A Gift To Use Or Abuse

Week 6 Scripture: Galatians 2:19-21

Grace is a gift! In fact, grace is a divine gift from God. Grace is God’s underserved favor towards us, Christians. God pours out His grace and declares His people holy and righteous before Himself. That favor is declared over us not based on what we do—good or bad—but what Christ has already done. It is our faith in what Jesus has done that causes God to lavish us with grace. I have seen grace used by Christians in a number of different ways. There are two main forms: a negative and positive use of grace. Negatively, some Christians see grace as a “get out of jail free card.” So what happens is they think to themselves, “Well, it doesn’t matter if I sin because God I know will forgive me anyhow.” This is in fact, what Paul’s opponents accused Paul of preaching—they said Paul was making Jesus “an agent of sin” (Gal 2:17)! It is true that grace covers us even when we knowingly get ourselves into sin intentionally, however, this is not the primary function of grace. In fact, this understanding abuses grace, and reverts the Christian back to a lifestyle of law. The primary function of grace is to empower. Grace is supposed to empower us to live holy and Jesus-like lives, not JUST to help us "manage" sin. However, when we abuse grace by using it to manage our sins we actually find ourselves trapped again by choosing to live under the Law and not by faith/freedom in Jesus. The purpose of grace has always been that we can love greater, live holier, forgive better, and look more like Jesus than ever before. It amazes me that the church uses grace in its negative function so often. Our minds need to be shifted to understand grace not as a “get out of jail free card,” but as an empowerment to never go to jail in the first place.

Questions To Ponder:

1.     Do you recognize grace as a gift or something you must earn? How so?

2.     Do you live in negative or positive grace? Explain.

3.     How do you think the church would change if we began to view grace in its positive sense? How so?

The Day I Died

Week 6 Scripture: Galatians 2:19-21

The types of sermons I hear being poured out to the masses by the top rated church podcasts often perplex me. There is very little talk about the cross or suffering, and often much talk about God’s “blessing” and “reward.” As much as I think Joel Osteen has a nice smile, I don’t think I’ve ever heard him speak about the suffering of Christ or Christians. When Paul discusses his new life being lived under Jesus, and no longer according to the law (See last weeks “works of the law”) he talks about the necessity of dying with Christ. In order for Christians to no longer be held to the standard of law, they must die to the law. Nobody can break the law if they’re dead. Therefore, the Christian life is one of dying and suffering. But what does it mean for us to die?

            The Greek language assigns verbs with gender (male or female) and “persons” (i.e. first person: “I”; second person: “You”; third person: “We”). In verse 19, Paul uses a first person verb and a first person pronoun. He basically says, “I, I have been crucified with Christ…” He does this once one in the beginning of verse 20, “I, I no longer live…” Paul does this purposely to point out the emphatic use of the word “I”.  Who is this “I” and what does Paul mean that it is crucified and no longer lives? The “I” is Paul’s old self, which sought to obtain salvation by its own merits and power. Paul thought that if he would only follow enough of the Jewish laws then he might catch God’s attention. Over time Paul came to realize God doesn’t work this way, and in fact he recognized that God was asking him not only to stop trying so hard, but also to cease from trying all together. God wanted a genuine and personal relationship with Paul, not a moral or spiritual checklist of accomplishments. For every Christian, God is requiring a life that is fully devoted to Him—in love and intimacy. This devotion takes the complete and utter destruction of the “I” in our lives; the “I” that attempts to strive to catch God’s attention and make God love us. We are not accepted based on what we do, but whom we trust. God requires only “faith” (see last week’s “faith” section) in Jesus for full acceptance, but this cannot be done until we lay to death that “I” within us. Killing the “I” releases us from living according to our own wishes, and living a genuine existence that God had always planned. Removing the “I” is not a removal of our personality, uniqueness, or abilities, but it is a relinquishing of anything in our lives that is out of sync with Christ. Letting the “I” die allows us to share in the life we truly desire and need, the life in which we experience true humaneness.   

