Galatians and the Love Boat

"I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."--Galatians 2:20b

In seminary I took a class on Galatians with Ben Witherington that was slightly intimidating for the amount of Greek in which we were supposed to be proficient.  I didn't feel I quite had the acumen for the class but I managed to limp through with my Greek text and companion interlinear (that had both Greek and English translations together).  However, in that class I began a love affair that continues to this day with Galatians.

It's a simple, if you can classify anything from the Apostle Paul as simple, six chapter book.  I've heard it called Romans for Dummies because it has it all there.  The Grace of the New Testament ultimately joins with the Peace of the Old Testament.  The sacrifice of Jesus rescues us for the glory of the Father.  Law and Death.  Faith and Life.  Slavery and Freedom.  Belief and Righteousness. Promise and Inheritance. Paul gives us an abbreviated testimony and argues against both Peter's hypocrisy and a group of 'believers' who came to know Jesus by faith and are now trying to go back and claim their inheritance instead through the Old Testament law.  Along the way, he crafts a compelling argument for faith alone in Jesus bestowing on us our righteousness from God.  We, of any persuasion, are in the same boat.  "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus...and heirs according to the promise."-3:28-29.

And now we get to my favorite part.  In chapter 5, we find out that this same boat we are in is actually the Love Boat.  There are no Gophers running around or Captain Stubing, but instead we find a wonderful thing called freedom.  As an addict, I especially like to hear about freedom.  "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free."(5:1)  It doesn't matter what we do, if we are circumcised or uncircumcised, if we have tattoos or not, if we are addicts or gossipers.  It doesn't matter if we've lived amazing rich lives or have struggled in poverty.  In the end, by faith, we rely solely on Jesus who has given himself for us for our righteousness.  What we've done or haven't done is of no importance.  "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." (5:6b)

I don't really want to pass this too quickly.  This freedom I have is not for me.  It's not so that I can eat what I want and drink what I want and do what I want.  I do have that freedom.  I don't believe a beer disqualifies me from grace.  Works will never qualify me and they can't disqualify me.  Belief, though, true belief makes me free, finally free, from the great prison of selfishness.  It is for freedom that we have been made free.  Freedom, in the end, to be able to express our faith through love.  And that love is always in service to others.

"But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love."(5:13)  Well we are really on the Love Boat now.  There is no room for selfishness in freedom.  I'm finding as I work the STEPS in recovery, so much of it is being "crucified with Christ."  I'm the worst of the worst, hopeless.  A real basket case.  I am selfish and a liar and a cheat.  I am angry and arrogant.  But God himself has made me free--and this sobriety is learning in my freedom to keep one law only, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."  It is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  I'd say at least eight of those manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit, and probably all nine, are exercised in relationship with others.  We have peace WITH others, we are gentle TOWARD others.  Unlike the Garden of Eden, this new fruit is not forbidden.  It is offered FREELY to others--and not for us to devour ourselves.

This is the plus side of my addiction, for I have a day-to-day opportunity to live by the Spirit--and I will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.  What a blessing!

Let us truly live.