Yeshua's Light
The Galamonster
Galatains is often called the "Magna Charter of Christian Liberty" by
those seeking to abandon the Torah (Law) and the Noahite Covenant all
together (and by implication, the Catechism as well), but is this what
Paul meant to do or say? Is there any evidence that the interpretation
of Galations might be very different than what most have been led to
believe? Let's take a look in 2Peter3.15 where Peter talks of a theme
from the letters of Paul that was "hard to understand" and which people
had "twisted to their own destruction":
"So also our beloved Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given
him, speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some
things hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to
their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. You therefore,
beloved knowing this before hand, beware lest you be carried away with
the error of lawless men and lose your own stability. But grow in the
grace and knowledge of our L-rd and Savior, Jesus Christ. To Him be the
glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (2Pet.3.15-18)
Peter, our first Pope, states that something Paul had written was very
much misunderstood. What is it and why does he mearly give a warning
instead of clearly stating the confusion so as to set the record
straight? The reason is in Paul's letter to the Galations:
"But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch I opposed him to his face,
because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he
ate with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated
himself, fearing the circumcision party. And with him the rest of the
Jews acted insincerely, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their
insincerity. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about
the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, "If you,
though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not a Jew, how can you compel the
Gentiles to live like Jews?" We ourselves, who are Jews by birth and
not Gentile sinners, yet who know that a man is not justified by works
of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in
Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by
works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be
justified." Gal.2.14-16.
According to Paul, we see that Peter acted improperly when he came to
visit the Gentiles of Antioch. At first he ate with the Gentiles and
their unkosher foods, but when the Jews came from James, Peter pulled
away from the Gentiles saying their food was impure and demanding they
keep kosher like the Jews. This inconsistency is the reason why Paul
condemned him. Peter seemed to have bowed to peer pressure and we can
see that this is not the first time:
"Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple . . .The maid
who kept the door said to Peter, "Are not you also one of this man's
disciples?" He said , "I am not." " later the guards asked him, "Are
not you also one of his disciples?" He denied it and said, "I am not".
One of the servants of the high priest, a kinsman of the man whose ear
Peter had cut off, asked, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?"
Peter again denied it; and at once the cock crowed."
Peter had problems with peer pressure and we feel G-d allowed it to
show Peter and us this weakness. Peter succumbed to this pressure
because he was weak. Yet by Scripture and tradition we know that Peter
did one day overcome this weakness before his death, which he was
willing to go to.
So now Peter, the rock of which the church is to be built, looks out
and sees lawlessness among professed believers who claim license to
commit sin based upon the words of Paul. Peter knows what Paul wrote,
but he also affirms Paul by saying, "our beloved Paul wrote to you
according to the wisdom given him". This wisdom is from the Holy Spirit,
therefore Peter does not warn against the words of Paul,
rather the warning is how Paul's words are to be understood (this is
easy to understand because Paul has been zealous for G-d and the
traditions of his fathers, therefore it is expected that Paul writes in
an very zealous manner).
We accept the teachings and words of Paul as well as all the Scripture
(for it is the word of our L-rd and G-d), therefore we need to view all
passages in the proper context. But we also need to follow basic
themes(the readings of the Mass are thematicly chosen). For example, if
Paul's words meant that all was truly lawful, then why did he agree to
the letter in Acts.15.6-29 (see the Noahite Covenant). Paul was there,
in fact he not only was among the congregation that delivered this
letter telling the Gentiles to keep these laws, he and Barnabas
gave their testimony at this council as well (see Acts 15.12). Was Paul
acting inconsistant here? Well, let's begin by looking at some of the words of
Paul that people most often use as an excuse for lawlessness and see if
the Word of G-d can help to clear this up. After all G-d's Word
does not contradict itself, it's our own interpretations that cause
contradictions. So let's see if we can find an interpretation of
Galations that matches Paul's words to his behavior.
Chapter 1 and 2:
We find that Paul is responding to something very serious. How do we know?
Because he doesn't take the time after the salutation to compliment his
audience before he gets into his issue, he goes right in. Not only does
he rush right in, but he also makes it perfectly clear that his words
come directly from G-d, so there is no confusion on their source:
"Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of G-d? Or am I trying to please men, I should not be a servant of Christ.", Gal.1.10.
