Presents 

THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE

TO THE

GALATIANS

chapter 1

Caution to students of God's Word - Please remember two things when using our studies: #1. Our commentary is not God's Word. It is only our interpretation or understanding of "His Word" and even though we try our best to be accurate we may or may not be correct. #2. The King James translation, or any other translation, of the original Hebrew text has some words which were given different translations at different places probably because of the interpreters preconceived ideas of what they think God meant to say. For example: According to the notes in the "Dake's Annotated Reference Bible" the Hebrew word hayah in the KJV is Trans. (became) 67 times, (becamest or came to pass) 505 times, (become) 66 times, and (come to pass) 131 times, but for some reason in Genesis 1:2 it is translated (was)! That sure changes the way a person perceives the original creation of the earth, doesn't it?  Gen. 1:2 And the earth was (became) without form, ... Having said that, let us continue with our "Key Knowledge" lessons. These are pamphlets containing knowledge, we believe, you must have to fully and accurately unlock and understand the Word of God.

John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:13-14
[13] Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. [14] He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

This Bible Study was originally written by Roger Christopherson,
 published at http://www.theseason.org/ 

 and now edited by people at
 The American Wisdom Series  

Without the leading by the Holy Spirit, there is no understanding of the truths, for all the truth of the Scriptures are revealed to us by God's Spirit.

 Now here is our revised study of:

THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE

TO THE

GALATIANS

chapter 1

"Solicitude, Proof, after His Conversion."

The book of Galatians deals in large part with proofs of the apostle's divine authority. However the major portion is devoted to refuting the teaching of those that would bring the Galatians back into bondage, for many of them desired to be under the Law. Paul declared to them that by doing so would be moving themselves into a different gospel then he had preached to them. There is no other gospel in reality, what they were doing was perverting the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Even though this letter was written prior to the book of Romans, there are many things here that Paul wrote common to both the Romans and the Galatians. The fundamental truth that stands out in both is that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile before God. Though there were many Jews among the church at Galatia, they were outnumbered by the Gentiles, and the problem amongst the Gentiles was that the Judaizers were teaching the necessity of circumcision, and the Gentiles were all too ready to accept the Jewish tradition as a condition of salvation. Paul states to them, when you accept this tradition, you did not receive it as a revelation of Jesus Christ or from me, but as a tradition of the Jews.

Galatia means "the land of the Gauls", and this book is in response to when Paul's credentials are being called into question by the legalist. This is even common today, in churches that lean strongly to legalism. Paul's message was given to Jew and Gentile alike, as well as to the rulers of the different nations. This is recorded in Acts 9:15, and it also states there that Paul was a chosen vessel.

Acts 9:15 "But the Lord said unto him, "Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:" 

Acts 9:16 "For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake."

The one thing that Paul promotes in this book of Galatians is that we are to take the ceremony out of our teachings, that is concerning Christ. The problem with teaching the law in the form that most churches teach it, is there is no absolutes. With the law comes conditions and variations, where one brother may read it to mean one thing, and which is opposite to another brothers convictions. However when we are in Christ, we have an absolute. Whenever a law is taken to court, or before the deacon board, the decision is not an absolute, but a "precedent", which is a court or board decision that sets an example to be followed in similar cases arising thereafter. In other words it is nothing but an opinion from the mind of man.

The law points to "the way", and the way is Christ. The word "Torah" in the Hebrew tongue, is the word for "the Law". The basic meaning of Torah is "to point to something". That way that the Law points to is Christ, and in Christ there is an absolute. Upon repentance in Jesus name there are no conditions or terms to meet, but you are forgiven completely. This is the root of Paul's teachings.

So with this in mind, we will see in Galatians Paul making his defense of God's Word before those that call themselves scholars of God's Word.

Galatians 1:1 "Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, Who raised Him from the dead;)"

The word "apostle" means "one sent forth" by God. No man appointed Paul to be an apostle for Jesus Christ, but while Paul was on his way to Damascus to kill and bind Christians, God struck him down with a bolt of lightning.

Acts 9:2 "And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem."

Acts 9:3 "And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:"

Acts 9:4 "And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?"

Acts 9:5 "And he said, "Who are Thou, Lord?" And the Lord said, "I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."

Acts 9:6 "And he trembling and astonished said, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?..."

Paul thought he was doing the work of the Lord God, only he was doing the will and work of the religious Kenite leaders. The Kenite religious leaders wanted Christians dead, or out of the way, and that was the work of Paul before he met Jesus Christ. Once Paul met Christ he became a completely changed man, and as the rest of Acts 9 instructs us, it was Jesus Christ that trained Paul to understand the full meaning of the complete law of God as written in the Old Testament.

Paul had the finest training in the Law of that day, as he was educated by Gamaliel, the finest of all scholars in the time of Christ. Paul uses this in letting others know who he is. Acts 22:3 "I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day."

Galatians 1:2 "And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:"

Galatians 1:3 "Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,"

To the "land of the Gauls", the churches of Galatia Paul is extending the grace and peace of God the Father, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:4 "Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:"

These are the reasons that Christ went to the cross; to suffer for our sins, and to deliver us from the evils of this present world age. This shows the kinship that we have with the Father, and in God's Will, which is the Word of God, that way is made very clear. Jesus declared in John 14:6; "Jesus saith unto him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."

Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins for a reason, and that reason is to deliver every soul that will believe on Him and repent of their sins from this evil and wicked world. There is much more to receiving simple salvation than uttering a few words, for once you have repented of your sins, you are then bound to study His Word, and following the instructions written there. To overcome this evil world, you must first overcome the one that rules that world, who is Satan, the devil, the serpent or any of the many roles Satan plays in tripping up mankind.

When you take on the name of Christ [Christian], you also receive the power that comes with your position as one of the sons of God, and you receive that power through the Holy Spirit. We are living in a generation where most living today will face Satan in the form of a man, as he rules as the instead-of-christ. This is why it is essential that each of us know the signs and events of our times so that we will not be deceived when that time comes.

Hebrews 2:14 tells us why Christ came to earth to be born of a woman, He came in the flesh to be crucified that He would destroy Death, which is to say the Devil. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part in the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;" 

When Jesus Christ came out of the grave at His resurrection, both Satan and death were defeated. When Satan's angels left their place of habitation and came to earth, they were called "the dead", just as Satan is called death.

Galatians 1:5 "To Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Once you have repented and become saved, your service to our Heavenly Father has become eternal. When this earth age is over, following the short reign of the false-christ, Satan, Jesus will return and set up His one thousand year Millennium kingdom, and you will be a active part in that kingdom, serving our Savior .

Galatians 1:6 "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:"

Paul was surprised at the Christians in Galatia, for in Paul's absence they listened to these Judaizers and drifted away from the gospel of Christ and back into legalism under the law.

Galatians 1:7 "Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ."

Paul is saying that you are not moving from the gospel of Christ to another gospel, for what you are receiving is no gospel at all. You have completely removed yourself from the truth of God's Word, that points to the correct way. They were teaching that you still needed to obey the complete law, and even the sacrifices of circumcision. They were teaching that the blood letting of the males was still required by the law of God, and that is false. Paul is saying that circumcision is good, but don't put the label of Christianity on it. In Christianity the circumcision is not to the flesh, but to the heart, the mind, and it applies to both men and women. Christ shed His blood for one and all times, for every sin that is repented to the Father in Jesus name. There is no need for any other blood, not one drop, for the price is paid in full. Paul is warning us to watch out for those legalist that would make a religion out of one law [circumcision]. The very existance of the law is to point to Christ, for all these things of the law were nailed to the cross with Christ, and were paid for in full.

Galatians 1:8 "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."

Paul is saying that though he or those that were with him, or even an angel from heaven comes to you with any other gospel then the gospel that Paul preached when he was with them, let them be cursed. Call it to his face, the lie that he is spreading, and curse him for spreading those lies.

Galatians 1:9 "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."

Paul wanted this to be made clear in their minds that he did not have any use for anyone that would pervert, and add to the Gospel of Christ. Those that would tamper with the pure gospel of Christ, after the price has been paid, should be cursed, especially to our generation. There are many today that have changed the Word of God into the traditions set up by men, and have perverted the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:10 "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."

Paul is asking; am I trying to please men or do I try to please God? This is just the way it is; when you become a teacher of God's Word you should strive to teach the true meaning of the Word, even though it will not please most men. As a student of God's Word and as a teacher of God's Word we should always try to please God first. Then if it pleases men also fine, if not, you have been a faithful servant of His Word. In most cases, the things that please men are simply not the truth, and if you love the people, then you are obligated to giving only the truth, for it is only through the truth that the blessings of God will come.

Galatians 1:11 "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man."

Paul swears to you in a legal sense, that the gospel that was given to me on the road to Damascus was of God and not of men.

Galatians 1:12 "For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."

Jesus Christ revealed Himself to Paul, when Paul was struck down and cried out. Acts 9:5 tells us that Jesus Christ told Paul directly that it was He that struck him down, and was going to change his life.

Galatians 1:13 "For ye have heard of my conversation in times past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:"

Paul is reminding the churches at Galatia that it is no secret what his life and position was like when he was following the Jewish religion. Back then Paul was a destroyer of the church of God. Paul never ever did anything half way, it was all or none. Paul was sidetracked by the same scribes and Pharasees that Jesus faced in Matthew 23. They were the Kenites that sat in the seat of Moses, and perverted the Word of God with their traditions of men, that made void the Word of God.

These Kenite leaders were the same ones that killed Jesus for showing their traditions for what they were, nothing but tradition and changed laws from what Moses had taught. Just because the Kenites called themselves by the name of Judah, does not meant that they are, because they are not of any part of the lineage of Abraham, or Jacob, but they are of their father Satan, and are the offspring of Cain, the seed born between that union of Eve and Satan, in the role of the serpent in the garden of Eden.

Galatians 1:14 "And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers."

Paul is reminding them that when he was in the Jewish tradition of these Kenites, he was considered above most of them. Paul was more zealous then any of their followers in following those traditions that the Kenites taught. This is well documented throughout the book of Acts. Remember also that the reason for Paul's complete commitment was that he was educated by the most learned scholar of the Torah of that day.

The Torah is the Old Testament, and that is why Paul was able to express himself in the Old Testament in all of His teachings. In the entire Old Testament it points the way to Christ, to His coming, and suffering, and to His death and resurrection. Every thing that happened, and words that were spoken about Jesus Christ's death and resurrection were given hundreds and thousands of years in advance. It all points the way to our Savior Jesus Christ. Before Paul made that trip to Damascus where he was converted, Paul had all of the teaching of the Torah in his mind, only upon his conversion Jesus revealed the truths of that knowledge to him, through the Holy Spirit. Paul then saw how the entire Old Testament, the Torah, pointed to Jesus Christ who was the way of the Father for us to come back to Him through salvation.

Galatians 1:15 "But when it pleased God, Who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by His grace,"

When did God chose Paul? Before Paul was born and Acts 9:15 declared that Paul was a chosen vessel of God. "But the Lord said unto him [Ananias], "Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:" This is the same as Jeremiah was chosen, even before he entered His mother's womb.

