…so that the truth of the
gospel might
be preserved for you. (Galatians
2:5, ESV)
“Religion” is moralism, it is legalism,
it is focusing on obedience to the law in order to be accepted by God. It is avoiding God as Lord and Savior
by developing one’s own moral righteousness. It is characterized by self-salvation projects one may
engage in, in order to secure God’s favor or to maintain God’s favor. “Religion” focuses on one’s activity in
the flesh, and puts great weight on the importance of that activity.
Gospel, on the other hand, is God
developing and giving us—imputing to us—a righteousness through Jesus Christ (1
Corinthians 1:30 and 2 Corinthians 5:21).
It is God’s work in us.
What was the “religion” issue
facing the believers in Galatia?
It had to do with accepting the false teaching that Gentiles had to
become Jews before they could be Christians. That was demonstrated in the requirement that they be
circumcised—becoming Jews—before they could belong to Christ. That was just false and Paul called it
what it was.
Of course, the false teachers
that had infiltrated the churches in Galatia (Galatians 2:4) presented their
doctrine in opposition to what Paul had preached, necessitating Paul’s defense
of his ministry, which he does at length in Chapters 1 and 2.
In Chapter 3, then, Paul lays it
out for these misled believers:
O foolish Galatians!
Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was
publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you
receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are
you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected
by the flesh? (Galatians 3:1-3, ESV)
Paul is laying out the difference
between religion and gospel. He is
telling them that they, in fact, were sealed by the Holy Spirit by faith, not
by works of the law. He asks them,
“so if you’ve begun your life with Christ by faith, by the Holy Spirit, are you
really thinking you can be perfected by the works of the flesh? REALLY?”
In verse 7 of Chapter 3, Paul
clearly states that it is those who are “of faith” that are the true sons of
Abraham. He goes on to emphasize
that it is faith, and faith alone—which is itself a gift of grace—that secures
and maintains God’s favor.
So how does this play out in the
church today?