Then he goes through his resume explaining he was once a Zealot for the
Law, Gal.1.14. He explains briefly his conversion from being a
persecuter of Jesus' followers to being a Zealot for His gospel. He
even points out his mission compared with Peter's:
" . . . but on the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted
with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted
with the gospel to the circumcised (for He who worked through Peter for
the mision to the circumcised worked through me also for the Gentiles)
. . . "
Here we learned Pauls' true mission, to go before the Gentiles to reach
them for Jesus Christ. Peter's ministry is for the Jews. He then goes on to
the passage above to show why the L-rd gave to Peter the "circumcised"
and to Paul the uncircumcised. Peter's weakness for peer pressure makes
him less qualified. Even Peter saw this after this incident as we
already saw. Then Paul goes into the gospel so greatly misunderstood:
"We ourselves, who are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet who
know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith
in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be
justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by
works of the law shall no one be justified." Gal.2.15-16.
This passage tells us two things:
1) That we are justified by faith and
2) The Jewish believers, the Law keepers knew this, as well as Paul.
Peter knew this, as did James and John. Didn't Peter have a vision, which
told to us about this controversy in Acts 10.9-43. In this vision G-d
shows Peter all kinds of animals, clean and unclean and pronounces them all
clean? This is not about food but rather faith which is seen from the
context a little further into the story. G-d was telling Peter that the unclean
Gentiles were as clean as the Jewish Believers. Peter knew this, even though at
first he was puzzled, but when the Holy Spirit sent him to go he went
and it's meaning came clear for he says "You yourselves know how
unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or visit any one of another
nation; but G-d has shown me that I should not call any man common or
unclean." Acts 10.27. When did G-d say this? In that vision of
course! Later, Peter makes his view on salvation very clear:
"And He (Jesus) commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify
that he is the one ordained by G-d to be judged of the living and the
dead. To Him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes
in Him recieves forgiveness of sins through His Name." Acts 10.42-43.
In other words, it's not by works that we are saved but by calling apon His Holy Name.
Now we get into the more difficult premise of Pauls words:
"But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were
found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But
if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself
a trangressor." Gal.2.17-18.
Please note that he says that committing a sin in Christ does not
make us a transgressor and then later he quantifies this. Committing a
sin we have not yet overcome makes us still pure of heart. These sins
our Church calls venial sins (sins of weakness or ignorance). These are
not good for us, but they don't condemn our souls to darkness. But sins
that we have overcome through the grace of Jesus Christ, we should not go
back to. To do so is tearing down a wall we built up. These sins are
judge toward damnation. Why? Because the Holy Spirit helped us over
them so to do these things is to reject the Spirit's help and guidance.
This is mortal sin- outright disobedience to G-d. Peter echoes this
as well:
"Therefore gird up your minds be sober, set your hope fully upon the
grace that is coming to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As
obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former
ignorance, but as He who has called you is holy be holy yourselves in
all your conduct." 1Pet.1.13-14.
Paul adds:
"For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to G-d. I
have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ
who lives in me; and life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in
the Son of G-d, who loved me and gave himself for me." Gal.2. 19-21
Many read this passage as a licence to break the law but our Church see this differently:
580. "The perfect fulfilment of the Law could be the work of none but
the divine legislator, born subject to the Law in the person of the
Son. [Cf. Gal.4.4] In Jesus the Law no longer appear engraved on the
tables of stone but 'upon the heart' of the servant who becomes' a
covenant to the people', because He will faithfully bring forth
justice'. [ Jer.31.33, Is.42.3,6.] Jesus fulfills the Law to the point
of taking upon Himself 'the curse of the Law' incurred by those who do
them', for His death took place to redeem them 'from transgression
under the first covenant.'[Gal.3.13, Gal.3.10, Heb.9.15] (1)
What we believe our Church is saying is that the Law died to us because we are no longer
held reponsible for keeping it perfectly. This is why Jesus died for
us while we were still sinners, to carry that burden in our stead. Now
the "Law" lives inside us in the person of the Holy Spirit. However
if Jesus Christ lives inside us this isn't a license to sin:
"And if you invoke as Father Him who judges each one impartially
according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the
time of your exile." Pet.1.17.
