Culture Clash

Jesus is the Torah Laws fulfilled- Salvation cannot be earned by good works alone. There is no “Gospel plus” that equals salvation.

Galatians 2: 1-10

Sometime between 48 and 56 A.D. and some 23 years after Jesus’ death on the cross, Paul wrote this letter to ethnically mixed churches in Galatia. In this chapter of Galatians, there is a clash of cultures all coming together in the name of Jesus.

At this time, there are now just as many non-Jews as there are Jewish people all of whom are believing and following Jesus. This is great news for God’s blessings are for all people, yet some believe that to be a true Christian one must obey Jewish customs and laws of the Torah.

Paul is preaching to the Gentiles, and he also brings with him Barnabas and Titus, and they meet with the church leaders. Titus is a Gentile, and Gentiles do not practice Torah laws, such as being circumcised. Paul mentions the only reason Titus’ situation is brought up was to try and tie them up in rules to see what freedom they enjoyed in Christ Jesus and if they were obeying Torah Laws. Galatians 2:4. Paul states that the only reason he mentions this at all is to remove any confusion that salvation can be earned by being circumcised and by obeying Jewish laws.

Paul is saying it is the Gospel alone and nothing else, that can give salvation. Salvation cannot be earned by good works alone. There is no “Gospel plus” that equals salvation. Matthew 7:21-22 speaks to this, as Jesus says “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? ‘Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”  

Jesus is the only way to salvation. How does one have a relationship with Jesus? Romans 10:9-10 says “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Romans 10:12 says “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blessed all who call on him, for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

What do we believe in our culture today, that is an add-on to gain salvation? The “Gospel plus” idea that is imprisoning us in our faith? Paul writes in verse 10 a suggestion that we must always remember to help the poor and he says he was “eager for that.”  

May we walk with Christ in freedom and joy! May we not get bogged down with the “plus” ideas so much that it keeps us from sharing the love of Christ to the poor in spirit and helping those in need.

If you would like to take a deeper dive into the history of Galatians; the Torah and the arguments between the Jewish Messianic Movement and non-Jewish Christians, I recommend the BibleProject’s summary, https://youtu.be/vmx4UjRFp0M?si=VeN-80v5a7VfASud.  

Love~ Nikki