Week Two

What's new about faith and works?

Central to the book of Galatians is behaviour — what we do and why we do it. In the early church there was a lot of soul searching about what would hold these new communities together, these diverse, multi-lingual, multi-cultural groups that transformed traditional power structures. Was doing things as they’ve ‘Aye been’, behaving in very particular ways, not only important but essential? So as to hold these communities together and to please God? Does the right behaviour lead to the right relationship with God? Or does the right relationship lead to the right behaviour? What is new and fresh that we as churches need to hear today?

SEEDS TO SOW: What new thing can you do for your neighbour this week?

Read Galatians 2: 15-21

Living by faith!

Paul is deeply concerned about anything getting in the way between the Galatians and Jesus. He speaks movingly of how Christ lives in him, how he walks the walk as well as talks the talk. Faith is not an abstract thing, a mental checkbox, it is lived and embodied day by day.

What words leap out at you in these verses? What words do you see in a new light today?

Read Galatians 3: 1-9

Remember Abraham!

Paul's not holding back. The Bible is full of strong emotion as humanity learns how to be humanity — beloved children of God. Paul is so annoyed not just because the Galatians don't get it, but rather because they got it and now have lost it! Paul goes on to appeal to Abraham and how it was his faith in God that mattered, before the law was even a thing. For those saying, "Let's go back to Moses" Paul says, "Let's go even further back…”

Who are the people of faith who have gone before who have encouraged you and why?

Read Galatians 3: 10-26

Cosmic unity

Paul is blazing. Significantly here Paul is talking about the status of those who rely on the law, the traditional codes of living that the Jewish community lived by. He is not saying that the law is in itself bad and he goes on to say that it has been part of guiding the people but Paul wants them to know that we can only rely on Christ. When we rely on other things, even good things, we are on a hiding to nothing. Nobody's perfect, nobody can be perfect enough at observing the law that they can bank on it.

The promise of God, as made to Abraham pre-dates the law. The law codes have helped people to live, but it has not saved them, only God saves. It’s not our good behaviour that gets us to God, it’s God that transforms our behaviour! Paul recognises that the law was part of belonging but he also stresses that something new is happening, a new kind of belonging together through Christ — on a whole new scale — all God's children through faith.

How can we respond to the new things God is inviting us to through these words today?