This is because He, the speaker of the Sermon on the Mount is inside us
through His Spirit and "He knows when you are sleeping, He knows when
your awake, He knows when you've been good or bad so be good for
goodness sake." That's not the fat man in red, it the one who died for
your sins and He will come to "town" when we least expect it! Do not
justify yourselves but the Law any law even the one of Galatians for to
apply this ruling you must indeed be full of the Holy Spirit.
179. "Faith is a supernatural gift from G-d, In order to believe, man needs the interior help of the Holy Spirit."
Chapter 3
Many say this law is a different law then the law of our fathers. We
discuss this in the Sermon on the Mount and in Hebrews. But here we go
on to see if Paul, himself, can explain more clearly what he means. At
the beginning of Chapter three Paul mourns the Galatian's walk from
Liberty. Then he goes into his now famous discourse on Abraham:
"Thus Abraham "believed G-d, and it was reckoned to him as
righteousness." So you see that is men of faith who are the sons of
Abraham. And the scripture, forseeing that G-d would justify the
Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham saying,
"In you shall all the nations be blessed." So then, those who are men
of faith are blessed with Abraham who had faith."
James also talks about our father Abraham:
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son
Issac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his
works, and faith was completed by works, and the scripture was
fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed G-d, and it was reckoned to him
as righteous"; and he was called a friend of G-d." Jam.2.21-23.
This isn't really a contradiction. Not really. Those words of G-d
must be placed in context. They follow a passage where HasShem promises
Abraham a son. The L-rd tells him to go out side with him and then tells
him to count the stars if he can. This isn't a guy who got slain by the
spirit and then returned to his own ways, he talked with G-d one on
one and did what HaShem told him to do. He left his fathers house and
traveled many miles into a unknown land by faith. He got circumciced in
very old age by faith and even would have sacrificed his only true son
by faith alone. All these acts are acts of faith but they are also
works in action provoked by faith! This is what James is saying. If you
have faith it will show in your life not that it may do so.
"For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is
written, "Cursed be every one who does not abide by all things written
in the book of the law, and do them." Now it is evident that no man is
justified before G-d by the law; for "He who through faith is righteous
shall live"; but the law does not rest on faith, for "He who does them
shall live by them." Gal.3.10-12.
Note the words "all who rely on works of the law" are cursed for not
abiding in every word. The law does not rest on faith because it was
not made to create faith. The law is for separation or just healthy but
it won't make one holy. Go to Hebrews to understand why. The Levitical
law of sacrifice and sin was flawed by the fact that the forgiveness
was conditional. We are not under the levitical line, we are under the
line of Malchizidek (this doesn't mean however all the law is dead only
a part that Moses misunderstood).
Paul then goes on to explain exactly what is wrong with the Law of
Moses. This is that their is a greater Law than this, the Law of
Abraham. This is the law by faith which he explained already in the
previous chapter.
" . . but the law does not rest on faith, for "He who does them shall
live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having
become a curse for us- for it is written, "Cursed be every one who
hangs on a tree"- that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might
come upon the Gentiles, that we might recieve the promise of the spirit
through faith." Gal.3.12-14
Why is the law a curse? In other letters Paul explains, as well as
Yeshua on the Sermon on the Mount, that it is impossible to keep the
law. Why? Because of original sin. The doctrine of original sin is
strongly debated, condemned and misunderstood yet the modern ironie is
medical science is starting to prove it's truth dispite it's
unpopuarity. Are we not told now that homosexuality is inherited? That
homosexuals can't help their preferences? This is in part true. Why in
part? Because the number of homosexuals has risen greatly over the
years, since they came out of the closet. Before they did their numbers
were around 2-3% of our population, now it up to 10% and still rising.
This is well above the number that lower mores would produce. So
science now knows that inheritance here is a little more complex.
James explains this:
"Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by G-d"; for G-d
cannot be tempted with evil and He Himself tempts no one; but each
person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then
desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is
full-grown brings forth death." Jam.1.13-15.
