But that requires “faith” in a God who would pay the penalty for sins already committed. It hadn’t happened yet, but through the sacrificial offerings, they had faith in the Messiah to come to pay that penalty for their sins. This concept was revealed again through Daniel that the “Messiah shall be cut off (die). . . and shall confirm the covenant.” That covenant was for those who believed and lived in obedience to the Ten Commandments. The Messiah was to “make an end of sins, and make atonement for iniquity.” Daniel 9:26, 27, 24. That was the hope the Israelites and Jews were supposed to be looking for.
Therefore, those who believe are blessed together with Abraham, the one who believed.
Therefore, as Abraham believed in the Messiah to come to pay for his sins, so to, the Gentile believers, through faith in Jesus as the promised Messiah to come, were to have the same hope of eternal life without belonging to any church, denomination or religion. Remember, Jesus didn’t come for the Jews, He came and died for the sins of the whole world. Gentiles could participate in the “atonement” of the Messiah without participating in the yearly service of “atonement” at the temple, the Feast of Trumpets”.
Certainly all who depend on the actions of the Law are under a curse. For it is written, “A curse on everyone who does not obey everything that is written in the Book of the Law!”
Paul digresses a bit here. He began explaining why the Gentile believers did not have to obey church-law for their salvation. Then he used an example of how Abraham was obedient, not to a church-law, but to the Ten Commandment law of God through His faith. How does he do this. The quote he uses is from Deuteronomy 27:26. If you read the whole book, or, just that chapter, it is obvious that Paul is talking about the Ten Commandments. Verses 15 through 25 have to do with breaking the Ten Commandments. Verse 26 puts a curse on anyone who breaks the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments is what the whole book of Deuteronomy is about: “the Words of this Law”. Chapter five of Deuteronomy sets the whole tenor of the direction of the book. Today, the churches love to bind together the first five books of the Bible so they can dismiss them. But in the Old Testament, when the prophets talked about being obedient to the “Book of the Law”, they were talking about Deuteronomy specifically. And Paul is correct, there is a curse on everyone who does not obey the Ten Commandments.
Now it is obvious that no one is justified in the sight of God by the Law, because “The righteous will live by faith”.
However, we are back to that word, “justified”. Paul is correct, no one is justified by keeping the Ten Commandments or any of the rites, rituals, services, sacrifices or feast days of the Bible. When Abraham sacrificed to the Lord, the act did not justify him. His faith in what the sacrifice pointed to, the Messiah, justified him.
But the Law has nothing to do with faith. Instead, “The person who keeps the commandments will have life in them.”
All the laws of the Bible will not save you if you have not been justified. Why? Because you have sinned. All have sinned and fallen short. But if you have faith in the blood and sacrifice of the Messiah, then, “the person who keeps the commandments will have life in them”. That is correct. After we have been justified by faith in accepting the blood of the Messiah, then we are to walk in sanctification by keeping the Ten Commandments in order to have life, as Jesus did. “If you desire to enter into life, keep the Commandments.” Matthew 19:17.
The Messiah redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written, “A curse on everyone who is hung on a tree!”
That is correct. Jesus took our curse, our death-debt, by taking our sins upon Himself and hung on a tree, crucified, for us. He justified us by His blood. He “redeemed us from the curse of the Law”. We broke the law and were under the curse of death. He provided a way to cleans us from our past sins; “to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make atonement for iniquity.” Daniel 9:24. But only for those who have faith in Him. And those who have faith in Him will live in obedience to Him when He commands us to live in obedience to the Ten Commandments for our eternal life, as taught in both Old and New Testament.
This happened in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the gentiles through the Messiah Jesus, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
“So God has given repentance that leads to life even to gentiles.” Acts 11:18.
Brothers, let me use an example from everyday life. Once a person’s will has been ratified, no one can cancel it or add conditions to it.
The “will” was ratified by God to Abraham and His descendants. It can’t be changed. The churches, denominations and religions of the world are trying to change it. Can’t be done. “I the Lord (Jesus), I change not.” Malachi 3:6. “Jesus, the Messiah, is the same yesterday and today—and forever!” Hebrews 13:8.
Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. It doesn’t say “descendants,” referring to many, but “your descendant,” referring to one person, who is the Messiah.
The Messiah came through the descendants of Abraham. The pagans coming out of paganism had to understand that there was no other Messiah. The pagan rites, rituals, services and sacrifices were meaningless. Looking unto their gods would do them no good.
This is what I mean: The Law that came 430 years later did not cancel the covenant that God ratified previously. The promise was never nullified.
“The law” that is spoken of here is the Levitical law of the temple services, feast days, rituals, rites and ceremonies. These were not given to Abraham. They were given at Mount Sinai. That promise, that if they kept the Ten Commandments through faith in the Messiah to come, was never nullified. Nor can it ever be abolished, nullified or done away with. You must keep in mind that the reason for the temple services, sacrifices, rituals, rites and ceremonies was because of sin, the breaking of the Ten Commandments. If there were no Ten Commandments, there would be no sin and hence, no temple services, sacrifices, rituals, rites and ceremonies. Conversely, if no one sinned, they would not have needed the temple services, sacrifices, rituals, rites and ceremonies.
