Sermon: St Paul’s : 21st June 1998 :Trinity 2 :Galatians 2
Galatians Map
Probably to the south whence just returned with Barnabas from his first Missionary Journey.
In Acts Before Ch 15 the Jerusalem conference precipitated by Galatians
It is therefore about a dispute among Christians, not the first (Acts 5 & 6) nor the last. Christianity is an open ended religion not a prescribed set of laws. We move forward under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. But his message is subject to interference; our presuppositions, wishes, and private agendas.
The row is about going forward. Paul is out ahead, so far that he is almost out of sight. But it is a row between Christians. We are guilty of an anachronism if we set Christianity and Judaism at opposite poles. Christianity is emerging from Judaism. Paul, Peter Barnabas are Jews. So is a good chunk of the Church at Antioch, so are Paul’s opponents. But they are all – yes even the opponents Christians. That is they believe that Jesus is the Messiah. They all believe that the promises of the O.T. are fulfilled in Jesus.
And they are agree that those promises are mean that the Gentiles will come into the people of God (Isa 49.6 55.5 56.3 etc.) they will become children of Abraham. For the promise to Abraham is “In you shall all the nations of the world be blessed Gen 18.18
There is no argument that Gentiles can become Christians be baptised into the name of Jesus. Paul’s opponents have no problem with that The Church has accepted that at the point at which Peter baptised Cornelius. Jesus is the way for Jew and Gentile alike.
But a way to what? Paul’s opponents would say, into Judaism. A new reformed, Jesus Led, Judaism, the final righteous remnant of the people of God, prepared for His great and final victory. Their great and natural fear was that with the inflow of Gentile coverts this would be lost. Christianity would loose its rots and become something different for its origins. Worse still it would slide into the moral morass of the declining Roman Empire.
But Paul would say., “It is something different. It is not Judaism it is greater than that, for it embraces all nations. But it is not Gentile because that would make it pagan It is something new. And the sign of that new thing is that Jews and Gentiles sat together in particular ate the Lords supper together – Just as Jesus ate and drank with all and sundry. On this Peter most dramatically reneges.
But to do so is to abandon the vital core of Christianity. – what that core is Paul will go on to explain but in essence it is -New Life in Jesus.
Whatever might be said about the law – its divine origin its moral rectitude its superiority over debased paganism – it is exactly not this it is in fact the old life. For the law is a system in itself and it does not need Christ. Law and Jesus actually means LAW & Jesus. It reduces him from the engine to the bonnet badge. If the Law has the power to save it does not need Jesus
But Jesus is the power of this new Thing. What is it?
Being born again Paul actually says “I have died and I live again”
How do I live in Jesus? In a new state
This state has the title righteousness. That means simply being able to stand unashamedly before God.
But precisely because it is new it is the death of the old.
The Jew leaves behind the law, the Gentile leaves behind lawlessness. Paul really expects that. This cannot be a change which makes no difference.
For in this state we are free to let Jesus live through us “I no longer live but Christ lives in me” He lives in me by his Spirit – More next week.
But now the question, ‘Do you know what Paul is talking about?’
Tags: Galatians 2. Trinity 2, Jesus, Law, Trinity 2