According to the word, we are still responsible for sin. Why, if sin is
inborn, as the doctrine of original sin suggest, are we still held
responsible? Because all sin has a enviromental trigger. This is how we
are "lured" to sin. It is also why, even if homosexuels are truly at
about 10-12% of the population now they were far less in Puritain New
England a century ago. This is also why they can't find the homosexuel
gene. There isn't one, just a predisposition. And what's true of
homosexuality is true for all the other laws. For example,
recently pedifilia- the sin of molesting children, has been found to be
inherited too. Do we want pedifiles to come out of the closet? The
alcoholism's link is well established. Do we want alcholics to come out?
With enough time links will be found for all the sins: materialism,
lusts, greed, glutony, agression, arrogance, etc. . . Given the right
trigger we all would succumb to something. We all have an Achille's
heel.
So G-d gave us laws. This is why the Laws of Moses were given in
the first place. But Paul points out that there is a problem:
"To give a human example brethern: no one annuls even a man's will, or
adds to it, once it has been ratified. Now the promises were made to
Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, "And to offsprings,"
referring to many; but referring to one, "And to your offspring," which
is Chrst. This is what I mean: the law, which came four hundred and
thirty years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified
by G-d, so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance is by
the law, it is no longer by promise; but G-d gave it to Abraham by a
promise." Gal.3.15-18.
After establishing that the law was not made for savation, Paul now
makes clear that that was never it's function. Salvation was passed
through Abraham to his offspring and Paul's argument for his offspring
being Jesus Christ is clear enough with out any elaboration from
us. In otherwords, if Jesus brings salvation and not the law then it
is through Him and Him alone we are saved. The most natural question,
once we see this fact is:
"Why then the law? It was added becuse of transgressions . . ." Gal.3.19.
In otherwords, without the law and without Jesus, we need something to
keep us in check or for those who can't. But this mechanism was flawed by
the fact that the law was too
restrictive. We all don't have predispositions to 613 sins, but the law
can't be personalized. In trying to keep them all we are destined to
fail to keep at least one. Which one, most probably the one that would
protect us the most! This is the flaw of the Law. This is why we can't
keep it and why we need Jesus' help! The full quote:
"Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the
offspring should come to whom the promise had been made; and it was
ordained by angels through an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies
more than one; but G-d is one."
In otherwords, salvation is through Jesus, His sacrifice and death as well as
through the gift of the Holy Spirit He promised to give us if we call upon
His name in faith. (If you're confused what Paul means in
the last sentence, he's referencing the oneness of G-d. If this
concept is unclear, please see The Oneness of G-d ).
"Is the law then against the promises of G-d? Certainly not; for if a
law had been given which could make alive, then righteousness would
indeed be by the law. but the scripture consigned all things to sin,
that what was promised to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those
who believed."
"Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under
restraint until faith should be revealed. So the law was our custodian
until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith." Gal.3.21-225
And herein lies the true function of the law. It was to make us holy
enough to hear the message. This is why Jesus couldn't come before. We
needed to mature and the law matured us, despite its weakness that it
couldn't save us. This is why Jesus was sent to the Jews and not the
Gentiles, because the Gentiles were unable to hear the message without some
training in Law. This is the real reason salvation came first to
the Jews, and then the Gentiles.
"But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for
in Christ Jesus you are sons of G-d, through faith. For as many of you
as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew
nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor
femail; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's,
then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."
Gal.3.25-29
All this is saying is that we are all created equal and endowed by our
Creator with certain inalienable rights . . .(oops, wrong document).
Actually that's pretty much what it says, regardless from where you are
starting; you still are considered equal to everyone else in teh L-rd,
no matter how long
they've been saved. From the moment you believe and have been baptized
in the faith, you are in Christ and on a equal footing with all other
believers. Jesus affirms this as well in the parable of the
vineyard men in Matt.201-16 and examplifies this on the cross,
Lk.23.39-43.
Chapter 4:
In chapter four Paul changes his focus from the law to the inheritors.
He again affirms the fuction of the law and explains that while under
it we were enslaved to it. He wanders into an explanation of what
happened in Galantia, how he came to them sick and as they healed him
of his physical sickness, he healed them of their spiritual sickness.
But after he left them they fell in with legalism that claimed
salvation could be from keeping the law. In the process they
rejected salvation by faith and took up the yolk of slavery. In
otherwords, they replaced lawlessness with slavery and rejected
salvation.