Galatians 1:16 "To reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: "

When Jesus struck Paul down on the road to Damascus, he did not go to speak to any man for instruction. Paul's gospel is directly from the Lord. God didn't just plant the entire Word in Paul's mind because years of deep study placed the word of the Torah in Paul's mind, and the Spirit of God took what was there and gave order and understanding to it. Once the Holy Spirit entered Paul he was able to read those sign posts of the Torah, and know what they were saying.

Galatians 1:17 "Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus."

Paul is telling them that when he became saved, and received the instruction from the Lord, he went right to work preaching the gospel. He did not go back to Jerusalem to receive instruction, for he had all the knowledge necessary.

Galatians 1:18 "Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days."

Paul never went to Jerusalem to see the other apostles until after three years from his conversion on the road to Damascus. We know that this visit was cut short by Paul because of a plot by the Kenite Jews to murder him.

Galatians 1:19 "But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother."

In defending Paul's case, he is saying that he hadn't even talked to any of the other apostles, except for James, one of Jesus half brothers, and the author to the book of James in our Bibles.

Galatians 1:20 "Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not."

Paul is guarantying the churches at Galatia that every thing that he writes to them are direct from the Father, and not from the mouth of any man.

Galatians 1:21 "Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilcia;"

This is all part of Paul's first missionary journey, recorded in Acts 9.

Galatians 1:22 "And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:"

Paul is saying that he had not gone to the churches of Judaea, and he did not know them face to face. Paul knew of each of the apostles by name, but he had never met them, or talked with them until after his first missionary journey and his return to Antioch. Again Paul is stating that what He is teaching them is direct from God; I didn't learn this from any of them.

Galatians 1:23 "But they had heard only, that he which persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed."

You know that every Christian of Paul's day knew of Paul, for he was a terror of the church. In Acts 7 we see that Paul held the coats of those stoning Stephen, and gave the orders to kill him. All of the apostles knew well of Paul and feared him, yet when the conversion of Paul came, the news spread like wildfire. It took a great deal of doing for the church to accept Paul after his conversion, but Christ can do and chose whom ever he wishes.

Galatians 1:24 "And they glorified God in me."

When Paul was converted on the road to Damascus, Christ entered Paul, and part of His Spirit [His Holy Spirit] then dwells within him, just as He does us today. The Holy Spirit is what gives you unction [understanding] when you study the Word, and place it within your mind. It does very little good to read the Word, unless that Holy Spirit of God gives you the ability to relate to, and apply what you are reading.

Remember that Paul was one of the most refined scholars of his day, and the reading of the Torah was already in his mind, so when the Holy Spirit entered into Paul, God became glorified in the mind of Paul. Paul then understood what was meant by being one of the elect, and what the overall plan of God was. He understood who the Kenites were, and how every detail of Christ's life was fore prophesied in the Old Testament. When you understand the Word of God, and the Spirit of God is within you, God is glorified.

The entire word then takes on a new meaning, and Psalm 22 becomes history of the crucifixion, exactly as every other fulfilled prophecy from Genesis, through the book of Daniel, and including all the Minor Prophets. When God's Word is opened to your mind, you crave every part of His holy Word.

GALATIANS Chapter 2

"After Paul's Conversion, in Jerusalem [1-14]."
"Doctrinal Correction, Justification [15-21]."

There are some false brethren in Galatia, and Paul is going to correct them and give instruction to the churches in Galatia as to how to deal with them. After Paul had been there and taught them that discipline that we have in Christ, it seemed that there were many that wanted to put themselves back under the ceremonies of the old laws and customs of the traditions of the Jews. They wanted to follow the old laws, statutes and ordinances as part of their salvation. It just wasn't necessary.

Paul is relating to them that he didn't learn the gospel of Christ from men, but he learned from God Himself. God chose him from before the foundations of this world age. Paul was an exceptional student of God's Word, who studied under one of the greatest scholars of God's Word. In this second chapter of Galatians Paul continues to relate to these churches the authority that he has in preaching God's Word.

Galatians 2:1 "Then fourteen years after, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also."

So we see that fourteen years after that first missionary journey, and Paul's short visit with Peter, they still have these hang-ups of hanging on to the old ways and traditions, and binding the Christians with parts of the old ways. As we look around the church world today many churches are doing the same thing as Paul is addressing here. There are many legalist church doctrines that are accepted as part of the Christianity, and many feel that they just can't let them go. You might call them their security blanket.

Galatians 2:2 "And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain."

To go up by revelation, means that God told Paul to go to Jerusalem, and that also was not an order by man. Paul wanted to tell the leaders of the church at Jerusalem exactly what God had revealed to Him, and explain what he was lead to teach in the gospel to the Gentiles. This was the gospel that Jesus Christ had given him personally after his conversion, and it was important that the other apostles were aware of the reasons for Paul's teachings.

Galatians 2:3 "But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:"

All blood sacrifices, including circumcision were nailed to the cross of Christ. Circumcision was of the Jews of the Old Testament, and in the death of Jesus Christ, all need for blood sacrifices were ended. This is not saying that circumcision is not good if done for health reasons, but don't make it a religious issue, one that is demanded in Christian practices.

Titus was a Gentile, with one of his parents of Israel, and the other a Greek. Even though at this time he was not circumcised, at a latter time he became circumcised. He did it because he felt that it was better to go along with it then to spend the time defending himself when the gospel should be preached.

Galatians 2:4 "And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:"

The "false brethren" is not referring to Peter and James and the rest of the Apostles, but this is talking about those Kenites that were the spies for the religious leaders, and planted there to cause confusion in the Christian community. These religious spies were planted for the sole purpose of bringing the Christians at Jerusalem back into bondage with their old rules, traditions and customs.

The next question is; how do you spy on a man to find out if he is not circumcised? It is obvious that it can only be done in one way, and this should alert you to the type of people that these Kenite fake Christians were.

Galatians 2:5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you."

Paul made it clear that neither he nor Titus or Barnabas listen to these babblings for one moment, that would have brought them under the subjection to the old laws and ordinances.

Galatians 2:6 "But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:"

However those that claimed to be the great men of God, the super preachers tried to sway men to their teaching, but there was not one thing that they added to my teaching of the gospel of Christ. Paul could cite the Torah inside and out, yet these people claimed to be super preachers, and Paul would have nothing to do with their man made regulation. This is even common today, where many so called super preachers like to peddle their legalism, and when it comes to the Word of God, they give out much and yet understand very little of it.

Galatians 2:7 "But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;"

Paul is calling attention that the ceremonial statutes, and blood sacrifices just did not exist any longer. It doesn't matter if you are of the circumcision or uncircumcision, Jew or Gentile, laws governing blood ordinances just doesn't exist any longer since Jesus went to the cross. Now though, these leaders at Jerusalem were beginning to see what Paul's gospel to the Gentiles was all about.

Galatians 2:8 "(For He That wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)"

In other words, the Holy Spirit, the leading of God, and the revelation that Jesus Christ gave to Paul made Paul an apostle of God.

Galatians 2:9 "And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision."

When James, Cepas [Peter], and John came to understand the teaching that Christ had given to Paul, they gave Paul and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, which means their support. They now understood what Paul was teaching, and exactly where Paul's ministry was to go. This then is the start of two separate ministries; Peter and the apostles to the circumcision, the house of Judah, and Paul to the Gentiles, as well as the ten tribes of Israel that had been scattered.

Notice here also that Paul refers to Peter as "Cephas", the name that Jesus Christ called Peter. It is Aramic for the word "rock", and is in reference to John 1:42; "And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, He said, "Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas," (which is by interpretation, A stone.)"

Though there will now be two ministries, both missionary ministries will seek out those that have eyes to see and ears to hear and understand the salvation message of Jesus Christ. God will use each of these men, even though their ministries seem to heading in different directions, the gospel of Jesus Christ of the love of God is still the same, and the offer of forgiveness to those that will believe in Jesus Christ and repent of their sins, there is complete forgiveness for sins, and freedom to those bonds that would hold you down. In every generation there has been a remnant that knew the truth, and who has understood when the Word of God was presented to them.

Galatians 2:10 "Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do."

Paul agreed with the church in Jerusalem that they must always remember the poor, even though Paul would not receive monetary gifts for the preaching of the Word. Paul was a tent maker, and he worked and paid his own way while preaching the Word of God. However, where ever Paul would go he took offerings to send to the poor, who were the Christians locked up in Jerusalem. The Church leaders in Jerusalem are now reminding Paul also to keep up the sending of gifts to help the needy Christians there. The persecution of Christians by the Kenite  religious leaders was the greatest in Jerusalem and to commit your life to Jesus Christ meant a loss of your earthly wealth.

Galatians 2:11 "But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed."

Paul is getting bold here, as he is reminding these Church leaders and apostles what had happened many years ago in Antioch. Paul had arrived in Antioch first, and later Peter came to teach at Antioch with Paul. While Peter was with these converted Gentiles in Antioch, Peter sat down and ate what the Gentiles ate, which was against the Jewish laws and customs.

Galatians 2:12 "For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision."

Then when the church leaders from Jerusalem came up to Antioch, Peter pulled away from these Gentiles and wanted to separated himself from them. Peter was ashamed of having been caught eating food from the Gentile Christians. The problem in the minds of the church leaders from Jerusalem, was that the ceremonial customs of washing were not heeded, and the food itself may not have conformed to the strict methods of preparation required by the old laws. It is not unusual even in our day that when people hold a tradition to be very high, and when the leaders of a church come around, the people will go out of their way to place emphasis that they are keeping that tradition. Even to the point of calling attention to it.

Peter was trying to go with the flow here, and impress his elders, and Paul didn't like it. It is important that you protect your credibility in the community and not cause contention, but don't become a people pleaser. God doesn't like it, and to amount to something, you have to stand for something. This is what discipline in the Word is all about, to know and understand the Word, and stand in what you believe to be right. Peter had a little problem in making that stand when on his own, yet God used that to demonstrate a point to establish Paul's ministry, and allowing the Jerusalem leaders to accept Paul.

When Peter was away from the circumcision of Jerusalem, he did not follow the customs of sprinkling before you wash, and all the other traditional bathing ceremony that came before you ate. It simply didn't matter to him how the food was prepared, or ever what the food was. However, now when they had arrived in Antioch, Peter was back following the traditions with James, and the other Jews. This was not just a matter of washing to be clean for the dinner.

This also was the reason that Jesus Christ was not accepted by the Jewish Leaders when He was on earth during His ministry. They called Him a wine bibber and an eater with the publicans. Many people believe that this does away with the health laws, but the health laws of the Bible are not blood ordinances, they are just common sense of what you should and should not eat. One of the misconceptions of the Gentiles was that they always ate things that were strangled, and that is not always true. Even the Gentiles knew that any time you strangle an animal for eating, that meat will not keep. So basically the majority of peoples bled all animals that they partook of. Today it doesn't matter where you go in the world, all slaughtering operations bleed the animals.

Galatians 2:13 "And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation."

