The first thing you must do when understanding the writings of the Bible is to identify the context. Before we dive into the content of Galatians, let’s establish the context of the book. Misunderstandings come from reading the verses without the context of the narrative, especially if we are simply searching for verses to make an argument or defend a position. The books of the Bible were not intended to be read or used in this fashion. Continue Reading
The first step in correcting a problem is admitting you have one. In the first twenty years of my Christian walk, you never would’ve convinced me that I was in the same boat the Galatians were in when Paul chose to write to them. Yet, that’s exactly where I was. Now it’s as if a veil has been lifted and I understand that salvation – justification in the eyes of God comes from grace through faith and not my own efforts to get everything right and shun everything that is wrong. Looking back at the book of Galatians and Romans now, I think “How could I not have seen this? The scriptures are so clear on the point.” Continue Reading
I have discovered over years of study, the problem with a Pharisaical mindset or system is multi-leveled. There’s no simple answer. There’s not one scripture to point to and say, “see that one proves the system is wrong”. When you try, basically the defender of the system will simply present a seemingly contradicting passage as proof that he is right. So learning the truth is sometimes a long and slow study. It requires an open heart and mind without the constant knee-jerk reactions that naturally occur when statements contradict your current theology. Continue Reading