O Foolish Galatians!

O Foolish Galatians!

Galatians 5:13-24

            Have you ever wanted to write a letter and tell someone exactly what you think?  Unfortunately, it can get you in more trouble than it’s worth.  I’ve been told, “Be careful what you put in writing.  It may come back to haunt you.”  It’s true—and it has happened.

            Paul is one writer who doesn’t have any qualms about saying what he thinks.  “Hang the torpedoes!  Full speed ahead!”  “Let the chips fall where they may!”  “What I have written, I have written!”  And other assorted clichés.

            In his letters to the Corinthians Paul leaves no room for doubt as to how he feels about that church.  He loves those people—cares deeply what happens to them, but he makes sure they know he is unhappy with the way they are behaving towards one another.

            He’s also unhappy with the Galatians—although he makes it clear he understands their troubles are not all their fault.  Someone has come to town and convinced them that they have to become Jews before they can become Christians.  There is logic here:  Christianity started out as a Jewish sect.  The early followers of “The Way” were Jews.  However, it quickly became clear that the good news was for all people, and many Gentiles were attracted to this new religion.

Like all good teachers Paul knew that education begins where the student is and proceeds from that point.  He also knew that he had been called to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the pagan world.  He was to be the apostle to the Gentiles.  This man who had been brought up in the strictest of all Jewish sects understood that none of it mattered.  What was important was belief in Jesus Christ.  No need to take on the encumbrances of Jewish law.  Jesus had come to free people from all bondage, and that meant the strictures of dogma as well as slavery to sin.

Paul spends four chapters—the first two-thirds of his letter—telling these new Christians that they have been bewitched by teachers who do not have their best interests at heart.  Instead of freedom they wish to impose a new kind of slavery—slavery to an outmoded code of law in place of slavery to sin.  Paul will have none of it.  “You have been freed!” he says.  “Why would you put yourself in bondage again?”

But Paul makes it clear that freedom is not license.  Christians are still subject to what James in his letter refers to as “the law of love.”  Paul says (5:14), “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word:  ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”  Jesus said (in part) the same thing when asked which was the greatest commandment. 

The law of love trumps all other laws.  If we love God, if we “walk by the Spirit,” we will put away the works of the flesh—and Paul gives a comprehensive list of them in vv. 19-21.  But the law of love doesn’t end there.  It’s not enough to shun evil.  That only gets us from reverse to neutral.  In order to move to drive we must grow the fruit of the Spirit:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Paul tells us, “against such things there is no law.”

It is easy to get wrapped up in formalities, in doctrine, in dogma, in law.  It is, after all, easier to follow a prescribed system than to be constantly asking, “What should I do in this situation?”  It is much more difficult to apply the law of love to our lives, since every situation is unique.  Every person we meet requires a different application of the fruit of the Spirit.  We must be in constant contact with God so that the Holy Spirit more and more directs our lives, more and more encourages the growth of spiritual fruit within us.  As that happens we will have to worry less and less about being foolish.