Galatians 2:14 "But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?"

Paul is saying to Peter, lets use a little common sense. Just because you don't want to live as the Gentiles do, why then would you make them conform to your laws and customs. Why are you trying to put our burdens on them?

The prime root to the problem is that no person can be saved by the law through their living. The reason is that we all fall short, and where Christ has given us life and Grace through the washing away of our sins, we have a way of forgiveness open to us. There is only one way that we can find that perfection within us and that is upon repentance, to have Christ blood cleanse us. No Israelite could do this under the law. If you are going to go by the law, and if you break even the least part of the law, then you are condemned as if you have broken them all. It is a matter of all or nothing. There is no salvation or eternal life in the law.

So Paul is asking these Christian leaders in Jerusalem what they are trying to do here, when they are hanging on to the old Jewish customs, and forcing it on the Gentiles.

Galatians 2:15 "We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, "

Galatians 2:16 "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

There was only one entity in the flesh that has ever been justified, and He is Jesus Christ. Though we try and strive to live and maintain the law within us, there comes a time when each of us in the flesh will loose it, and break part of the law. When that happens it is as if you have broken the entire law, in the eyes of God. It is impossible for any one to keep the law, and even to say you are pure within the law is a lie, and breaks the entire law before God.

"Justified" in the Strong's numbered Greek Dictionary is # 1344; "Dikaioo, dik-ah-yo'-o, to render (e.i. show or regard as) just or innocent: free, justified righteous."

We fall short under the law of God's standard, and no one can be justified by the law, which is to say to be made innocent and made perfect by the law. The law is given only to condemn, and that is why we need Christ to obtain salvation. Your perfection must come through your faith in Jesus Christ. That "faith" is to believe on Jesus Christ, that He was the Son of God, and in shedding His blood, He has the power and the love to forgive our sins when we come to that cross in repentance. You come to the cross by knowing in your mind that that is how it is, and believing in your heart and mind that Christ's death on the cross is all that is necessary for the full payment for all your sins.

Jesus Christ was the only perfect one that could die on the cross to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament that God promised would come. Have you ever stopped to think that out of the billions of souls that have ever lived on their earth in the flesh, that there has only been one that was perfect? That one person is Jesus Christ, and He went to the suffering and shame of the cross so that you could have the right to approach your creator, our Heavenly Father and repent and receive eternal life of your soul. Sure the flesh will grow old and in the end die, but the part of you that gives life and feeling to that body of yours will never die when you are under the blood of Christ that was shed on the cross. It is a gift that no one else can offer you, but as a gift it has to be received and you receive your salvation when you repent of your sins, in Jesus name, and accept it. Then by "faith" you let the guilt of those sins go from your mind.

When you accept an apology in the flesh from another, you don't hold contempt for that person anymore, and that is exactly what God is doing for you. When you accept the gift of God, Christ's death on the cross, and you believe in your mind that Christ's blood is all that is necessary for the forgiveness of your sins, God will blot out those sins from the record in heaven that you would be judged.

John 3:16 "God so loved this world [His Children of this world age], that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever shall believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Galatians 2:17 "But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid."

Paul is asking them if we seek to be judged under the mercy that is given us by the blood of Christ, does this mean that Jesus Christ Himself was a minister of sin? No way.

Galatians 2:18 "For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor."

If after Christ paid the price with his blood to remove all the ceremonial blood rituals, such as circumcision, along with many other things, if I destroyed the old ways through my accepting Christ and believing His gospel, then I would make myself a transgressor if I bring those old ceremonies and blood rituals back into my religion. In other words, Christ is either true, or He isn't. Salvation by faith is either true, or it is a lie. You can't have it both ways.

Paul is telling these Church leaders in Jerusalem, that you can't have it both ways, for when you bind the Gentiles by the law then you bring them back under the law, and you make to no avail what Christ did on the cross.

I assure you that it is the truth, Salvation comes only through the blood of Christ when it is accepted and believed in a repented heart before the Heavenly Father.

Galatians 2:19 "For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God."

The law would make us all dead in the end because we all fall short of God's laws. When those evil thoughts pop into your mind from time to time, that is your flesh trying to take control of you, mind and soul. What do you do with them? Have you ever yielded to any of those thoughts? When you yield to even one of them, you have broken the entire law. Do you see now, why we need the blood of Christ, for when one of those thoughts causes us to react, we sin and that sin needs to be repented in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Father. This is why repentance needs to be a regular thing while we are in the flesh, for as long as your life is in your flesh body, those thoughts will come, and cause you to do and say things that are against God's law. Many times our jealousy and pride take hold before we can get them under control, and we say and do things that later we know we should not have.

This is the freedom that you have in Christ, that when you repent you are freed from the guilt of those sins, and are assured that God will not remember them nor judge you for them either. It is a gift from our Heavenly Father just to you. Remember that God can read your thoughts and you can't hide anything from Him, so don't try. You just can't make it under the law, don't try. It is only through repentance and the perfection that is in Christ is their forgiveness and eternal life.

Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me."

I was crucified with Christ when I was baptized in the death burial and resurrection of Christ, and through Christ I live. Yet I will never live a perfect life in the flesh, but while I am living in the flesh, I will live by my faith in the Son of God who is Jesus Christ. Jesus thought enough of you and me that he shed His blood on the cross, whereby when we do fall short, with Christ in us, Our Heavenly Father will forgive us.

In the flesh we are week, but in believing in the death burial and resurrection of Christ, and the shedding of His blood, and by inviting Him into your heart, mind body and soul, at least we will have a little perfection about us. Our Heavenly Father is offering eternal life to each of us just for making the step of accepting His Son as the covering for our sins.

Galatians 2:21 "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain."

Paul is saying that he does not want to make this sound confusing, but if you will take up all those old ceremonies, and blowing your pride and calling yourselves perfect through your following of those old laws and customs, then you have made the righteousness in Christ dead and vain.

Don't make your circumcision, and the health laws part of religion, and tie it to your salvation, but use common sense and see them for what they are. They were given to keep you healthy while you are living in the flesh, and those things of the law have nothing to do with your salvation. All the blood that can ever be shed for salvation has already been shed when the Kenite Jews sent Christ to the cross for the perfect sacrifice. If you are going to bring all of the legalism back into your faith and religion, and feel that you must keep the law for salvation, then you are not going to make it. It is one or the other; Christ's shed blood on the cross, or keeping of the whole law. In placing yourself under any part of the law for salvation, you are making Christ to die in vain.

If your church today is not teaching about the Kenite, those that claim to be of our brother Judah, and are not, but are of the Synagogue of Satan, and making that very clear, you had better be on guard. God's Word backs it up over and over, then you are not in a church that God is pleased with. It is absolute and it doesn't take a very intelligent person reading Revelation chapters two and three to understand that. So be careful as to how you allow people to lead you, that you are not led by these false brethren into false doctrine. You are betting your eternal life on what you accept to be the truth and follow. In most cases today your betting your eternal life on their system. Even in the Jerusalem Church mixed amongst the Apostles that Paul was addressing here were these Kenites that would spy out the true believer in Christ, and try to bring them back under the subjection of their laws and traditions.

Keep in mind as you attend any denominational church house today. There is not one Church denomination that teaches what the founders of that denomination taught. Each one has varied to different degrees, and some have changed to a complete 180 degree change, to head in the exact opposite direction for their church system. Think for yourself, and let the Word of God be your final instruction, and study your Father's Word because Christ did not die in vain.

GALATIANS Chapter 3

"Abraham and His Seed." 

Galatians 3:1 "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?"

Paul did not try to soft peddle the Word of God to men, he said what was on His mind. Paul is asking the Galatian Christians; Who has bewitched you into the ceremonial religion? He is telling them, you understood the death of Christ when I taught it to you, why have you allowed someone to come into your churches and allow them to do this to you?

Galatians 3:2 "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"

Paul is saying, let me ask you this one question? Paul had taught them that they received the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit by the hearing of faith in Jesus Christ, and now he wants them to answer this question back to him. Did you receive the Spirit of God by ceremonial law, the dos and don't of the law, or was it by your hearing of Christ on the cross paying the price, where by in repentance you are forgiven?

Galatians 3:3 "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"

Are you so senseless whereby having begun in the Spirit in the perfect way, are you now made perfect by the flesh? Are you now made perfect through all those bad thoughts that you receive from time to time? Of course any time you break any part of the law, you have broken all the law and you have flunked, you are back under the law. Paul is asking the Galatians, are you so foolish that you would go back to legalism? All forms of legalism was nailed to the cross with Christ, and Colossians 2 tells us all of the things that were nailed to the cross with Christ.

Be a realist for a moment. All flesh dies and decays, the inner man, the soul and spirit returns to our Heavenly Father upon death, so flesh is not going to save anyone. When anyone comes to you and tries to teach that the flesh will, they are trying to pull you back into their legalistic false doctrine, the doctrine of the Kenites, and their father Satan. We do not need to respect any day over another to be in the will of God, because Christ became our Passover. We respect Jesus Christ every day of the year, and every moment of every day. Any time we fall short of His Word, that is the time to repent in Jesus name, and all of those sins are gone from us. We are made perfect through the blood of Christ upon repentance, and not by any act, word or deed under any part of the law. Christ became our Passover when His blood was shed on the cross and that is enough for all the sins of every soul that will repent. Don't let anyone add one thing to this or you have made the entire gift of God void to you.

Galatians 3:4 "Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain."

Paul is telling these Galatians, are you going to throw the entire works of Jesus Christ away? I can hardly believe it. You are going to throw away the entire effect of the gospel, and that is so senseless and foolish of anyone to expect any part of your flesh to save you. Paul is saying, I just can't believe you would be so foolish.

God loves you, and wants you to use His Word as your authority, and that in itself can cause certain people a great deal of harm, when they are uneducated in His Word. This is because if they take an expression literally, they could make a fool out of themselves, or even cause harm to themselves. This is why it is important for us to educate ourselves in the Word, and know the times and ways when the Word was written to rightly divide the Word of God. Have the right tools to help you understand the figures of speech, the idioms, and correct meaning of the words being used.

Jesus himself used idioms in expressing his instructions in what shall happen in the final days of this earth age, when Satan is cast out of heaven in Luke 10:19 "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Satan is the serpent, and his offspring through Cain are the locusts the Bible tells us are doing their grandfather, Satan's evil deeds in these -last days; like infiltrating our so-called Christian churches and publishing houses; corrupting the Scriptures being taught. and printed,  Jesus was telling us, His disciples to take power over Satan, and his Kenite children in that day. The scorpions are the fallen angels that will also be thrown out of heaven by Michael, and be here on earth during that time. Jesus wants you to take power and authority over Satan, the Kenites and the fallen angels, and this has nothing to do with any snake in the woods, for that snake in the woods has never read the word of God. You fool with those snakes and they will bite you.

This instruction by Jesus had nothing to do with religion, but many people have died from snake bites trying to prove their salvation, using this passage. Learn to use the right tools of the Word, and try to understand what the true meanings of what God is trying to tell you.