Paul sees a beautiful analogy in the story of Abraham, our father of
promise. Abraham had two sons. The first was by his wife's maidservant,
Hagar, and his name is Ishmael, He fathered the Arab nations (although
some Arabs are children of Esau, Jacob's brother). G-d never called
Hagar to have a son, it was Sarah's idea. Hagar was a slave and after
Isaac was born, Sarah sent Hagar away because she was jealous and
worried that Hagar's son would try to steal Isaac's inheritance.
Considering how the Arab world treats Israel, could Sarah have been
prophetic?
And just as Hagar's son was sent away to garranty Isaac's inherentance
so to are all those who trust in salvation through the law. Salvation
is through grace alone and grace sets us free from the law. As stated
by the Catechism:
1972. "The New Law is called the law of love because it makes us act
out of love infused by the Holy Spirit, rather than fear; a law of
freedom, because it sets us free from the ritual and juridical
observances of the Old Law, inclines us to act spontaneously by
prompting of charity and, finally, let us pass from the condition of a
servant who 'does not know what his Master is doing' to that of a
friend of Christ- 'For all that I have made known to you'- or even to
the status of son and heir. [Jn.15.15, cf. Jam. 1.25, Jam.2.12,
Gal.4.1.1-7.21-31; Rom.8.15]"(1)
Chapter 5:
"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."
Once you realize that it is by faith we are saved don't start
thinking that keeping the law or even sacraments will save you.
The Law and sacraments were not made to save you, but rather help mature you.
They are very much like a fence to keep us in and bad stuff out. Of course
how many would put up a fence and leave
out the door? But this is exactly what happened with he Law of Moses.
The door is faith and Jesus is the gate keeper:
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the
door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber;
but He who enters by the door is the Shepherd of the sheep. To Him the
Gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear His voice, and He calls His own sheep
by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He
goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. A
stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do
not know the voice of strangers." Jn.10.1-5.
and:
"Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. . . I am the
door; if any one enters by Me, he will be saved, and go in and out and
find pasture. . . I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down
his life for his sheep . . . And I have other sheep, that are not of
this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed My voice. So
there shall be one flock, One Shepherd." Jn.10. 7-18.
The sheep fold and the gatekeeper are the laws of Moses and the Laws of
Our Church. Jesus is the Shepherd and only He can walk us through that
gate and into pasture or freedom and then back behind the gate still
free. If we try to do it ourselves, we become as
thieves damned unto Sheol. This is the true meaning of faith alone!
Of course under Jesus we have a yoke as well (refering to the law being the "yoke of slavery"):
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and
lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is
easy, and my burden light." Matt.11.28-30.
There are two types of yokes. One is heavy and a burden for the
experienced oxen to till the field, the other is weighted so that only
one side is heavy and a burdened while the other light and easy. It was
fashioned to train a young oxen in the way to go. The experienced ox gets
the heavy side and bears all the burden. He knows the way to go and he
carries the weiight for the younger who merely must follow His lead.
This is the yoke that Jesus calls us to wear. for with He leads us in the
correct path. The Church also
carries this burden for the flock.
Following this text that outlines our freedom so clearly, we head into another of the most difficult passages to understand:
"Now I, Paul, say to you that if you recieve circumcision, Christ will
be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who receives
circumcision that he is bound to keep the whole law. You are severed
from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen
away from grace. " Gal.5.1-4.
When we come to difficult passages, we believe the best way to attack them is by
coming at them through many different directions as possible. We do not believe our
Church sees this as a prohibition of circumcision, as some do, but rather the basis
of Christian liberty:
1741. "Liberation and salvation. By His glorious Cross Christ has won
salvation for all men. He redeemed them from the sin that held them in
bondage. 'For freedom Christ has set us free.' [Gal 5.1] In Him we have
communion with the 'truth that makes us free.' Cf. In 8.32] The Holy
Spirit of the L-rd has given to us and, as the Apostles teaches, 'Where
the Spirit of the L-rd is, there is freedom.'[2Cor.17.] Already we
glory in the 'liberty of the children of G-d.'[Rom.8.21] (1)
So if our Church sees liberty then it's clear we need to search further
to find the source of this belief. However, from what we've said above
as well as the reading in the Sermon on the Mount and the Wineskins, we
can clearly say the popular interpretation (that circumcision is
evil and wrong) is false if Jesus indeed came to not change the law but to
fulfill it. But isn't this why Paul says "every man who receives
circumcision . . . is bound to the whole law. . . "? No, because this
interpretation contradicts all the others. We believe the
context provides the answer "You are servered from Christ, you who
would be justified by the law . . .". Why didn't Paul just write this
whole thing more clearly. Apparently he thought he was being clear, but
he mentions this topic again in Romans, so here's a place you can
also go for clarity:
1Cor.7.17-19. "Only, let every one lead the life which the L-rd has
asigned Him and in which G-d has called him. This is my rule in all the
churches. Was any one at the time of his call already circumcised? Let
him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was any one at the
time of his calling uncircucised? Let him not seek circumcision. For
niether circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but
keeping the commandments of G-d."