Questions To Ponder:

1.     Why do you think churches don’t focus on Christian suffering? Explain.

2.     What does it mean for you to die to the “I” in your life?

3.     In what ways has God made you into the person you (and God) most desired, but maybe you didn’t see it in the past? Explain.

Jesus + What?

Week 5 Scripture: Galatians 2:15-21

Have you ever been in a church service where the pastor begins to list off all the things you should and should not do? Often, the pastor intends to guide his congregation into wise and appropriate Christian living that is most glorifying to God, but in the process he is preaches a gospel, not unlike the Paul’s opponents (see Week 1 blogs), that requires rules and not a relationship. Pastor’s tend to speak about dividing lines—those sins that cut people off from remaining in the grace of God. However, I must ask the question, “When am I ever good enough or bad enough that I attain or fall out of the grace of God?” In fact, this is the point of Paul’s whole argument. Paul’s opponents were questioning the faith of the Gentile Christians in the Galatian church because they did not follow Jewish Law (rules). Because they did not follow Jewish Law they were considered “Gentile Sinners.” The opponents insisted that a real Christian was one who had Jesus + the Law. On this point, Paul loses it! For Paul, faith in Jesus alone is sufficient. He makes the case that the Christian life is not about what we do, good or bad, but in whom we put our trust. When we put our faith in Jesus he liberates us from the bondage of Law and sin. Let me briefly explain what I mean on this point. The Law of God serves to point out sin in humanity. With the Law we know what is sinful, it points out our sin. However, this is all the Law can do for us; it cannot give us life, and this is why we need Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. How do we know what is good or evil? How do we know to act as Christians? It is by the guiding of the Holy Spirit. Paul further argues that the law killed him thus releasing him from sins bondage. For Paul, the “wages of sin is death,” so the Law pointed out his sin and he was condemned—he died (spiritually) for his sins. However, being dead, the Law was no longer applicable to him. A dead person cannot follow the Law, and is therefore not held to it. He is free from the Law, and where there is no Law there is no sin (Rom 5:13). Therefore, Paul’s life, and all other Christian’s, operates on the basis of “faith” in Jesus and not rules. We live by the guiding of the Holy Spirit, and not rules.

            When we live our Christian walk hoping to achieve some good will from God by things we do, we are in fact reverting back to Law-life. For example, thinking that God must look favorably upon us because we did X (fed the poor), Y (prayed for fifteen hours), or Z (steered clear from sinning for three weeks) shows that we actually think we need Jesus + something else. For the opponents in Galatia, it was Jesus + the Jewish Law, but what is it for you?

Questions To Ponder:

1.     Have you added anything beyond faith in Jesus alone trying to be justified (see definition from Wednesday’s blog) in the eyes of God?

2.     Why do you think it is human inclination to use rules rather than relationship?

I Trust You.

Week 5 Scripture: Galatians 2:15-21

 Once again we need to unpack the word “faith” if we really want to get at the heart of what the Apostle Paul is communicating. Every Sunday, in American Evangelical churches, Pastor’s stand before their congregations give a powerful message and then offer guests an opportunity to “believe” in Jesus. So often, we think of “belief” in terms of an altar call at the end of service where somebody, with his or her mouth, confesses Jesus, and with their minds “believes” that Jesus has done what he said he did. This often leads to outsiders, as well as Christians, thinking that Christianity is about “belief” with ones mind alone. A definition of this sort falls flat in trying to explain Paul’s teaching on faith. Faith, for Paul, is multi-dimensional, but at its basic core certainly involves mental belief, but is further accentuated by the idea of trust. It is one thing to “believe” in your mind something to be true, but quite another to turn that belief into an active trust. This video, although intended to be funny, helps explains the difference between “belief” and “trust”: 

            The kid in the video randomly tells people, “I trust you” and then falls. He doesn’t merely believe or acknowledge their existence, but actively does something about it…he falls. He trusts that the person he falls towards will catch him; he believes, yet also actively trusts that his “victims” will do something to keep him from falling—although only one person did. There exists a strong distinction between belief and trust, and the former can be dangerous if pressed too far in regards to following Jesus. Assuming that one must merely believe that Jesus is God or that he died for our sins proves nothing of devotion—even Jesus’ brother James warns, “Even the demons believe—and shudder.”[1] Interestingly, the term James employs here is the same one Paul uses in Galatians. True faith stretches much further than mental assent, but reaches into the realm of relationship and personal trust between God and us.