This is repeated in Mark 16:18; "They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." To take the deadly drink was a saying, such as "painting the town red", drinking poison was in reference to your character, that it would withstand any poisonous test. The poison that would come from the serpent, the Kenite. It is in reference to the spiritual, and not the literal act. Yet many people have died in religious services drinking their poisons to prove their salvation.

Legalism will do the same thing to you, and it is very sad to be in ignorance of God's Word, and try to follow it blindly not knowing the true meanings. Our Father loves you very much, and when you believe the the Word is telling you to do something that would harm you, your common sense should tell you that you just don't understand the true meaning of the passage.

Galatians 3:5 "He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth He it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith."

Paul is telling the Galatians to stop and think. When there was a miracle performed by Jesus or one of the prophets or apostles, do you think that those miracles were done by the law? No, miracles happen under the works by the faith of the one administering the miracle. Paul is asking did the law perform the miracle, or the Holy Spirit of God, acting by the hearing of faith?

The law is the law, and it has never performed any miracle. When a miracle happens it is the touch of God, it is the Holy Spirit of God that accomplishes the miracle.

Galatians 3:6 "Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."

The law that was given through Moses over four hundred years after Abraham died. However, Abraham by faith was accounted righteous by God. The most fierce test of Abraham's faith and love for God was when he was going to take his seed, Isaac and offer him on an altar to God for a sacrifice. Abraham knew that God promised him and Sarah that through Isaac would come nations and peoples so numerous as the sands of the seas, and the stars in the heavens. So when Abraham offered Isaac, he actually believe that God would give him back to him to fulfill His promise. This act was accounted to Abraham for righteousness by God.

Genesis 22:1 "And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, "Abraham:" and he said, "Behold, here I am."
Genesis 22:2 "And He said, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of."
Genesis 22:3 "And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him."
When Abraham followed through with what God had told him to do, and had actually raised the knife to slay Isaac, God stopped him, and provided the ram to offer in Isaac's place.
Genesis 22:7 "And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, "My father:" and he said, "Here am I my son." And he said, "Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
Genesis 22:8 "And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering:" so they went both of them together."
Genesis 22:9 "And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood."
Genesis 22:10 "And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son."
Genesis 22:11 "And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham:" and he said, "Here am I."
Genesis 22:12 "And He said, "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me."
Abraham knew that through Isaac would come the true Messiah, and the uncountable numbers of children and nations that would come from Isaac. Abraham knew without a doubt that if God wanted a sacrifice, He would prepare one for him.
Genesis 22:13 "And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son."
Genesis 22:14 "And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen."
"Jehovah-jireh" in the Hebrew tongue means "Jehovah will see, or provide". Abraham had the faith in God to know that He would provide a way, that God's will would be fulfilled. When God made promises to Abraham, Abraham acted on those promises knowing that they would all be kept. When God asked for a sacrifice in Isaac after God had already stated that through Isaac would come kings and nations, and seed that would number as the stars of the heaven, though it did not make sense to Abraham, by faith he followed God request.

Galatians 3:7 "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham, "

When you have the faith of God, and in Jesus Christ, then you also come under the same faith and promises that Abraham came under. You become a child of that promise.

Galatians 3:8 "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, "In thee shall all nations be blessed."

This is a bad translation, for it should read that "God would justify the Gentile through faith". It is aimed a unbelieving Gentiles that would come to believe on Jesus Christ and by faith repent of their sins. "Nations" in the plural, can never be referred to Israel, the twelve tribes. The word "Nation" is "ethnos" in the Greek, or Gentiles. They are the nations not of Jacob, nor of the houses of Israel [the Christian nations], or the house of Judah [the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and part of the Levi]. Through the Christian nations and the Israelites all of the other nations on the face of the earth will be blessed.

Galatians 3:9 "So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham."

Again, Abraham's faith was before the law. So you can look back to Abraham and see that all the nations of the world will be blessed. All the people of the world are blessed because Christ came through the seed of Abraham, Abraham's offspring. Every person on the face of the earth that is blessed by faith in Jesus Christ, is blessed because of Abraham's faith.

Galatians 3:10 "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them."

Deuteronomy 27:26 tells us that the law simply cannot carry you through, where you break one part of the law, you break all the law.
" 'Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them.' And all the People shall say, 'Amen'." The entire Torah, or the law pointed toward Christ's coming, and that upon His death on the cross would come full salvation. It is in Christ that all blessings flow out to all ethnic peoples that would by faith believe in Him and repent of their sins. It is in Christ that the curse is removed from you.

The curse is to live in and under a set of rules and regulations whereby you could never obtain salvation. That would be unfair to anyone placed in that situation, and our Heavenly Father is not unfair. As we read in I Peter 3:18-20; upon Christ death he went all the way back to the beginning and preached to them, that they also could receive the truth, and be saved. Then upon His resurrection, Jesus Christ brought all those souls that would believe with Him to paradise.

I Peter 3:18 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

I Peter 3:19 "By which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison,"

I Peter 3:20 "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water."

Noah means the beginning, and Christ went back to all souls that existed on this earth and preached to each of them that they might have the same opportunity that you and I have today.

Galatians 3:11 "But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, "The just shall live by faith."

There is not one of us perfect, and the only way that the just can live is by faith in Jesus Christ. This verse, "The just shall live by Faith", comes from Habakkuk 2:4; "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: But the Just shall live by his faith". There was only one from the seed of Abraham that accomplished perfection in all parts of His life, and He is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The rest of us must live by faith in Christ, that upon repentance our sins are forgiven, and then we are justified or made right before the Father. We become perfect because Christ paid the price for us. So from this, all peoples and nations become blessed through Christ.

Galatians 3:12 "And the law is not of faith: but, "The man that doeth them shall live in them."

If you are going to make your doctrine one of legalism, and you build the doctrine on one of the laws specifically, then you have lost before you have started. This is because under legalism, when you separate one law over another, and hold one in higher stature then all others, when you have broken say the tithing law, or say one of the health laws, you have also broken that law that you hold dear. When you have broken one of the laws, you have broken all of the laws. The same goes for holding one doctrine of Christ teaching higher then another, for in the eyes of God they all are equal. This is why our life should be guided by faith, and our eyes set on all of His Word, and when we fall short we should repent of those sins we know we have failed in, as well as those sins that we have overlooked, or even committed in ignorance.

If you establish your church doctrine on one point of the law, and within your congregation you condone the breaking any part of the others, that is the end to your right-standing before God of that church. You will not receive the blessings of God, because no one can keep them all. The law and the commandments are good, and there is not one part of the law that is not good, but the law was given as a schoolmaster to show each of us that we simply cannot live by the law, and its purpose was to point to the cross of Christ, which is the only way for perfection.

Galatians 3:13 "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"

This is recorded in Deuteronomy 21:23 "His body shall not remain all night upon a tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance."

God knew that we could not keep all the law, and that is why He sent His only begotten Son so that when we did fall short, we would have that forgiveness through repentance from all of our sins. Remember back in Isaiah 53:4 "Surely He hath borne our grief's, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted."

Isaiah 53:5 "But He was wounded for out transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed."

Christ took the stripes so that we could be healed both physically and spiritually. He did it all because He loves each of His children. God created us and He knows all of our limits, and that is why He provided a way for us when we fall.

Isaiah 53:6 "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord [the father] hath laid on Him [Jesus Christ] the iniquity [sins] of us all."

Had Christ not died on the cross for us, then every living being that had ever lived in the flesh would be sentenced to death in hell fire. This is why God allowed the office of Messiah under the law, because without faith under the law every soul from the beginning of time would be dead in hell after the final judgment, because no one could live by the law and keep it to perfection.

Galatians 3:14 "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."

What Paul is stating is that all races can receive the promise of the Holy Spirit through their faith, which is their belief in Jesus Christ, and their repentance to the Father in Christ name. The subject here is "peoples" and when "we" is used it means more then one race or peoples. We discussed this earlier, where God promised this blessing that would come through his Seed to all the races. To be blessed by Christ, means that He will forgive them of all of their sins upon repentance. You can repent and have that forgiveness, just for the asking.

Galatians 3:15 "Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto."

Paul is saying that a contract is a contract, even in man's way of doing business. God has made a contract with us, and in that contract He has made many promises, and those promises are written down for you in His Word. This contract has guaranteed you eternal life, however for it to be confirmed and received on your part, you have to have the faith to receive it. You do that by believing in Jesus Christ, and allowing Christ's blood to pay the price for your sins, just for stating them before the Father in Jesus name. Even though man can not be counted on to keep his promises, When God makes a promise and He even placed it in a written contract, the Bible, you can count on Him to fulfill that promise.

Galatians 3:16 "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, "And to seeds, as many; but as of one, "And to thy Seed," Which is Christ."

God did not give up Israel for the sake of the rest of the peoples and nations, but He allowed all others the same opportunity as Israel, to be saved and well blessed through Christ.

Romans 11 tells us that for the sake of the Gentiles, the nation of Israel [all the tribes] would be blinded to the truth and would stumble. Their stumbling was not for the sake that they would fall, but that through their falling the remnant, which is God's elect would be able through Christ to be grafted into the tree of life, which is Jesus Christ.

When you read in Revelation 21:24: "And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it."

"Nations" in the Greek is "ethnos" and is where our word "ethnic" comes from. These ethnic peoples are in the eternal age, after the Millennium and the Judgment and all evil has left the earth. This is concerning the nations blessed by Abraham's Seed. We see that there are kings of the nations, of the different races that are part of the eternal age. This gives absolute proof that there will be people amongst the Gentiles that do have eyes to see and ears to hear, and that will believe in Jesus Christ, and will be saved. These kings will become the election of their people that they will become kings in the eternity, under the King of kings. Each of the different peoples will have their own king, as well as Christ, only Israel will have only one king and He is Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:17 "And this say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect."

In other words, it was 430 years after the covenant of God with Abraham, that the law came into being. That law given to Moses simply cannot disallow, or make to no effect the promise that God gave to Abraham. That promise was that in his Seed, that Seed is Christ, would the whole world [all races] be blessed.

Galatians 3:18 "For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise."

If that covenant promise was by the law then there would be conditions to the promise, however the the promise that God gave to Abraham was given by faith. Those promises by God to Abraham were covenant promises that could not be broken. It is only by faith that the blessing of eternal life can be had, and the only way to receive it is by believing in Christ, and claiming His blood to blot out their sins before the Father through repentance.

The next question that should enter your mind is, why would God give us the law that would curse us and kill us and condemn us to hell fire?

Galatians 3:19 "Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgression, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator."

Why then was the law given, if it was sent 430 years after the promise of the Messiah? The law was given because of the transgressions of the people, before the Seed would come unto those Israelites, the people to whom the promise was made. Moses was the mediator that went up into the mountain to receive the law from the angels of God. God and the Holy Spirit was present Himself, and spoke to Moses, and Moses then became the mediator between man and God because the people could not see God.