In other words, this issue has nothing to do with foreskins and
everything to do with the heart and where we are at in our walk with
G-d and what is true here is true in Galatians. There is no magic
stone, no rabbit's foot. It is by faith we are saved and through faith
we can walk through the gate into the pasture and back into the sheep's fold
because we follow the Shepherd's lead where ever He goes.
"For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of
righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor
uncircumciasion is of any avail, but faith working through love."
Gal.5.5-6.
And as icing on the cake, Paul admits hat he also teaches others to circumcise their young:
"But if I, brethren, still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted?" Gal.5.11.
It was not an issue of this one law, but rather an issue of feeling
justification by any law. This risk still exist within our own Church.
So many think by going to church and by receiving the sacraments they will
be saved. Although these things are good, they are an outward sign of
an inward change, just as works are an outward sign of an inward transformation.
However this does not warrant salvation. Our Church's Catechism, like Torah, is very, very
good, but it does not remove us from the
requirements of faith. Also, like Torah, no Catholic can truly be in good
standing with the Church and G-d if they do not have faith because
the Magistrium's law is not one dot, not one iota easier to keep than
Torah. After all, the road is narrow and the way hard!
This is why Paul now does an about face and points out that freedom
is not anarchy as some not in Christ claim. This is the
lawlessness Peter refered to (and still does-sigh).
"For you were called to freedom brethren; only do not use your freedom
as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one
another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love
your neighbor as yourself." Gal.5.13-14.
All the laws, even the laws of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, boiled
down to love as Yeshua Himself asserted. "Do unto others as you would
have them do unto you". Once we get faith we start to change. If we
don't change and closer to G-d, then we never really had a faith at
all.
"But I say, walk by the Spirit and do not gratify the desires of the
flesh. For the disires of the desires of the spirit are against the
flesh for these are opposed to each, to prevent you from doing what you
would. But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law."
Gal.5.16-18
(Start reading this over if you think this is a get out of Church free card) then again Paul himself explains:
"Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity,
licentiousness, idolatry, socery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger,
selfishness, dessension, party spirit, envy(murder), drunkenness,
carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those
who do such things shall not see the Kingdom of G-d." Gal.5.19-21
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
1852. "There are great many kinds of sins. Scripture provides several
lists of them. The Letter to the Galatians contrasts the works of the
flesh with the fruit of the spirit: 'Now the works of the flesh are
plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, socery, enmity,
strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dessension, fractionst, envy,
drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you
before, that those who do such things shall not see the Kingdom of
G-d.' Gal.5.19-21 CE, Rom 1.28-32, 1Cor.9-10, Eph.5.3-5, Col.3.5-8, 1
Tim.9-10, 2 Tim.2-5"(1)
"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patiece, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is
no law." Gal.5.22-23
1832 "The fruit of the spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit form
in us as first fruits of glory. The tradition of the Church lists
twelve of them: 'charity, joy, peace, patiece, kindness, goodness,
generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and
chastity.' [Gal.5.22-23 Vug).] (1)
"And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its
passions and disires. If we live by the spirit let us also walk by the
spirit. Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no
envy of one another." Gal.5.24-25
Before we go further, is Paul condemning then the traditions of our
Church. Many Protestants claim thusly. But this same Paul affirm the
Eucharist elsewhere:
"For I recieved from the L-rd what I also delivered to you, that the
L-rd Jesus on that night when He was betrayed took bread, and when He
had given thanks, He broke it, and said, "This is My Bdy which is given
up for you. Do this in rememberence of Me." In the same way also the
cup, after supper, saying, "this cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in rememerence of me." For as often
as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the L-rd's death
until He comes."