Questions To Ponder:

1.     How were you taught to understand “faith” (i.e. mental belief, trust, etc…)?

2.     Why is it important that we see “faith” not only as “belief,” but also as “trust”? Explain.

3.     Think about one occurrence where you exercised “faith” this month and share it with your house party or friend/family.

---

[1] James 2:19.

What's A Murph?

Week 5 Scripture: Galatians 2:15-21

A few months ago I was telling a story when hanging out with a bunch of young 20 somethings. The punch line of my story had to do with how someone had a murph. To my surprise, nobody laughed—or they gave me confused smirks and half-hearted chuckles. I gave these young guys gold, and they did not get it! This is typical problem with language; it changes and adapts through adding or subtracting meaning. For me as a kid, my parents used the term “murph” to talk describe an accidental, but self-inflicted wedgie. The term was no longer relevant to my younger audience. I had to figure out language that was meaningful to them. This week’s Scriptures are sort of similar in that they include three prominent words that will need some unpacking if we are to get at the core of what Paul meant. The first of these words is “justification.”

            Paul repeatedly affirms that Christians are not “justified” by “works of the law,” but through “faith” in Jesus. When we hear the term “justify,” we often think of a phrase like, “The ends justify the means.” Therefore, the English defines justification as a satisfactory reason for an act being done. This is certainly not what the Apostle Paul meant; this would not make sense of the context. The term then has been given theological definitions to correct this problem. However, Webster’s Dictionary, for example, speaks of theological justification as “acquittal” or “a declaration of innocence or guiltlessness.” These too fall short, for these latter definitions attempt to remove guilt from the guilty party (us). A better English definition is “pardon.” This word, helpfully, contains the dual meaning Paul certainly intends to get across to his readers, namely that (1) the guilty party is pardoned/set free and (2) given a new status. For example, a pardoned prisoner will not only be released, but often their record will also be expunged. They are free not only from a prison cell, but also within society having a new status. This is likewise the case with God. Interestingly, Paul is making the case that God releases guilty people! Romans 5:8 stands as a confirmation of this truth, “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God, however, does not merely overlook the offense of a guilty party, but rather he deals with that offense. God sends His Son, Jesus, to take our sin and guilt upon Himself, and exchanges with us His innocence. Our offense and guilt died with Jesus on the cross. How wonderful a truth it is that God has buried our sins of the past, present, and future with Christ. What an even greater truth that three days later Jesus rose from death showing that he has conquered our sins, and the sins of the world! The sins that held us down couldn’t hold Jesus down. Therefore, justification allows us, through the life of Jesus, to stand as holy people able to live in communion with God.

Questions To Ponder:

1.     Who declares us “justified”? Why is this important to remember?

2.     What do you think of God declaring guilty people “justified”? Does it seem fair or unjust? Explain.

3.     How does knowing that, as Christians, we have freedom from sin and a new status before God effect how you live today? Explain.

Pastor Mark’s Translation: Galatians 2:15-21

Galatians 2:15-21

“ ¹⁵ We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners ¹⁶ know that a person is not justified by works of the law, but only through faith in Jesus Christ. We also have believed in Christ Jesus in order that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no person will be justified. ¹⁷ But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ we Jews find ourselves also to be ‘sinners,’ then is Christ an agent of sin? No way! ¹⁸ For if I rebuild what I destroyed, I show myself to be a lawbreaker. ¹⁹ For through the law I died to the law, in order that I might live to God. I have been crucified together with Christ ²⁰ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not ignore the grace of God, because if through the law we are made righteous, then Christ died for no reason.”

Jesus, Buddha, and Muhammad Walk Into A Bar....

