In this article, we will dive deeper into Galatians 5. In our previous article, we covered verses 1–6. In those verses, the Apostle Paul stood firmly against the Judaizers and the religious leaders who sought to mix the gospel with Jewish traditions and practices.
In verses 1–6, it is evident that the issue was not whether the Jews could receive salvation, but whether Jewish customs and traditions should be imposed upon others as requirements for salvation. Paul boldly objects to this teaching in his epistle. He had already written:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”( Galatians 3:28)
The controversy in Galatia particularly concerned the insistence that non-Jewish believers should be circumcised. Paul strongly objects to making circumcision a requirement: “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love”(Galatians 5:6).
Circumcision: The Promise Before the Sign
In the eyes of God, circumcision is not what gives a person righteousness. Abraham's own experience helps us understand this distinction. Abraham obtained righteousness because he believed God's promise: “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness"( Genesis 15:6). The order of events is important. Abraham was counted righteous in Genesis 15, before he received circumcision. It was later, in Genesis 17, that God commanded Abraham to be circumcised: “This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised"( Genesis 17:10). God then explains the significance of circumcision:
“And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you"( Genesis 17:11). The word “token” is important. Circumcision was an outward sign of the covenant. It was not what caused Abraham to be counted righteous. Genesis 15:6 had already declared that Abraham believed the LORD and that it was counted to him for righteousness. Circumcision came afterward, in Genesis 17. Therefore, Abraham's relationship with God was already established through faith before he received circumcision. Circumcision did not produce his righteousness; it served as an outward token of God's covenant. Abraham did not believe because he was circumcised; he was circumcised after he had believed God and had already been counted righteous. It is therefore important to distinguish between the promise and the sign connected with the promise. The promise concerns what God gives, while circumcision is an outward, physical token bearing witness to God's covenant.
In this sense, circumcision, the Sabbath, and the law should not be treated as though outward observance itself gives spiritual life. Rather, they bear witness to God's message and purposes. We might therefore describe them as “life-witnessing instruments” rather than “life-giving instruments". The religious leaders of Israel often reversed these priorities, placing greater emphasis on outward observances while failing to recognise the message to which those observances pointed. Jesus sought to put these things in their proper scriptural order, yet He suffered persecution and was ultimately put to death.
Circumcision and the Message of the Cross
Returning to Galatians, Paul writes: “And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased"(Galatians 5:11).
Circumcision has never been the centre of God's message of redemption. The central message is the redemption of the souls of men through the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who became the substitute for the punishment due to us because of our sins. This distinction is important because deceptive interpretations of Scripture can lead to a wrong understanding of God's message. The problem arises when the sign is elevated above the reality to which it points. Circumcision had its place and purpose, but it could never replace the faith by which Abraham had already been counted righteous. This is precisely why Paul's argument against making circumcision a requirement for the Galatians is so significant. If Abraham himself was counted righteous before he was circumcised, circumcision cannot be the means by which righteousness is obtained.
The Sabbath
We can see another example in the controversy concerning the Sabbath. Christ was accused of doing what was unlawful on the Sabbath day. Matthew records:“At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat”(Matthew 12:1). The Pharisees responded: “But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day”( Matthew 12:2). Notice carefully that Matthew does not say that Jesus or His disciples actually committed evil. Rather, the Pharisees accused the disciples of doing something unlawful. A careful reading of the law helps us understand what was happening. Deuteronomy 23:25 says: “When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn"( Deuteronomy 23:25). The law itself permitted a person to pluck ears of standing corn with his hand while passing through his neighbour's field. What was forbidden was taking a sickle to the neighbour's crop. Therefore, the disciples' act of plucking the ears of corn was consistent with this provision of the law. The controversy concerned the Pharisees' interpretation of Sabbath observance. Jesus understood both the written law and its purpose. He later declared: “For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day"( Matthew 12:8). Jesus was not carelessly disregarding God's Word. Instead, He demonstrated the proper understanding of the Sabbath and exposed interpretations that placed religious tradition above mercy and the true intention of God's commandments. The Sabbath contained a message beyond merely observing a particular day. The religious leaders acknowledged the Sabbath, but they failed to recognise the deeper message contained within it.
It can be compared to a shell and the nut contained within it. A person may acknowledge the shell while failing to recognise the value of what is inside. Likewise, many people today hear the Word of God yet fail to recognise the message contained within it. This is dangerous because wrong interpretation leads to wrong understanding. Jesus observed the message contained in Scripture rather than merely conforming to human interpretations surrounding the Sabbath. The subtle danger arises when the Word of God becomes mixed with culture, tradition, and religious rituals until human interpretation is treated as though it were the Word of God itself. Such distortion leads people away from the truth.
The Cross
Another example can be found in the meaning surrounding the cross, or the tree. Deuteronomy 21:23 states: “His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance" ( Deuteronomy 21:23). As important as the cross is, we must understand the message surrounding this passage. The issue is connected to judgment for sin and the punishment of one who has been condemned. This raises an important question: What crime did Christ commit? Christ committed no crime worthy of death. We were the guilty ones. This means that Christ became our substitute, taking upon Himself the penalty that belonged to us because of our sins. Therefore, the significance of Christ hanging upon the tree must be understood in connection with substitution. He stood in our place and bore our judgment.
Paul explains: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Galatians 3:13).
The cross is therefore the place of redemption, where Christ bore the penalty of our sin. The focus should not merely be upon the physical tree but upon the message revealed through what happened there: Christ became our substitute. Just as circumcision was a token pointing beyond itself, the cross must also be understood through the message revealed by Scripture. We must not stop at the outward object while missing the redemptive truth demonstrated through it.
As we move forward in our study, we must be careful of those who misinterpret Scripture. A person may speak frequently about Scripture and even quote it, yet still read personal perceptions, cultural traditions, and human opinions into the text. Instead, we must allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. Paul warns the Galatians: “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” ( Galatians 5:7).The Galatians had begun well, but something had hindered them. Teachings were being introduced that distracted them from the truth of the gospel and placed emphasis upon outward religious requirements. The same warning remains important for students of Scripture today. We must study the Scriptures carefully, with prayer and dependence upon the leading of the Holy Spirit. We should not impose our traditions, cultures, rituals, or personal opinions upon God's Word. Instead, we must seek the message God has revealed within the Scriptures.
The lesson from Abraham is particularly clear. Genesis 15 shows us the righteousness that came through believing God, while Genesis 17 shows us the outward token that followed. When the order is reversed, the sign can mistakenly be treated as though it were the source of the very thing to which it bears witness. The same principle helps us examine the Sabbath, the law, and the cross. We must look beyond the outward form and carefully seek the message revealed through the Scriptures.Only then can we recognise the difference between the outward sign and the truth to which it points; between human interpretation and God's message; and between religious observance and the life found through faith.
With careful study of Scripture, prayer, and the leading of the Holy Spirit, we can stand boldly, as Paul did, in defence of the gospel.