Galatians 2:16

[Studyman]

Just a comment and not looking to create discord in this.

One of the best ways I found over the years to learn from the Text is to do word studies in the Text. It seems a very basic thing to do, but I can tell you from first-hand experience that once the halls of education start teaching things like hermeneutics, they quickly leave out any concepts of also working at such basic levels in the Text.

When I left organized religion in 1996, the first thing I did was word studies. I would pick a word like "water", or "Turn" or "Redeem" etc., (there were a bunch of them) and find the Greek and Hebrew meaning and study every time the word was used in Scripture, and this was a very good practice that I still use today. "Water" was actually one of the most eye-opening studies I did early on.

But the point I was trying to make, that perhaps I wasn't able to clearly articulate, is that there are some undeniable biblical Facts that can be understood, simply by reading the text. One such undeniable biblical Truth, is that the Pharisees were not promoting God's Laws. They didn't walk in God's Laws. They were not trying to be justified by keeping God's Commandments. They didn't strive to obey the "Letter of the Law".

This is undeniable Biblical Truth that cannot be broken with word studies, or Greek and Hebrew classes, etc.

And yet to this day, this world's religions who "come in Christ's Name" preach that the Pharisees were trying to earn Salvation by obeying God's Laws "to the letter". That they were trying to be justified by obedience to God. But they were not.

Now if I ignore this undeniable biblical Fact regarding the mainstream preachers of Jesus and Paul's Time, who "profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.", and go into Galatians with the deception, "the pharisees were trying to be justified by obedience to the Letter of God's Law," in my mind and heart, how then, can I find the Truth of Paul's words? No amount of Greek and Hebrew breakdowns in Gal. words is going to help me if I refuse to accept what Jesus has already made clear about the religious sect of the Pharisees, in favor of popular established religious philosophies promoted by this world's religions since we were kids.

A little leaven leavens the whole lump, Yes?

So the reason why we differ in our understanding, according to your posts that I have read, and they are many, is you are coming into Galatians with the pre-conceived belief that the Pharisees were trying to earn salvation by obeying God's Laws and promoting the same to others.

While I am convinced that the Pharisees rejected God's Laws and created their own. They despised God's Judgments, was ignorant of God righteousness, and set about to establish their own. But continued in the religious practice of gathering on God's Sabbaths, in manmade shrines of worship promoting sacrifices and offerings "of the law" for justification.

For example, I came to understand more about the topic of Biblical Salvation through studying every use of the word "save" in every form it is used in the Text, than I ever did in sitting in the pews or in classes being "educated". I also found that many of those teaching salvation were wrong in some to much of what they taught.

That's great, and certainly there is a lot of wrong teaching out there, as Jesus warned.

Remaining with this example, that study required me to study several 100's of passages of Scripture in context (so probably a few thousand verses) and to pursue many, many rabbit trails connected to the topic of "salvation'. It took me a year+ to get near accomplishing it and I study like a full-time job in Greek and some Hebrew.

No doubt you have put a lot of time in as have I. But to be fair, so did the Philosophers the Pharisees were influenced by. And the council of Nicea, and Calvin and Miller and Wesley, Smith and Russell. So then are you more Spiritually enlightened because you were trained by professional theologians, like many of those I just named? Or because I avoid all influence of this world's professional theologians, am I better suited to understand scriptures?

Who can know, I certainly don't? But one thing I do know for absolute certainty, the Pharisees who were bewitching the Galatians were not trying to promote the Commandments, Judgments or Statutes of God. And when I read Galatians, my understanding is different than those who promote the deception that the Pharisees were trying to earn salvation by obeying God's Laws to the letter.

Therefore, could it be that what a man brings into Galatians directly influences much of what he gets out of Galatians?

So, I say this just to say that although some of this discussion may seem like minutia and too narrowly focused, in speaking of myself, my mind at this level of narrow focus has much Scripture attached in the wings ready to go to. From what I've read of @HIM I'm pretty sure it's the same for him.

This narrow focus will attach to many other points in the Text, and it does tend to alter how we might then read them and interpret them.

I agree. Consider the Pharisees who were convinced Jesus was from Galilee. With this Leaven firmly planted in their heart, did this not influence everything they saw, heard and studied? Consider Peters words.

Acts 10: 28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

What Law of God forbids keeping company with a stranger who dwells among them?

Lev. 19: 33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. 34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Imagine the difference between the understanding of one man who believes what Moses wrote concerning the Stranger, and a man who believes what the Jews taught for doctrine, concerning the stranger? All the text breakdown, Hebrew and Greek would be useless, if the foundation of our belief is a deception. Consider Rehab? The woman whose son Elisha raised, why didn't Peter consider them? See how powerful and lasting these religious traditions of this world were for the Apostles? Will it not also be the same for men today?

