Friday 10 October 2008

Background

Here Paul starts to unpick the identity issues the Galatianswere having - the tension they perceived between being Gentile, andtherefore not Jewish, and being Christian. He begins by setting outthe significance of one of the most famous figures in Jewishhistory, Abraham, the father of God's people.

In becoming Christian the Galatians left behind pagan temples andpractices but were not welcome in the synagogues and indeed, werebattling for recognition from the Jewish-Christian community. Pauldoesn't make it clear who was doing the persuading but theGalatians were being persuaded by someone that only if they becameJewish would they then become people of God. In pointing out thatthe good news which Jesus brought (which was for all ethnicitiesand races) began its process of germination in Abraham Paul made afamilial link between those Galatian believers and Abraham - thefamily trait being their shared faith in God.

Paul picks up the theme of liberation from legalism here, reallyramming the point home to his readers that it is their faith inJesus which counts and that they need to step out from under theburden of rule-making and rule-keeping. Indeed Paul goes on tostate that the root purpose of God blessing Abraham in the way hedid was in order that, through Jesus, the Gentiles would be blessedand "receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (verse14).

Ever since the time of Paul, Christian communities of all typeshave set criteria which seem hell bent on keeping 'them' out and'us' in. Many of these rules are based around race, social andcultural norms and religious traditions. This practice of exclusionand isolationism has been played out nationally and globally,whether it be white-only churches in apartheid South Africa orsegregated America, or the exclusion of Catholics, women anddivorced people in some British churches today.

To Ponder

What exclusionary and elitist criteria do you seestill in operation today in your church, your community and yourlife? How do you replace these with a commitment to unity andgrace? What are we trying to protect or preserve by excludingothers?

In light of this, what then is your personalunderstanding of the good news?