Jesus Alone

While my seminary experience has faded in the unfolding of decades of living, but there are a few things that became so much a part of who I am that they are impossible to forget.  One class I always remember is a quarter long course on the letter Paul wrote to the church at Galatia.  In addition to the daily lectures our class project was to write our own commentary on the letter which involved reading Galatians in several different translations, extensive commentary research, and word studies.  

Whenever I found myself in a situation of needing to lead a Bible study on short notice, Galatians was my first and natural choice.  While the Bible has relevance for the contemporary church, the letter Paul wrote to the Galatian churches is amazingly relevant.  The primary heresy which afflicted the church was what I have come to speak of as the "Jesus Plus Theology."  There were those in the church who were declaring that while faith in Jesus was a good thing, it was also necessary to submit to the Jewish practice of circumcision.  For the Apostle Paul, it was either the law which was a dead end street, or faith in Christ which provided the abundant life.  

Paul was quite emphatic.  In the fifth chapter we heard him saying, "Listen!  I, Paul, am telling you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you...For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision or uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love." (Galatians 5:2, 6).  His anger over false teachers leading the church astray is best heard when he said, "I wish those who unsettle you would castrate themselves."  (Galatians 5:12)  Even after all these centuries, faith in Jesus is the necessary and primary response for anyone who seeks to walk after Christ.