If you stop and think for a moment why the people needed a mediator, stop and think what the people were doing when Moses was up on the mountain. Even Moses' own brother, Aaron the head Levite was in the process of making a golden calf, and changing their entire religion from the True God, to idolatry in the form of a calf made of gold. Just a few days after the departure of Moses, the people turned to idolatry. God had to establish a mediator between Himself and the people to pass the law on to them. The law requires a middle man, a priest who is the mediator. The law was given as a guide to regiment the peoples life. Aside from the law, you do not need a mediator, when you have faith in God your Heavenly Father you can go directly to Him without going through the middle man. That is how faith works.

Galatians 3:20 "Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one."

So without a mediator, God is one, and when we are in Christ, we are also one with God.

Galatians 3:21 "Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law."

When the people were transgressing against God, and in their ignorance they did not understanding of the promises of God, so what God did is give them written orders and rules as to how to live their lives. God gave them the promise, but they kept messing up, such as making a golden calf, and all sorts of orgies. These people had seen the Red sea open and had been fed with manna from heaven, yet they still were blinded to the love of our Heavenly Father.

Galatians 3:22 "But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe."

These written orders have shown that all mankind will fail to the rules that God had given Moses. There would be not one living soul in the flesh, except for the promised one that could fulfill all the laws of God. Out of all those that are trying to keep the law, and when they see that they simply can't keep the law, they would come to see that Christ was given to fulfill that promise. That promise is that by faith in Jesus Christ, through your repentance salvation would come to all them that would believe.

Galatians 3:23 "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed."

All those souls that lived before the coming of Messiah were kept under the law, until the Jesus Christ came and died on the cross. This is how the law pointed to Jesus Christ who is the Messiah.

Galatians 3:24 "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster. to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."

The "schoolmaster" is one that teaches people, and the law was given to teach us what God expected from us. The commandments and the rules taught the people until Christ came to earth and hung on the cross. After Christ hung on the cross, the law was not destroyed, but the guidelines that existed before the coming of Jesus Christ are just as true today as they were then, only now when we fall short of the law, we can go directly to God for our forgiveness. God required blood sacrifices for the temporary covering for sin, and before Jesus died on the cross, His blood became our sacrifice, and all of the blood sacrifices and ordinances were done away with because they were fulfilled in Christ

Galatians 3:25 "But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster."

We are not justified by law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Now instead of the law becoming our schoolmaster, we have the Holy Spirit that does the same work as the law of Moses. However the Spirit of God is far more gentle, loving, and He is our comfort in times of need.

Galatians 3:26 "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus."

God created every race and every soul is one of His children. Through Christ every soul has the right to come to God in repentance and receive eternal life, if they have that faith.

Galatians 3:27 "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

When you were submerged in baptism, you were baptized into the death, burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. By making that public statement, you recognized that your sins were covered by the blood of Christ, and you are accepting that blood for the covering of all your sins. In doing so, you name them one by one to the Father, and then you let them go from your mind. To hang on to the guilt is to say that Christ's blood was not sufficient for your sins, and place yourself under the law again. It doesn't matter what sin you have committed, the Blood of Christ is sufficient to cover all sins, only you have to have the faith to accept that forgiveness, and release yourself from that guilt.

Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

We are all one body, in faith in Jesus Christ that have eternal life.

Galatians 3:29 "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

There is a condition here now, and that condition is that you must believe in Christ and have faith to accept His promises that once you repent, your sins will be forgiven. When you have that faith, then you receive and can count on all the promises that He has made to us, for you and I become heirs to every promise in His Word. Friend, you can count on it.

Though it makes us one in Christ, it still does not make us all of one race. This is not a racist statement, for in the Millennium age, as well as the eternity each soul of the ethnos remains of his own people, and Israel also remain of Israel, only in this age of the flesh we become one in the many membered body of Christ. Paul addressed this in Romans 12.

Romans 12:4 "For we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:"

Romans 12:5 "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another."

Romans 12:6 "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;"

There would not be so many problems in the world today amongst the races, if people would understand this. God has a purpose for Israel, just as He has a purpose for all the Gentile peoples. Those purposes are written into the Word of God. However in eternal life, we all become one with Christ, possessing the promise which is the subject here, of the blessings of God.



GALATIANS Chapter 4

"ILLUSTRATION, and Interpretation." 

Paul is addressing the churches in Galatia, and answering the challenge by false brethren that have slipped into their churches. It is no doubt that these were Kenites that are questioning Paul's credentials, because of the attention that Paul is giving to them. Paul is alerting these churches to be on guard against turning back to the old ways, the traditions that had developed through the law.

Law has never performed a miracle, yet by faith all miracles are possible. In law, there are no absolutes, law requires two or more men to determine the meaning of the law. Then from this you never get an absolute meaning, but what you get is "law by precedent", which is a court decision that sets an example to be followed in similar cases arising thereafter. In the Scriptures, the Torah, which is the law, points to Christ the Messiah, and to the new Covenant. In Christ you do have an absolute.

We know that all men will fall short of the law given by God, so men have created their own standards to live by that they feel comfortable with and those standards created by men are called "traditions of men". Paul is urging the Galatians to close their minds to these Kenites that have come in to bring them back under the law, and continue to follow the absolute, which is Jesus Christ. There is absolute forgiveness through the cross of Christ. Paul is asking them why would you ever want to turn back to the law when you have already been set free from the law.

Galatians 4:1 "Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;"

This has a two fold meaning. Remember the parable that Jesus gave concerning the heir that was sent to the vineyard, after many servants were sent, and they killed the heir also. You see in the first advent Christ did come as a servant. He came as a child born in a cave, and in innocence during the law period. He lived the perfect life, yet He did not receive His credentials as King, yet He even called Himself a servant.

On the earthly level, it doesn't matter if an earthly king has a son, for that son is no better then a servant until he grows and matures into adulthood, where he is able to take over the head, or the kingship.

Galatians 4:2 "But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father."

The son remains in the servant position until the appointed time of the father, who is the king. The son remains under the tutors and governors until the king steps down and turns over the authority to him. Remember the subject is that the law was a schoolmaster, and we were the children under that schoolmaster until Christ came to pay the price.

Galatians 4:3 "Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:"

When you were a child of the world, you were trained under the elementary rules of the world.

Galatians 4:4 "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law,"

When the appointed time came, our Heavenly Father sent forth His Son Jesus Christ to be born of a woman. At Christ birth, the world was under the law, the Torah, given to Moses by God. Though we, like Christ were born of woman, there was a great difference, for in the life of all mankind we fall short of that law, yet in the thirty three years that Jesus Christ lived and walked on this earth, He fulfilled every part of the law. He was made under the law, and He kept the law which made him the only perfect sacrifice for the sins committed under the law. The reason that Christ came in the flesh is to show us that God did not ask us to do something that was impossible.

Galatians 4:5 "To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

The law is not bad but it is good, for what the law does is shows man's inability to keep the law. The law is just as important today as it was in Moses day, for when you break the law you suffer the consequences. If you steal you pay the price of a thief, and when you do murder, you will suffer the penalties under the law. In fact, the law even sets the standards for Christians, and governs our moral standards. The ten commandments are only part of the law.

So while under the law, you cannot be perfect because the law shows your shortcomings and sins, however to become an adopted son or daughter of God, you have to be clean. The law will not do that for you. Every soul is a child of God, however to be adopted into the kingdom of God, and an heir to the throne of God you have to become perfect. Under the law it doesn't matter how many sacrifices you make, you still fall short of perfection.

When Christ was formed under the law, He opened the door to redemption where all souls can come to the Father.

Galatians 4:6 "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying "Abba, Father."

"The Spirit of His Son" is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is Christ's Spirit. It is only when you have the Holy Spirit of Christ within you that you can call our Heavenly Father, your Father.

Galatians 4:7 "Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son: and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."

There is no difference in adoption, as far as the Heavenly Father is concerned as far as entering the kingdom. There are position and places in the kingdom, and they shall be exactly as it is written in Revelation 21.

Galatians 4:8 "Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods."

"You did service" meaning you were in bondage to them. As you did the things of the world, you and the world even thought that those things were all right.

Galatians 4:9 "But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?"

Paul is telling these Galatians that I was with you once and gave you freedom from that bondage of the beggarly elements of the law, and now you want to go back to them. Think of how frustrating that was to Paul. To give these people the freedom through the redemption of Jesus Christ, and then they allow the legalist to slip in and undermine the gospel of Christ, and put them back under the bondage of the law.

Peter refers to this in II Peter 2:22; "But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, "The dog is turned to his own vomit again", and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." I think that you can see the disgust that Paul has for the thought of these Galatians returning to the bondage of the law.

This is happening even today in the Christian Churches, where many of them are placing themselves back under the law. The law is not bad, but placing yourself under the law for your salvation, is to place yourself back under the bondage of the law.

Galatians 4:10 "Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years."

You make a religion out of special days, and months, and times and years, when you should have Christ to worship. God's time came and was set, and when it came, Christ was born into the world. The time was set in the book of Daniel when Christ would come. Those 490 days were outlined in Daniel 9:24-27 are set times and days and years of the Lord.

Daniel 9:24 "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy People and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy."

Seventy weeks of years equals 490 years, and the time started when Nehemiah went back to rebuild the streets and the walls of Jerusalem. From that date it would be 290 years to the second coming of Christ, however there is a Gap between the sixty ninth year and the seventieth week of these years.

Daniel 9:25 "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times."

It is interesting that when you take seven weeks, the threescore and two weeks, you have sixty nine weeks of years, and when you apply the Jewish calendar to the Gregorian calendar that we follow, to the day it falls on palm Sunday which is the only time when our Lord Jesus Christ was recognized as the true Messiah. This event is recorded in Matthew 21:9; "And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is He That cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest."

Daniel 9:26 "And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined."

Back in those days these times and days and years meant nothing to the Jews, for they could not see that it was God's timetable right on course. There is a gap between before the final seven years take place in this prophecy, and in those seven years Satan will rule and deceive the people of the entire earth. The flood that he comes in with is a flood of lies and deceptions that come from his mouth.

Daniel 9:27 "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.' "

When Jesus was telling His disciples what it would be like just before His return to earth, He referred back to Daniel 9:27 in Matthew 24:15; "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)"

This is the times that Satan and his fallen angels will rule the earth and only God's elect will have the seal of the truth in their minds to stand against Satan. God has His set times, and He has allowed us to understand the times that we are in through the prophecies written in His holy Word by the prophets of old.

When Christ was nailed to the cross, all those weak and beggarly elements of rules placed on man by the law were nailed to the cross with Him. This doesn't mean that you should not follow those laws, but when you fall short in following them, there is forgiveness through your repentance to the Father in Jesus name.

Galatians 4:11 "I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain."

Paul is saying, I am afraid for you, because I may have wasted my time on you. Paul came down to Galatia and started churches preaching the truth, and you received the truth gladly. Then when I left you allowed these legalist, these hypocrites to come in and put you back into bondage. They tell you that you must do this on a certain day, and conform to their laws or you are out of God's will, and you run off and believe them.