Also, faith in vs. faith of is no small matter in the view of many. There has been too much incorrect focus on our faith in Christ when the Text is actually speaking of His faith and telling us more about what He did and how and what He does and what He provides to us.

I agree, as my reply posted. It is the Faith "OF" Jesus, the Faith which was "In Jesus" that is the "mark for the prize of the high calling of God".

I didn't come to this understanding because of Hebrew or Greek word breakdowns. It was much simpler than that for me. Jesus said, "Now go and Sin no more". He didn't "go and sin no more" for this guy. As in "Faith in Jesus". He told him to "Go and Sin no more" which is only possible by having the Faith "of Jesus".

As it is written. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Just as it was the whole duty of the Lord's Christ. Paul understood this, in my understanding.

1 Cor. 7: 19 Circumcision (Jew) is nothing, and uncircumcision (Gentile) is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

It's all important, every verse, every detail, every word, every letter, every man inserted punctuation. The entirety. I just read through a few pages of thinking and reasoning in context and associated Scripture about the placement of a comma in Rom2.

Good luck with the comma.

 

[HIM]

The quote of the millennia! You and me both (Eph4:13 corporate maturity).


There's a lot of very beneficial nuance to be gleaned in all of this. I know you're seeing it also. So have others been seeing and processing it for some time. It's a growing body of work.

I've always liked this little nuanced statement in Greek: NKJ Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which what [thing] I now live in the flesh I live in/by faith, the [faith] of in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. It's like Paul is trying to draw attention to this new/now "thing" we're living in faith with the Christ living His Faith in us.

It's like I'm discussing elsewhere. I think we as a body have lost much of this breathtaking dynamic we now have and I for one appreciate anyone who is trying to find it and bring it out for the rest of us. The collective Spiritual brainpower of the Body attached to the Head IMO is meant to be the greatest "what thing" to exist on this planet.

Nice post.

The Ideal, Christ in us the hope of Glory. Him in us, us in Him that the world might believe. In so much that it is no longer us that Lives, but Christ and the life we now live in the flesh is by the faith of Christ doing greater things because He went unto the Father. So with that it is aptly put, we corporately through Him are the Vicar of Christ not a pope. Him being the Vine we but branches. For without Him we can do nothing. But in Him all things are possible through His strength. In this He has given us all things pertaining to life and godliness. For it is He that works in us both to will and do His that the world might believe doesn't match the reality. Christians, Christlike? The first among many brethren? As He is, so are we in this world?

Will He find this Faith when He comes? We need to catch up!

Let's put those faithless things behind and move forward to that high calling that is in Christ Jesus For it is written, old things have been passed away and all things are new and of God. We are that new creation in Christ begotten by the word of truth. Filled with all the fullness of God who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Transformed by the renewal of our minds to prove what is that is good and acceptable will of God

The New Man in Christ is corporate and we're for the most part bickering. It's sad and I hate when I jump into it. Some of it however is a battle still being waged, so onward.

As if some of the bickering is necessary? Just asking to be clear before commenting.

 

[HIM]

So you believe you are of infinite spiritual discernment?

Where did I say I was anything Gary? As soon as I enters so does the lie

 

[GDL]

As if some of the bickering is necessary? Just asking to be clear before commenting.

No. But the battle against false teaching continues. And, based upon this thread and research like I posted from the NET Bible notes, it's obvious the research continues to understand all truth as it really is.

 

[Gary K]

Where did I say I was anything Gary? As soon as I enters so does the lie

I was just curious. I misunderstood what you were saying.

 

[HIM]

I was just curious. I misunderstood what you were saying.

No I am sure you got it. That is why you asked a question about me. .

 

[Gary K]

No I am sure you got it. That is why you asked a question about me. .

No. I didn't understand what you meant. That's why I asked the question.

 

[Studyman]

No. But the battle against false teaching continues. And, based upon this thread and research like I posted from the NET Bible notes, it's obvious the research continues to understand all truth as it really is.

And of a truth, this battle has been joined by men who "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness" in every generation. As we have all been born into a world in which "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived". A world plagued with "many" who come in Christ's Name to deceive. A world in which there are "many" who call Jesus Lord, Lord, but continue in iniquity.

I can imagine it will be that way to the end, as the Jesus of the Bible teaches.

Matt. 18: 7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

But in this I have hope.

Matt. 24: 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

1 Cor. 2: 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Eph. 6: 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 "Put on" the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Our own minds) 13 Wherefore "take unto you" the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

A battle worth fighting to be sure.