Notice in Galatians Paul never mentions the Holy Eucharist, it is in
1Chro.11.23-26. And just as these words can not be devoid of all the
other scripture by Paul, they do not absolve the scriptures by Yeshua
Himself included the one about "loosening and binding"! All Paul is
saying here is faith comes first and if this is starting to sound like
a broken record it because we Catholics get faith alone to death as if
we do not hold this belief! Truth be known this too is in our doctrine:
The only way to prove the false doctrine of "faith alone and in faith
we can sin" is to disregard all other words for all the other
scriptures including Paul's! The only way to interpret Paul words
within the context of all scripture is to see faith alone as a
beginning and not an end. This is why Paul tells them that:
" . . .if a man is overtaken in trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness."Gal.6.1
This is one source of the doctrine of reconciliation. Not to judge but to help lead the flock back to were they should be!
"Look to yourself, least you too be tempted."Gal.6.1
Jesus called us to remove our sin first because a hypocrate will not
free a sinner from his burden and these creat the "pigs" of our faith.
Here Paul sees another risk to one who has not yet overcome a sin
trying to help another in that same sin. They may be overcome by this
same sin and fall themselves.
Now comes some very confusing words of Paul. It seems as if Paul is contradicting himself:
"Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. For when
he is nothing, he decieves himself. But let each one test his own work,
and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his
neighbor. For each man will have to bear his own load." Gal.6.2-5
We are to do anything we can to reach our brother in the L-rd, even
if this means finding someone better
qualified to help them if we have a "log" of our own to contend with,
Matt.7.3-5. We "test our own work" by judging only the self and not our
nieghbor because by how we judge we ourselves will be judged, Matt.7.2.
This is a requisite to helping others from sins as well as corrected
vision. Lastly we can not bring salvation to another, only G-d can
and even He is limited by our own free will. This is why, no matter how
hard we try to bear each others burdens, we are all required to carry
our own in the end.
"Let him who is taught the word share all good things with him who
teaches." Gal.6.6 This means all good things, not only the Sunday
collection or ten percent, although giving charity to those that teach
isn't bad in that it free's them up from making a living while trying
to teach. This is why we support monitarily our churches. But churches
also need our prayers, our time, and our talents and these too count as
good things. This is why the words "all good things" is given in the
context to supporting our teachers.
Now comes the true Magna Carta:
"Do not be decieved; G-d is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that
he will also reap. For he who sows to his own flesh will from his flesh
reap corruption; but he wh sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap
eternal life." Gal.6.7-8.
It is by faith we know what to believe and what to do. Works are an
outgrowth of the true faith in the L-rd. But things that feed our egos or sins
are not of G-d, no matter what spin we give to them. Besides, no amount of self
jutification will fool the Ever Living G-d!
"And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall
reap, if we do not lose heart. So then, as we have oppertunity, let us
do good to all men, especially to those who are of the household of
faith." Gal.6.9-10
Anyone in ministry understands this passage very well especially the
pain we feel when we carry another's burden humbly and wearily just to
have that other person walk off with their load unto darkness. The L-rd
tells us through St. Paul not to let this tear us apart, even if we
struggle financially while doing the work of the L-rd; we must not lose
faith but work and in time we shall reap. Perhaps not money but love has
a greater value than riches. Even if the one we sought to change a heart
and they walk away. Do not lose heart, G-d may still reach Him.
Whatever your struggle, we pray that you put your life into the hands of
the potter and He will mold you and lift you up and give you rest.
Paul sums up his letter with stating the truth elegantly. It is not
circumcision, or uncircumcision, it is not Mitzvoth or Magistrium, It
is faith that loosens the bounds of sin and creates within us a new
heart willing to abide in whatever G-d calls us to do. This is the
true "golden rule" upon which the children of G-d may rest. Now this
said Paul rests his case, as shall we. And may the grace and peace of
our readeemer Jesus Christ guide you in your
walk in faith from these steps onward. Amen.
The Catechism of The Catholic Church Latin text copyright (c) Liberia
Editrice Vaticana, Citta del Vaticano 1993 Translated subject to
revision in light of the editio typica. )
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