When you pick one of those laws, or set yourself under one of those days, you have placed yourself back under the law and made the cross of Christ void for you. Once you have accepted one of these days, aside from the freedom that we have in Christ, you have placed yourself under every one of them. If you then fail in just one of those laws you are a lost soul, and nobody, except for Christ Himself can keep all of the law. Most people today know very little of the law, out side of the ten commandments, yet when they place themselves under any part of the law, they are under the entire law.

Let every day be to Christ, and when you fall short, that is the time to ask forgiveness. You are skating on thin ice when you start to set up days and times as holy over others, and select certain laws over others. Do not go back to the sows wallow, or the dogs vomit, and try to make it on law, for it just can't be done. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing to people.

Galatians 4:12 "Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all."

Paul is letting these people know that He is an Israelite just as they were, for they were of the House of Israel, offspring of part of the ten tribes that were scattered prior to 722 B.C. Paul is telling them that by their going back under the law, there is no damage to him at all regardless what they do.

Galatians 4:13 "Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first."

Paul is reminding them of the weakness that he had when he was there preaching to them, they could see it. Some believe that it was in his sight, because of the fact that Luke did much of His writing.

Galatians 4:14 "And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus."

When I came there to preach to you, you paid no attention to my infirmity as I presented the gospel to you. When I was there you received me with open arms, and you could not do enough for me.

Galatians 4:15 "Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me."

Paul asks, where then are all those words of admiration that you gave to me when I was there. With the love that you showed for me, if it would have been ossible with my weak eyes, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. Now where is that great love that you once knew once you heard of the the freedom that was given to you through Christ.

You can always tell the legalist by the the way that they take the offering, many of them like to pass the plate two or three times, and try to keep you all tied up in knit-picking of little laws and traditions. They don't think of your soul, but use your soul to get to your bank account. Look out for them.

Galatians 4:16 "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?"

Galatians 4:17 "They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them."

Paul is saying that all they can talk about is their days, customs, tradition, and points of the law. They exclude you from the true gospel so that you will listen to them and become their servants. They take you away from the gospel of Jesus Christ when they place any form of legalism on you. Do you want to be a bond servant to them and support them and their way?

Galatians 4:18 "But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you."

Paul is urging the Galatians to be zealous for the gospel of Christ all the time, and not just when he is around. Our Heavenly Father is with us every moment of every day, and He is the one that you should be zealous in your faith for.

Galatians 4:19 "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,"

Paul was very hard on these people, but in his love for them, Paul comes back very tenderly. Paul is telling them that he hurts for them, much in the same travail that a woman has when giving birth. Though the pain is there, also is the happiness for them as a mother looks towards here new child. I don't know if Paul really knew how labor pains are, for no man can have that experience, yet I'm sure it hurt Paul a great deal to see the turn that the churches at Galatia were taking.

Paul birthed these churches into Christianity, and the gospel of Christ and this is why Paul would call them his little children. Spiritually that is exactly what they were.

Galatians 4:20 "I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you."

To "change my voice", is to change the tone of the voice from being stern and corrective to the soft loving voice of one who cares.

Galatians 4:21 "Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

Paul is asking those that say they want to be back under the law, "Don't you understand what being under the law means?"

Galatians 4:22 "For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman."

Of course these two sons are Ishmael, by Hagar, and Isaac by his wife Sarah. Ishmael would become the Arab countries of the world, while Isaac would became Israel, and Esau would become Russia.

Galatians 4:23 "But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise."

The bond woman was Hagar and her son was Ishmael. Isaac was born to Sarah many years after her childbearing years, by the promise that God gave to her and Abraham. Abraham was one hundred years old, and Sarah was ten years younger. She was too old to give birth physically, yet God gave her a son. This is why Isaac was a child of promise.

Galatians 4:24 "Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is A'-gar." 

This is the commandments and laws that were given on that mountain. The other covenant was God's promise to Abraham, and it was Abraham's faith that God counted as righteousness.

Galatians 4:25 "For this A'-gar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children."

What God gave to Moses on mount Sinai is the law, and both, the children of Hagar, and those that live in Jerusalem are in bondage to that law.

Galatians 4:26 "But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all."

But the Jerusalem that is from above, that Jerusalem that Christ would bring back with Him, is free. That Jerusalem comes when Jesus Christ returns as King of kings, and Lord of lords to reign on the earth. You can play games in the law, and you can play games with old Jerusalem, but the new Jerusalem is coming very shortly. Christ brings it with Him, and it will be established in the same place as the old Jerusalem.

Jesus talked about this time in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, where He stated that a time is coming where this temple and city will be completely destroyed, and there will not be one stone left on top of another. Then later I will bring another down and set it right where the old was sitting. Jerusalem is your habitation of peace, and it is from above and it is free. There is no bondage attached to it. You can not be part of that city and still be attached in any way to the bondage of legalism. You are free only because of your faith in God, and your acceptance of His way, which is Christ Jesus.

Galatians 4:27 "For it is written, "Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she that hath husband."

This is quoting from Isaiah 54:1 "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, "saith the Lord."

You have to understand the prophecy of Isaiah 54 before you can understand what Paul was talking about. This is prophecy of the end times, and being barren means that they who were the elect, were not taken by in the wrong marriage, and become part of the bride of the instead-of-christ. They knew that the false Christ, Satan the as the spurious messiah, would come first, and they were not taken by him. We are to remain barren to the very end.

Isaiah 54:2 "Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen they cords, and strengthen thy stakes;"

This means we are to make our tent much bigger, because under salvation the barren [those of faith] shall have more children then all. When you have faith, and believe on His Son.

Isaiah 54:3 "For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited."

Isaiah 54:4 "Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more."

When Satan returns and most of the people are whoring after him, the false-christ then they will curse you for taking a stand. Most of the Christian world will not have the eyes to see what they are doing, and they will believe that Satan is Christ, the true Messiah returned for them. We are in widowhood because our husband died on the cross, and He has ascended into heaven. We rejoice because we know there is a time coming very shortly when He shall return, and we know exactly when that shall be.

The entire world will not claim to be a widow, for they will run to their husband upon his coming to earth. We read in Revelation 18:7 "How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, 'I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.' " That old church system sitting up there along with the false-christ making her claim that she is not a widow, but a queen, as she goes whoring after Satan and his system.

Isaiah 54:5 "For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called."

It is God the creator of all things that is our husband, not Satan the fake.

Isaiah 54:6 "For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God."

This is why there is a wife and a bride mentioned in Revelation 19. There was a wedding a long time ago, in the first earth age, and the wife of that wedding are God's elect that were justified.

Those that live by faith know that the law is our teacher and keeps us out of trouble. When you break one of those laws, you are going to repent quickly or you are going to pay. God provided the way for us through faith in His Son can escape the curse that is under the law.

Galatians 4:28 "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise."

When you accept Christ and sin, there is absolute forgiveness when you repent from the heart. That forgiveness come because of God's promise to you. You become children of that promise when you are in Christ.

Galatians 4:29 "But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now."

This is even very common today, where those that try to follow legalism try to drag all the other Christians into their church. They take one of the commandments of laws of God, and they try to build a religion around it. They overlook the fact that when they put one commandment over another, they bind themselves to them all, and are then under the bondage of the law and not of faith. In doing this you have separated yourself from Christ, and without Christ thee is no forgiveness.

Galatians 4:30 "Nevertheless what saith the Scripture? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman."

This is quoting Sarah when she saw how Hagar's son Ishmael was treating her son Isaac, the sole heir to the Abrahamic covenant. She saw where Ishmael was receiving favorable treatment from Abraham, and She knew the promises of God, and would have nothing to do with the mixing of the bond and the free sons. You just can not have a mixing of the two. Either you are a legalist, and hold the law up to be your salvation, or you commit yourself to your faith in Jesus Christ. Paul is saying that you have to make that commitment and then stick with it, for with Christ we release ourselves from the bonds of the law, and when they are broken we seek forgiveness through repentance immediately, then put the guilt of that sin behind you.

Under the law it is continually brought up and remembered, for one act sets the precedence for all other like acts, and is not forgiven but used as an example. Is that the way you want your sins to be remembered, to be thrown back into your face every time you turn around. That is legalism, and is common in many churches. Once a divorcee, always a divorcee as long as you are in that church. Once you have been branded for an act you did, they don't believe that you can repent of that sin, and they brand you with it. The only thing to do is run from those legalist clowns, and don't look back.

Galatians 4:31 "So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free."

It is through the seed of the free woman that Christ came, and by our belief in Jesus Christ, and our repentance to the Father in Christ name we become children of the free. God has placed His laws in the minds of all men, and when those laws are broken man becomes bound by the guilt that convicts him in his own mind. There is no release from that guilt under any part of the law, for all the law does is put us under the chains of additional laws. In most cases it is the guilt within the mind of the law breaker that gives him or her away. Satan is the accuser that stands in heaven and accuses you before the throne of God, and let me tell you, he and his evil spirits are not going to let you get away with anything.

The freedom that we have in Christ allows us to come to the Father when we have sinned, and receive absolute forgiveness from that sin, when we repent in then name of Jesus Christ. His name is our credentials, for when we use His name in faith, it shows our belief in Christ, and that we believe Jesus is the Son of God, who came to earth in the form of flesh man, lived the perfect life, and suffered, and died on the cross. It shows our commitment to our faith that Jesus is resurrected from the dead, and that He now lives in Heaven and sits on the right hand of the Father.

The sin that you commit that is recorded in heaven, is sin that is committed against the laws of God, and the guilt in our minds from those sins will not be released until their is repentance for them. Once those sins have been repented of, they are blotted out of the heavenly books, and God will never hold them against your account, for the blood of Christ has paid the full price for them. They are gone, and He has told us not to bring them up again.

When you are in a legal system, they are not gone, but they become a matter of record that that is used for the future to judge over and over. Are you starting to see the difference between the freedom that we have in Christ and the bondage that we have in Christ? It is a matter of your release from the guilt of sin, and allowing you to live your life in Christ by faith, that when you do fall, you repent and get on with your life. You do not allow anyone to bind you by sins that you have committed and repented of, especially not in a church where they claim to be of Christ.

GALATIANS Chapter 5

"Justification, Reasoning Earnestly:"
"Walking in the Flesh and Spirit, its Works, and Fruit." 

Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

In other words, don't try to follow the precedence of the law that these legalists teach. Free yourself from them, and go directly to the Scripture. Our heavenly Father promised us the freedom that we have in Christ, and don't let some legalist bind you up in their yoke of bondage.

Galatians 5:2 "Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing."

Paul is telling them to pay special attention to what he is about to say. He is saying that if you are circumcised for the purpose of religion, circumcision will not profit you anything, nor will Christ be of profit to your either, for you have placed yourself back under the law. There is nothing wrong with circumcision, but don't do it for a religious reason. Do it for cleanness and health reasons, and not for any Spiritual purpose.

The law is good, and right to follow in our lives, but if you make a religion out of any one of those laws, then you have brought all the laws down on you, and you then live under the law, and not under God's grace, which is the blood of Jesus Christ which was shed for the sins of those that would repent of them.

Galatians 5:3 "For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law."