 Week 4 Scripture: Galatians 2:11-14

Truth throughout the Bible is commonly understood as reality in contrast to a mere appearance of reality. How then does Paul use this term in relation to the gospel? Remember Paul’s situation once more; Christian Jews opposing his message (a Law-free gospel) have infiltrated the Galatian church and began teaching that freedom and liberation from sin and death can only occur when one believes in Jesus and follows Jewish laws. By Paul using the word “truth” (ἀλήθεια) he makes a distinction between his message that in reality brings freedom, and the message of his opponents, which only appears to bring freedom. Therefore, when Peter chooses not to eat a meal with the Gentiles, what he is in fact doing is agreeing with the message, which “appears” to bring freedom, but in reality only enslaves. Peter’s gospel at this juncture is wrong, and must be adjusted to reflect the true gospel, which he cowered from in fear of the “circumcision group.” Interestingly here, truth for Paul is exclusive. This thought reminded me of my experience in my undergraduate courses in college.

            I received my bachelor’s degree from the religious studies department at a state university, and at multiple times encountered raging pluralist (the belief that truth is relative to the individual) peers and teachers. Conversations would usually develop around the idea that Jesus, Buddha, Vishnu, or Muhammad were all viable paths to arriving at “truth.” Often, monotheists (belief in one God—therefore Jews, Christians, and Muslims) would actually be chastised, or at least accused of reckless religious practice, if they limited truth to a singular figure. I heard a number of Christians/monotheists labeled as “close minded” or merely stamped as “religious fundy’s.” Paul is his claim to the “truth of the gospel” is making clear that there is a wrong and a right path in the discovery to truth. Paul claims the gospel—namely that trust in Jesus alone brings salvation to the world—is exclusive to the reality of truth. Therefore, for Paul, and all Christians, multiple paths are not viable options to obtaining or receiving truth; only Jesus can provide this truth (John 14:6). My conversations with peers and teachers were always interesting because they taught that belief in one path was naïve and non-progressive, and if humanity wanted to really move beyond the barbarism of religion it needed to accept that all paths were right. The problem with this latter belief is that it too is a claim about truth, namely that all religions lead to “truth.” Why should their truth claim be superior to mine? Do they have more evidence than I do? Certainly not! Their claim is merely another within the scheme of religious belief, and Christians should not be ridiculed, feel bad, or cower because of their claims in a singular truth regarding the gospel and figure of Jesus.    

Questions To Ponder:

1.     Do you think, “All roads lead to God”? Why? How does your belief line up with Paul’s thoughts in Galatians 2:14?

2.     Have you ever been ridiculed for believing that truth is only found in Jesus? What happened? How did you deal with it?

3.     Have you ever been embarrassed to speak up about your belief in Jesus as truth because you thought someone might make fun of you? Explain what happened. How can you overcome that fear?  

Walking The Line

Week 4 Scripture: Galatians 2:11-14

In Paul’s confrontation with the Apostle Peter, he accuses him of not “walking straight” (ὀρθοποδέω) in regards to the “truth of the gospel” (Gal 2:14). If we break down this Greek word, the prefix “ortho” means, “to straighten.” For example we go to the orthodontist to get our teeth straightened. The latter part of the word has to do with feet and walking. When I first read this word I could not help, but think of a DUI sobriety field test. This is what happens when the officer suspects that the operator of vehicle is drunk. The way an officer can tell if an individual is breaking the law is by asking them to do a number of basic tasks that only sober people can do. The main test is to walk in a straight line without losing one’s balance. If the person cannot “walk straight” they are obviously drunk and have broken the law. Watch this video of the show Reno 911 to see what I mean: 

When we do not “walk straight” it is a clear indication that something has gone terribly wrong. For Paul, “walking straight” is equivalent to the way one believes and allows those beliefs to dictate how they live their life. Peter had denied what was most true about the gospel of Jesus, namely that it was about relationship, and not rules. Being included into God’s family had nothing to do with what foods someone ate or who they hung out with, but rather it was about genuine belief and trust in Jesus…that’s it! Although Peter believed this necessary truth, he allowed external factors to drive him off the good course. There are so many external factors that can pull us from the correct path. Obligations, responsibilities, and time constraints may interrupt our attempts to “walk straight” with God. The way alcohol keeps the drunk from walking a straight path, so Christians have a number of influences trying to derail us.