For if the inheritance comes about through the Law, it no longer comes about through the promise. But it was through a promise that God so graciously gave it to Abraham.
Over and over again Paul is trying to make it plain that the sacrificial services, temple laws, feast days, rites and rituals could not save you. Only through the promise of the Messiah, which “God so graciously gave it to Abraham” could they be saved. The church couldn’t save anyone.
Why, then, was the Law added? Because of transgressions, until the descendant came about whom the promise pertained. It was put into effect through angels by means of a mediator. Now a mediator involves more than one party, but God is one.
Exactly, just as we have been saying, the temple services, rites, rituals, sacrifices and ceremonies were instituted “because of transgression” which is the breaking of the Ten Commandments. They were to lead the thoughts, hopes and faith of the people up to the Messiah, “until the descendant (Jesus) came.” That prophecy was reiterated in Daniel 9:24-27. The Jews were becoming faithless. They were losing hope. God reminded Daniel and gave him the exact time when the Messiah would come. Not many today believe what God gave to Daniel. But now that the Messiah has come, we no longer need the temple laws to point us to the work of the Messiah.
So is the Law in conflict with the promises of God? Of course not! For if a law had been given that could give us life, then certainly righteousness would come through the Law.
The Jews thought righteousness came through the laws of their church. They taught that if you were circumcised and obeyed all the church laws such as hand washing, sacrifices, feast days, rites and rituals, you were saved. But no “law”, not even the Ten Commandments, can give us life. Only Jesus can give us life. And not just eternal life, but every breath you take comes from Jesus and His creative power. And that only, if by faith we live in obedience to the Ten Commandments; which are the righteousness of God.
But the Scripture has captured everything by means of sin’s net, so that what was promised by the faithfulness of the Messiah might be granted to those who believe.
Since we have all sinned, broken the Ten Commandments, none of us can redeem himself. None of us can grant eternal life to ourselves or another. None of our churches, denominations or religions are able to give us eternal life. However, Jesus lived in obedience to the Ten Commandments and never sinned. Therefore, He is able to grant life “to those who believe.” And if we believe, then we will live in obedience when He tells us to stop sinning, be perfect and to keep the Ten Commandments to get our eternal life.
Now before faith came about, we were held in custody and confined under the Law in preparation for the faith that was to be revealed.
Paul is talking about two administrations of the same faith. The first faith was a faith of looking forward to the sacrifice of the Messiah. This faith was first given to Adam after he sinned. “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” Genesis 3:15.
The second faith was for those looking back to the sacrifice of the Messiah. The first faith had sacrifices, and later a temple was added with services, rituals, feast days and rites to keep the nation of Israel together and separated from the pagan nations around them. These were all added to keep the eyes of the people on the administration of the work of the Messiah to come. They were confined in custody to those external representations of the work of the Messiah.
And so the Law was our guardian until the Messiah came, so that we might be justified by faith.
That was correct. If properly administered, the temple laws, the sacrifices, the feast days, rites and rituals would have guarded the people and kept them from the pagan concepts of “working” their way to heaven through all those temple laws. They would have kept their eyes on the work of the Messiah to justify them from their past sins. In the meantime, they were to live the perfect, sinless and Commandment keeping life.
But now that faith has come about, we are no longer under a guardian.
Now that faith in the Messiah, who has come, and is in our hearts, we no longer need the temple laws of rites, rituals, ceremonies, sacrifices, feast days and traditions as our guardian. We have the Substance and no longer need the shadows.
For all of you are God’s children through faith in the Messiah Jesus.
Prior to the death of Christ, if you were a Gentile, you could have eternal life by believing in the coming Messiah and living in obedience to the Ten Commandments. However, if you wanted to belong to the nation of Israel and partake in the temple laws, you had to go through the rite of circumcision. However, since the cross, we just need to believe that Jesus has come to justify us from our past sins and continue to live the perfect, sinless life by keeping His Ten Commandments for our eternal life.
Indeed, all of you who were baptized into the Messiah have clothed yourselves with the Messiah.
If we accept the sacrifice of Jesus for our past sins, we must be clothed with the righteousness of the Messiah: perfection, sinlessness and Commandment keeping. That is how we are to be one “with the Messiah”. Baptism doesn’t save us, but for them, it was a public declaration of repentance and commitment to the Messiah and what He taught. No different than circumcision for a Jew.
Because all of you are one in the Messiah Jesus, a person is no longer a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a male or a female. And if you belong to the Messiah, then you are Abraham’s descendants indeed, and heirs according to the promise.
The circle is complete. Through the descendant of Abraham we all have become heirs according to the promise. Adam and Eve were given a promise about the Messiah’s coming because He would be coming through one of their descendants. However, by the time of Abraham, the world needed to know where to look for that Messiah. Therefore, God let it be known where to look. God chose Abraham because he represented the character of the Messiah by living in obedience to the Ten Commandments. Thus, all who live as the Messiah lived are grafted into the descendants of Abraham.