Paul is repeating verse two here, that every person that is circumcised for a religious purpose, he is required to keep every last word of the law, and he or she will be judged by them all. When you put yourself under the law, then even the laws that are unknown to you, you will be judged on them by God.

The law is a set of rules that are good, but it is man that falls short. When you look back on your life, every time you got in trouble with a neighbor, the police, your family members, or financially more then likely you broke a law. The law is our schoolmaster telling us just what is right to do, and what is forbidden, for one reason or another. When you know right from wrong, you are saying, I know the law. There is no man that can live and keep all the laws, which include the ordinances and statutes [these include the ten commandments]. Jesus was the only person that lived in the flesh and was perfect.

However when you are not under the law, but in Christ, when you break one of the laws then through repentance it is not held against you where it counts, and that is before the throne of God. It is like running a stop light, and the police officer issues you a ticked. When you show up in court before the judge, The ticket issued by the officer has been torn up, and there is no charges against you. Without the ticket, as far as the judge is concerned you did not run the light, even though the act was committed. This is the same manner of what our freedom in Christ is. When we sin and break the law, the blood of Christ has already neutralized the act [tore up the ticket] when we show up in court. However, we must show up and this is what repentance is, for when you miss a court appearance [repentance] then a warrant is issued for your arrest, and you will stand in judgment for that violation [sin].

Repentance of your sins in Jesus name gives you the credentials to go before the throne of God, and have a fresh start. But if you for any religious reasons make one of those laws special, when you have Christ, you had better take them all in, for you have removed your credentials, which is the blood of Christ and you will be judged on them all. You are either under the grace given under the blood of Christ, or you are under the law, and it is you that does the choosing. When you teach that there is no forgiveness under a specific one of those laws, you have condemned your self under the whole law, for Christ's blood is sufficient to cover any sin that is repented to the Father in Jesus name.

Galatians 5:4 "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."

"Grace" is unmerited favor, favor that you can never earn. Christ paid the price for all sin on the cross at Calvary's Hill.

Galatians 5:5 "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith."

The law will snare us, but through our faith in Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Spirit at repentance we have complete forgiveness. That is our freedom that we have in Jesus Christ, freedom from the guilt that sin brings.

Galatians 5:6 "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."

Love is the most powerful thing in the world. "Circumcision" that is done under religious beliefs has nothing to do with salvation. It is done to fulfill part of the law, so when it is done for religious beliefs, it takes you out of your "hope of righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ". This is why in the time of Grace that we are now under, all circumcision is of the heart, and that is why it is for both men and women, for it becomes a spiritual matter, and not a physical act. Both male and female have an active part in serving the living God.

Galatians 5:7 "Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?"

Paul is telling the Galatians that in the beginning they were doing very well in the grace and freedom that we have in Christ. Then he asks, What happened? Of course Paul knew; these false teachers came in and tried to bring their legalism into their doctrines. Through their false doctrines of legalism, and misinterpreting God's Word these false teachers were demanding them to be brought back under the acts of the law. How did they spy out Timothy, they spied him out in the john, they were a bunch of perverts.

Galatians 5:8 "This persuasion cometh not of Him That calleth you."

Galatians 5:9 "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump."

When you put a little yeast or leaven in a loaf of bread, it leaveneth the entire loaf and makes the whole loaf rise.

Galatians 5:10 "I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be."

Paul, being the one to establish these churches in Christ, speaks on his own behalf. Paul is telling them don't worry about that false teacher, or teachers for God knows who they are, and He will take care of them in judgment.

Galatians 5:11 "And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased."

Paul is saying that he went ahead and circumcised Timothy, just to quiet their mouths. Paul is now saying that if I went ahead and done it your way to satisfy you, then why are you still persecuting me? The act was done not for religious purposes to Timothy, but for the sole purpose of shutting them up.

Galatians 5:12 "I would they were even cut off which trouble you."

There is a lot left off of this in the good old King James version. What Paul is saying here is rather then just circumcising the foreskin, he would rather cut the entire thing off. Paul was angry with the whole tribe of legalist. The Greek is very specific on this matter. There was a religion that practices of this amongst the Phrygians in the worship of Cybele. This practice was in response to the Phrygian's misunderstanding of what Christ said as is recorded in Mark 9:43.

Mark 9:43 "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:"

Galatians 5:13 "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."

Paul is reminding them that they were called as free men, to be free. You were not called to follow a bunch of laws and restrictions and have your eternal salvation depend on those laws. If that were the case, there would be none saved, but in Christ you have the liberty of your own conscience, and if you are drawn back into legalism, it is your own fault. Christ did not call you to any form of legalism.

If you ever have any doubt as to what was nailed to the cross with Christ, then check it out in Colossians 2. It will set your mind free of all the confusion that is being taught today in churches. Lets list just a few things.

By many church standards, they would have you believe that once you divorce, you become a second class citizen. That my friends, is a lie. A divorcee is not a second class citizen, because if you claim to be a Christian, and you teach that Christ paid the price on the cross for our sins, and if you are in a church system that will still put bonds on you for being divorced, or on any point of the law, then you are in a house of bondage. The beauty of true Christianity is that you are free, and there are no second class citizens in the body of Christ.

This also goes for those Christians that act like second class citizens. You do not have to lay down and let the world run over you, it is clear that we are to get along with our brother if it be possible. When the Word of God says that when someone slaps you on one cheek, you should turn the other, it is talking about when you are teaching God's Word and you upset someone even a false teacher over the Word of God, then go ahead and turn your other cheek. But when you are approached on the street and slapped for no reason, then you are to defend yourself. Christians don't have to put up with that kind of stuff. God said to love our enemy; he also said to love our children, and when either gets out of hand that is the time to set them straight and use a little discipline. It is another way of showing your love for them. If it be possible, live peaceably with all men.

Romans 12:18 "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

When an person of the world walks all over you, for no reason at all, you use what is necessary to straighten him out, and then he will respect you as a man or woman of God. Christians are not second class citizens, and when the walk gets a little tough, that is the time to show your worth.

Galatians 5:14 "For all the law is fulfilled in one word even in this; "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Many times your neighbor may not have the depth of truth that you have, then you become the mature one, and it is up to you to forgive that neighbor. In Christ we are to be patient, and love and help your neighbor. If he is a trouble maker, then love him enough to correct him. You have that right to stand up for your positions.

Galatians 5:15 "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another."

In the Greek, this is saying; If you are cannibalistic [katesthio] Christian, out to devour one another. In other words, arguing for the sake of arguing is a waste of time, and it is equally not good for Christians to set out to backbite, or gossip about one another. There is a time though when it is necessary for all Christians to stand up for their principles. Arguing is not the same thing as standing up of the right of a principle, for when two Christians are at odds over a understanding of a principle, stand your ground, and respect the other Christian's position in love for the brother.

Galatians 5:16 "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."
Paul taught us in I Corinthians 15 that there are two bodies to man. We have this flesh body, and dwelling within this flesh body is our spiritual body called our "soul".
I Corinthians 15:44 "It is sown a natural body; it raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."
When this natural body of the flesh dies, that spiritual body instantly goes back to the Heavenly Father that gave it. It goes back whole and complete, without any of the limitations that the soul had while in the flesh. Ecclesiastes 12:7 "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the sprit shall return unto God Who gave it."
You may have parts of your physical body missing in this age of the flesh, however upon your return to the Father, you will not have any parts missing, for you will return whole, and complete. So make your flesh body be in submission to you spiritual body, and when the flesh gets unruly, make it get back in control.
Galatians 5:17 "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."
This is just a simple basic fact. We in the flesh simply cannot do the things that we would really like to. The flesh will cry out to do something that your spiritual nature knows that it should not do. Make sure that your spiritual part of you is boss over the flesh part of you.
The majority has been wrong since the beginning of time, and it is wrong to go along with the crowd when your heart knows what is right, and according to God's Word.
Galatians 5:18 "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law."
When you are under the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, then you are not under the law. Christ fulfilled the law, He did not destroy it.
Galatians 5:19 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,"
There is quite a list of these works of the flesh.
Galatians 5:20 "Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,"
Galatians 5:21 "Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
This is a very bold statement, that if anyone does any of these things, they will not inherit, or become part of the kingdom of God. They are not of our Lord Jesus Christ. But it is time to stop and think on this matter, which supercedes? and Paul is giving us a little test here. People cannot enter the kingdom of heaven EXCEPT WHAT? Except they repent.
If you came to a time where you have broken any of these things, and you did it out of your flesh nature [part of you], do you think that that would put you under the category of not being able to inherit the kingdom of heaven" Of course not, because of the law of repentance. Under repentance, once you repent and Christ forgives that sin, that sin doesn't exist any more. God has said, I don't want to even hear about it again. It is blotted out.
Paul restates this in I Corinthians 6:9 "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,"
I Corinthians 6:10 "Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."
I Corinthians 6:11 "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."
It is only in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that we have credentials to approach the throne of God for forgiveness in repentance, for it is only through Jesus' blood on the cross that we can be forgiven and become saved. Then through repentance we become sanctified, or made pure because our sins have been washed away.
Acts 3:19 "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."
Acts 3:20 "And He shall send Jesus Christ, Which before was preached unto you:"
Acts 3:21 "Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began."
Once you have repented of any and all sin in your life, then you can and will inherit the kingdom of heaven because you then have no sin. That is the liberty that we have in repentance. That is the law of repentance.
Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
Romans 10:10 "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Once you have repented you are in good standing with our Heavenly Father and will inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,"
Galatians 5:23 "Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
Faith makes the entire Christian walk a reality. There is no law against doing good, against love of your fellow man, and to live in peace with your neighbor.Galatians 5:24 "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."
In Christ we are to try to end those natures that exist within the flesh man, even though it may be impossible. However, when we do fall there is forgiveness through repentance in Jesus' name.
Galatians 5:25 "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
Galatians 5:26 "Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another."
We are all brothers and sisters in the Lord, and when you provoke another brother or sister in Christ, you are to seek forgiveness, and forgive those that have said or done something against you. We are all one in the body of Christ, and if we claim to live in the Spirit, we should walk in the Holy Spirit and allow Him to lead us. Friend in Christ you have nothing to boast, nor any pride given to yourself, for our boasting is in Christ, and all that we have is His, not ours

GALATIANS Chapter 6

"Exhortation as to Future Conducts, Paul's Appeal."

Though our flesh bodies will grow old and decay, there is one thing that we can always depend on, and that is our eternal souls will live eternally with our Heavenly Father, and His Word which is forever. It is a comfort to know that we can count on the love of our heavenly Father for each of us. To experience the warmth of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Galatians 6:1 "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted."

You know all your own weaknesses, and every one of us have them. When a brother of sister in the Lord is overtaken in a fault, be gentle with them, and restore them to a spirit of humbleness before the Father. Before you go and attack that spiritual brother, remember that you yourself can very easily fall into traps of temptation, and it is only by the grace of God that any of us stand. Overtaken is a term that means, found guilty beyond any shadow of a doubt in a sin.