Questions To Ponder:

1.     What are things in your life that attempt to pull you from “walking straight” with God?

2.     Why is it difficult or easy for you to stay on the good path? Explain.

3.     How can you combat negative influences?

Fight For Your Right To....

Week 4 Scripture: Galatians 2:11-14

Being accused of hypocrisy is often the worst kind of attack. I remember a few years ago speaking with someone very close, and because they did not agree with how I chose to handle a particular situation they began to accuse me of hypocrisy. This person was irate, and they would not allow me to even get a word in to explain the situation, they just continued to scream at me, “Hypocrite, Hypocrite!!!” Personally, it hurt so much because it questioned my character and integrity. Hypocrisy suggests a type of double-mindedness in which a person says or believes one thing, but fails to back it up with their actions. The Beastie Boys song, “Fight For Your Right” best expresses the nature of hypocrisy:

“Your pop caught you smoking, and he said, ‘No way!’

That hypocrite smokes two packs a day”

We have all dealt with hypocrisy in some form, possibly from a parent, friend, or teacher. I have personally experienced hypocrisy with all of the above—however, I have also been the hypocrite at numerous occasions. Notice in Galatians the charge of hypocrisy (ὑπόκρισις) is leveled against the Christian Jews, Barnabas (Paul’s co-worker in his mission to the Gentiles), and especially Peter in Antioch during a visit to Paul (Gal 2:13). So what is the charge against Peter? Why is Paul calling Peter out “in the presence of everyone”?

            This whole controversy is centered on a meal. Why so much controversy because of dinner guests? Western society often has a difficult time wrapping their minds around this controversy. We don’t stop—at least I hope not—before a meal to question the ethnic background of our lunch partner (co-worker or associate). However, in some places of America, distinctions between skin color, religious association, or dress may deter one from engaging in a meal with another. This is because association through a meal usually implies a close relationship between individuals. A meal is often a sacred time between peoples who intentionally choose to engage one another. The meal in Paul and Peter’s time was no different; it was a symbolic gesture of closeness and acceptance of the other party. And this is especially true for Christians where “communion” was a full meal symbolizing God’s saving work through Jesus to bring both Gentiles and Jews under the banner of one family. Because it represented close connection, Jews made it law for their people not to associate by meal with any persons except Jews. Engaging in a meal with non-Jews (Gentiles) was taboo, and made the Jew ceremonially “unclean.” This means they could not engage in Temple services, and other important religious duties. They would, in a sense, be shunned. When Paul says that Peter cowered because of “fear” (Gal 2:12), I think this is what scared him. Even though he was already convinced that eating certain foods was not required for Jesus followers (Acts 11:27-30; Gal 2:14), his fear of the “circumcision group” (Jewish Christians) caused him to deny what he believed, and had already proclaimed, and act out of sync with his own beliefs.

Questions To Ponder:

1.     Why is Paul so upset? What is being threatened? Why do you think this is significant?

2.     In what ways have you acted hypocritically to friends, co-workers, parents, etc.? Why did you act this way? Like Peter, was it pressures from others, your own insecurities, or…? 

3.   How can you positively use the meal in your own life to “connect” with others?

Pastor Mark's Translation: Galatians 2:11-14

Galatians 2:11-14

“¹¹ But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was condemned. ¹² For he used to eat together with Gentiles before certain people came from James. But when they arrived, he began to hide and separate himself from the Gentiles for fear of the circumcision group. ¹³ And the rest of the Jews also joined him, so that even Barnabas was led astray with them in their hypocrisy. ¹⁴ But when I saw that they were not walking straight in accordance with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas, in the presence of everyone, “If you, being a Jew, live like a Gentile, and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”