It's My Way or the Highway

“It’s my way or the highway!” Have you ever heard this phrase? I’m sure, like me, many of you have heard it used at one point in your life. Do you notice something about this statement when we, as humans, use it? Unless said in a joking manner, it is never used in a positive way! All too often, though, the idea of this phrase is portrayed in our churches; however, we’re not the first to face such a negative attitude.

In the numerous churches, such as in Galatia, Paul encountered the very same opposition. Paul had been given the mission to preach to the Gentiles, not an easy task. For a short while after Jesus’ death, Jews and Gentiles began meeting together in homes, sharing in a common meal together. Soon, however, the issue of “cleanliness” arose. Because they were each bringing food to the meal, similar to a modern day pot luck I suppose, the Gentiles would, at times, bring items that were not considered clean by the Jews. Therefore, some of the Jews began meeting together separately from the Gentiles in order to follow the Jewish customs. Soon after, they also began preaching that, in order to follow the Way, one must first follow in Jewish customs, including circumcision. Although they had seen and been taught about the Messiah, Jesus, they were stuck in their old, legalistic ways.

In the Old Testament, when it was prophesied that a Messiah from God would come, the people pictured an earthly king; what they expected was a deliverer, not in the form of a suffering servant, but one who would lead the Jews to power. After all, God had made a covenant with Abraham that He would make him a great nation, and Abraham was Jewish. To add to this, the promised Messiah had now come, and he too was Jewish. He himself was taught great respect for the Torah. It would seem of great importance to follow in the Jewish customs in order to follow in the Way. Paul, however, preaches something much different.

In Galatians 3, Paul attempts to handle this issue, beginning by saying, “You foolish Galatians!” Paul has already preached to them the gospel, and they have believed; however, they have been persuaded back to their old ways. He asks them, “How did you receive the Spirit? Was it the law that gave you the Spirit or was it God?” He then approaches the argument of Abraham:

Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

He then goes on to add:

Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Here, Paul reminds the people that it is not because of their Jewish heritage that they are included in Abraham’s great nation, nor is it by the law that they have been justified. It is through their faith in the Christ that they have become one of Abraham’s children. It’s not just the Jews, but all who believe are allowed in. He says that it’s not the law that has brought atonement, but it is only through Jesus Christ that they have been set free from the law and from their sin to receive the Spirit.

Later, in verses 23-29, Paul urges them into maturity. He says, “When we were under the law, it was our custodian, our nanny. The law was there for us to nanny us until we reached maturity by faith. Now that we have been given faith and trust in the place of atonement, at the cross, we now live in maturity as a new creation.

Today, we too are very much a part of this new creation. Our ways, traditions, and customs are of little importance compared to the greatness of Christ Jesus. In chapter 5 of Galatians, Paul urges them, as well as us today, to live by the Spirit. Since we are part of this new way, we are to live in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. “Against such things there is no law.” He also calls us, once again, to love each other.

All of creation comes together at a great climax at the coming of Christ and the new creation. It all comes together at the cross, although we are to still read the rest of the story in order to understand it and become a part of it. In this time between Christ’s resurrection and our resurrection, between the cross and the return, we must live by the Spirit. In this “time between times,” we must learn to love each other and remember daily that it is not by our own way that we have received salvation, but it is through one way: by grace through faith. I pray grace and peace to you all as we faithfully insert ourselves into the ongoing story of God until he decides to bring about the final chapter.

-Matt