This is one of the most sound pieces of advice in living your Christian life, and getting along with others. Our meekness in restoring our brother or sister into the spiritual life, is one of the valuable thing we have, and it seems today that the attitude is to walk all over a person when you catch them in a sin, and make an example of them and make them pay a severe price for their fault. That is not Christ's way of doing things, for in repentance there is complete forgiveness, and when you place judgment on one that has already repented and returned to the Christ, that judgment will be upon your head. There is instant forgiveness for all sin, upon repentance.

We are to forgive those that sin against us, just as we expect our Heavenly Father to forgive us. Jesus said in Matthew 6:14 "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:" verse 15; "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Even more then forgiving them, it is then up to you to restore them, which requires action on your part. This goes past forgiveness, and showing the love for a Christian brother or sister to assist them in coming back into the family of the circle of God. The next person that falls into the temptation of sin could be you, and you may be the one that needs to be restored. There is no one that is perfect and without fault, and when the sin is recognized, the repentance is necessary.

Galatians 6:2 "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."

A commandment is a law, and this law was spoken of by Jesus Christ in John 13:34; "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."

John 13:35 "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another."

This is the commandment that Jesus gave to His disciples, just before he would go to the cross. This is Christ's law that you love one another, and if you love someone then you will help them with their burden. It means that you will help him find his way out from under that burden. It is being a good friend to that one that is down and out, to where he can count on you for a kind word. When someone is down they need the law of Christ, which is love.

Galatians 6:3 "For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself."

When you get someone on an ego trip, he really thinks the whole world revolves around him. However, he deceives no one but himself. If you are good at something in the first place, usually it is a gift from God, and given to help you fulfill some purpose that God has for you. That gift doesn't belong to you, but to God and His service. What ever that gift is, God has placed you in a certain place, around certain people to use that gift as only you can do.

Gifts are given freely from God, to all those that are called to perform a service for Him. In the end we will each be held accountable for how we used that gift, and many will be well rewarded for faithful service to what God has put before them. Being faithful to that gift is showing your love of our Heavenly Father.

Galatians 6:4 "But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another."

Paul is saying that when you do something do your very best, but don't compare your very best to someone else's. God has given each person different gifts, and He knows we are not all alike, and to some individuals He expects far more then to others. Paul address this also in Romans 12:3-8.

Romans 12:3 "For I say through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."

Romans 12:4 "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:"

There are many parts to make up your body, and the eye is not expected to do what your foot is required to do, nor your stomach to function as your brain, however each part of your body is required to function as it is suppose to do, for you to be in good health. That is as the body of Christ is: each person goes to make up a different part or member of that body, and you who are good at teaching are not expected to sing like one whom God has has blessed with a beautiful voice. We are not expected to have the same gifts, with the same abilities, but we are expected to give our best with what we have, where God has placed us.

Romans 12:5 "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another."

God expects us to support one another in our service to Him, for we are all part of the same body of Christ. Your eye gives service to your brain to let your feet know there is an big rock in your path. Each member of your body works together to allow the entire body to function in a healthy way, and protect the main body.

Romans 12:6 "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;"

Every one's faith is not the same, nor is their understanding of God truths in God's Word. Grace is unmerited favor which is the gifts that God has given to each of us, and we are expected and accountable for those gifts to the degree of our ability. You prophecy to the limit of your understanding, whether it be the ability of teaching the deep truths of the Scripture, or the planting of seeds of truth with those you come in contact with. When you plant those seeds of truth, it is the Holy Spirit that will then either allow the seed to take hold, or die, but it is not your responsibility to do the work of the Holy Spirit. Your responsibility is to plant the seed to the best of your understanding.

Romans 12:7 "Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth on teaching;"

Romans 12:8 "Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

To exhort on exhortation means to give comfort, and a good word where it is needed. When you are in a place where you are to give a kind word, do it with simplicity. When someone is down and out, a smile and a few words of comfort is far better than preaching, and hammering away at their problems. When you have authority over another person, be diligent to the job you are placed in, but do that job in a manner showing kindness and cheerfulness in the work at hand. Do not compare your work for the Lord with anyone else, but each of you should learn from the other and not be in a competitive spirit with.

When you have done your best in the service of our Lord, and it seems like nothing came of it, don't be down for you may never know the final result of your work until in the next life. Thank God for the opportunity, stay sharp, and continue in your work.

Galatians 6:5 "For every man shall bear his own burden."

This word "burden" in the Greek is "phortion", and it is a military term meaning that every soldier has to carry his own pack. You have to carry your own weight, and you can't compare what you carry with what the next soldier carries, for he may be twice a big as you are, and his mission in the battle may require different weapons, either lighter or heavier. This is saying that what ever your burden in our Lord's service is, that is your pack to carry, not someone else's. Paul is directing this verse to those that are like jelly-fish that think that they can force everyone else to carry their weight, to cover their share of the debt, to do the service required of each member, and shun all responsibility. This person is a immature Christian and needs to grow up.

Galatians 6:6 "Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things."

This word "communicate" in the Greek is "koinonea" and it means to "share with". The condition here is that "if you are improved by that teaching". If you are studying under a teacher, and your life has changed for the better and your understanding of God's Word becomes clearer and deeper, then you share [koinonea] with him. That is God's way of saying everyone carries his or her own weight.

Galatians 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

You simply cannot fool God, for He knows exactly what is in your mind even as you think your thoughts. God knows the depth you have in understanding, and He knows exactly what service He can expect from you. He is the one that passes out the blessings, and gives you your abilities, and thus our Heavenly Father understands exactly how hard you are trying. God has ownership and title to everything for He created all things, including you.

Galatians 6:8 "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption: but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

"Corruption" to the sense that it will in time weather and passes away. It is to the flesh that this will weather and pass away, when you look out only for those thing that matter to your flesh body. Paul is talking about placing the matters of your flesh body, over the things that are part of your spiritual body. You have two bodies, a spiritual body, or soul that lives within your physical body. The flesh body will grow old, and in time die and return to the dust of the earth from where it came, but your spiritual body will return to our heavenly Father that created it. What is sown in the Spirit unto God, will be with your spiritual body for all eternity, it is recorded in God's records and will be well rewarded.

Galatians 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

The key to this verse is "if we faint not". Paul is saying, if you don't give up, you will always succeed. When you see those people that are not successful in what they do, you will find that they are quitters. It is not God's plan that all His people become rich, as many teach, but to many people any form of riches and fame can be very harmful to a Christian. Riches can take a good man and spoil him from any service in God's Work. Many times when a good man or woman receive great riches, they in turn will use those riches completely on their flesh, and forget God all together.

When we are talking about a person that is rich and very successful, we are talking about a person that has peace of mind, that lives in the law of God, which is Christ's love, and practices those things mentioned here in Galatians. God will provide for their needs, and they shall reap plenty.

Galatians 6:10 "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."

Those in the "household of faith" are all of the members of the "many membered body of Christ". Especially be good and be watchful to other Christians that are living for Christ and doing His work. They are in our family and family takes care of family.

Galatians 6:11 "Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand."

Paul had a scribe that penned the first part of this letter, and it is believed that Paul had poor eyesight. Paul is saying that so you know that these are my words, I am going to write these letters to let you know this letter is from me.

Galatians 6:12 "As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ."

Remember that this entire book of Galatians is Paul's warning to the Christians about false teachers, trying to take them back into legalism, once they have received the freedom that we have in the law of love in Christ. Paul is saying that when these teachers cause you to become circumcised and conform to other laws, they do not do it for their love of Christ, but for their own boasting to other people that they have another convert. Doesn't it sound like one of our legalist churches today that keep a head count tab on every body they can emotionally persuade down the isle. Sometimes the head count far exceeds the bodies in the church. Why is it important to them? Because they then have another convert that can "koinoneo" [share their money] with us.

Galatians 6:13 "For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh."

Yes, they keep the law of circumcision, but they forget the rest of the law. The purpose of their circumcision is to get others to do likewise, and come under their control. Beware of church systems that would bind you to them, and not to the love and freedom that we have in Christ. The whole purpose of getting large numbers of converts is so they can take that which is false and worthless in the eyes of God, and try to put some value on their stupid ideas by saying that all these other people believe and follow it. It turns them from a laughing stock to something respectable in the community.

Galatians 6:14 "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."

Paul is saying, come out of legalism.

Galatians 6:15 "for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."

The new creature is a "born from above individual". That new creature understands the love of God and the freedom we have in love and law of Christ. The law of Christ which is also to say love of Christ. When you are in the love of Christ, and know that you have broken one of the laws of God, you then know you need help through your repentance in Jesus name.

Galatians 6:16 "And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God."

Peace and mercy, means the blessings and promises of God. Those things will be upon you when you follow the rule of Christ, which is to say love.

Galatians 6:17 "From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."

Paul had many marks on his body reminding him of the many lashings with the whip that he took for preaching the gospel, and in Acts 16:19-24 records one of those times that Paul, along with Silas took a beating in Thyatira for their preaching the gospel of Christ. "And when they had laid many stripes on them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:" verse 23.

Paul was stoned in Iconium, and every where Paul went the Kenite Jews followed Paul to cause him trouble. These religious leaders were like a pack of wild wolves when the gospel of Christ was taught in their community. We know the mind of the Kenite to be the mind of Satan, and his son Cain, and whenever the gospel of the love of Christ comes to their ears, they go wild. It becomes an attack on their traditions, and their reaction to any preaching of the true gospel of Christ will be just like their attacks on Jesus Himself, when they continually tried to kill Him. Paul suffered greatly from these enemies of Christ. Each of those stripes that Paul took for his witnessing of the gospel of Christ are a badge of honor.

Galatians 6:18 "Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen."

Paul is urging them to stay in the grace and unmerited favor that they have in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

                        

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

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The "American Wisdom Series"

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 "The Two Sowers of Seed", both the Good (Adam's sons) and the Tares (Satan's sons) in one Combined  Pamphlet #7000/7007  (Jesus Christ told His disciples (which means you if you are one) that unless they understood the "Parable of the Sower" they would not be able to understand any of His parables.) You can't understand "The Parable of the Tares" until you understand "The Parable of the Sower" and you will be lost comprehending "The Parable of the Fig Tree" until you know who both sowers were and their deeds.
You must understand  "The Parable of the Sower" Click this link to open Pamphlet 7000
in order to understand "The Parable of the Tares" Click this link to open Pamphlet 7007
in order to understand "The Parable of the Fig Tree" Click this link to open Pamphlet 1031
Jesus said Learn it! Mark 13:28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree;...'

Notice to our readers: If you come across and links in our studies that you can't open, go to  http://www.americanwisdomseries.com You will find the files there on our web site.

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Here at the American Wisdom Series our goal is to make you think about and question the wisdom of the current:
doctrine of many of our Christian churches, (The Man on a White Horse)
political direction of our country, (The Man on a Red Horse)
economic direction our country has taken, (The Man on a Black Horse)
 and teaching of our schools and media, (The Man on a Pale Horse)

The Four Hidden Dynasties of the New World Order Revelation 6:1-8
"The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse"
Did you know all four are being ridden by Satan? Click #1848, &#1011 or #1012 to learn more.